Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

SHYLOCK: To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing
else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced
me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my
losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation,
thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated
mine enemies—and what’s his reason? I am a Jew.
Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the
same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject
to the same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer
as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?

(i) Who is 'He'? What does Shylock want from him? What does Shylock mean by ‘to bait fish withal’?

(ii) Explain in your own words any three ways in which ‘he’ had wronged Shylock.

(iii) According to Shylock, in what other ways did Jews resemble Christians?

(iv) How does Shylock use Christian example to justify his desire for revenge?

(v) The given extract reveals two distinct emotions that Shylock experiences. What are they? Give one reason to justify each of these emotions.

Accepted Answer

Answer

(i)

Antonio or the merchant of Venice
A pound of flesh / revenge
To use as bait to catch fish/ use the flesh to catch fish/ use for fishing/ nobody should question him / sarcastic / satisfy his thirst for revenge

(ii)

He hath disgraced me (Shylock) / hindered me (Shylock) half a million
laughed at my (Shylock’s) losses / mocked at my (Shylock’s) gains / scorned my (Shylock’s) nation / thwarted my (Shylock’s) bargains / cooled my (Shylock’s) friends / heated mine (Shylock’s) enemies.
Spat on gaberdine/ spat on beard / gives money gratis/ calls him a misbeliever/ hates the Jewish race / kicked him like a cur / Shylock hates Antonio because he is a Christian.

(iii) Jews are like Christians:

laugh when tickled
die when poisoned
seek revenge when wronged

(iv) Shylock argues that:

When a Jew wrongs a Christian, the Jew is humiliated in revenge.
Therefore, following the example set by Christians.
If a Christian were to wrong a Jew, then it is appropriate that the Jew take revenge on the Christian.

(v) Emotions: Anger / thirst for revenge / Hurt / pain / bitterness / pain / malice / suffering / sadness; sorrow/ jealousy

caused by humiliating treatment at the hands of Christians.
caused by insensitivity, unfair treatment of Jews by Christians

Shylock: To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing

Answer