PORTIA
“Inquire the Jew’s house out; give him this deed
And let him sign it.”
🟩 Meaning:
Portia (still disguised as the lawyer Balthazar) tells Nerissa to find Shylock’s house and give him a legal document (a deed) that he needs to sign.
🟩 Explanation:
This “deed” likely transfers Shylock’s wealth to Lorenzo after Shylock is forced to convert to Christianity. Portia is tying up the legal outcomes of the trial.
🟩 Techniques:
- Imperative verbs (“Inquire,” “give,” “let”) show Portia’s assertiveness and authority.
- Refers to Shylock as “the Jew” – common in the play, it reflects the cultural and religious bias of the time.
🟩 Theme:
- Justice and Mercy: Portia uses legal knowledge to punish Shylock but also ensures Lorenzo benefits, showing how justice is manipulated.
**”We’ll away tonight,
And be a day before our husbands home.”**
🟩 Meaning:
She says they’ll leave that very night and return home a full day before their husbands (Bassanio and Gratiano).
🟩 Explanation:
Portia is planning a surprise return—before their husbands—to catch them in the act of “cheating” (symbolically) by giving away their rings.
🟩 Theme:
- Deception and Disguise: Portia continues her clever plan.
- Gender Roles: The women are in control and outsmarting the men.
“This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.”
🟩 Meaning:
Lorenzo will be happy to receive this deed.
🟩 Explanation:
Because the deed gives him access to Shylock’s property, Lorenzo gains wealth through this act of law.
🟩 Theme:
- Materialism & Wealth: Inheritance and financial gain are central.
- Religion and Prejudice: The Christian Lorenzo gains the Jewish Shylock’s wealth.
Enter Gratiano.
🟦 This stage direction shows Gratiano arriving, about to deliver the ring to the “lawyer” (Portia in disguise).
GRATIANO
“Fair sir, you are well o’erta’en.”
🟩 Meaning:
He greets Portia (still disguised as a man) respectfully: “Good sir, I’m glad to have caught up with you.”
🟩 Language:
- Archaic greeting; “o’erta’en” means “overtaken” or “met unexpectedly.”
**”My Lord Bassanio, upon more advice,
Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat
Your company at dinner.”**
🟩 Meaning:
Bassanio changed his mind and sent Gratiano to give Portia the ring and invite her to dinner.
🟩 Explanation:
Even though Bassanio swore never to part with it, he gives in to pressure. Gratiano delivers it without realizing its emotional significance.
🟩 Theme:
- Love vs Loyalty: The men quickly break promises made to their wives.
- Irony: The ring test was a trick, and they failed.
He gives her a ring.
🟦 This action is important: it’s the turning point where the deception deepens.
PORTIA (as Balthazar)
“That cannot be.
His ring I do accept most thankfully,
And so I pray you tell him.”
🟩 Meaning:
She pretends to be modest, saying “I can’t come to dinner” but accepts the ring gratefully and asks Gratiano to thank Bassanio.
🟩 Language:
- Polite tone – She keeps up the disguise well.
- Dramatic irony – We, the audience, know it’s actually his wife.
**”Furthermore,
I pray you show my youth old Shylock’s house.”**
🟩 Meaning:
She asks Gratiano to guide her young assistant (Nerissa, also disguised) to Shylock’s house.
🟩 Theme:
- Manipulation of Identity: Portia continues the role-play while pushing her plan forward.
GRATIANO
“That will I do.”
🟩 Meaning:
He agrees to help.
🟩 Tone:
Polite and eager – he has no clue he’s helping his wife’s plan succeed!
NERISSA (as Clerk)
“Sir, I would speak with you.”
(Aside to Portia) I’ll see if I can get my husband’s
ring,
Which I did make him swear to keep forever.”
🟩 Meaning:
Nerissa pulls Portia aside and tells her she’ll now try to trick her husband (Gratiano) into giving her the ring he swore to keep.
🟩 Language:
- Aside – stage direction lets us know only the audience hears it, building suspense.
🟩 Theme:
- Testing Love and Loyalty – Nerissa mimics Portia’s plan to test her husband.
PORTIA (aside to Nerissa)
“Thou mayst, I warrant! We shall have old swearing
That they did give the rings away to men;
But we’ll outface them, and outswear them, too.”
🟩 Meaning:
Portia encourages Nerissa. She imagines their husbands swearing and making excuses for giving away the rings—but the women will act innocent and deny everything just as strongly.
🟩 Language:
- “Old swearing” = lots of dramatic oaths
- “Outface/outswear” = outsmart, argue better
- Humor and irony – the women are setting up a comic reveal.
🟩 Theme:
- Power Play – Women proving their wit in a patriarchal world.
- Comedy through Deception – A classic Shakespearean device.
**”Away, make haste! Thou know’st where I will tarry.”
She exits.
🟩 Meaning:
She tells Nerissa to hurry; she knows where to meet later.
🟩 Tone:
Commanding yet playful – Portia is fully in control.
NERISSA (as Clerk)
“Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?”
They exit.
🟩 Meaning:
Nerissa, still pretending to be a male legal assistant, asks Gratiano to lead her to Shylock’s place.
🟩 Significance:
This marks the beginning of the second “ring test.”
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