SALARINO:
“Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail;
With him is Gratiano gone along;
And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not.”
🟢 Meaning: I saw Bassanio’s ship leaving. Gratiano went with him, but I’m sure Lorenzo wasn’t on board.
🟡 Analysis: This line confirms that Lorenzo (who eloped with Jessica) didn’t leave with Bassanio and Gratiano. It clears them of suspicion.
🔵 Language: Straightforward narrative. The phrase “under sail” is a metaphor for departure/adventure.
📘 Themes: Love and friendship, elopement, secrecy.
SOLANIO:
“The villain Jew with outcries raised the Duke,
Who went with him to search Bassanio’s ship.”
🟢 Meaning: Shylock (called a “villain Jew” here) caused a scene and asked the Duke to help search Bassanio’s ship.
🟡 Analysis: Shows Shylock’s desperation and how quickly he involves authority. Also reveals the prejudice Solanio has toward Shylock by calling him a villain because he’s Jewish.
🔵 Language: Strong bias in “villain Jew” – reflects anti-Semitic tone of the time.
📘 Themes: Prejudice, justice, power.
SALARINO:
“He came too late; the ship was under sail.
But there the Duke was given to understand
That in a gondola were seen together
Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica.”
🟢 Meaning: Shylock arrived too late; the ship had already left. But the Duke was told that Lorenzo and Jessica were seen in a gondola together.
🟡 Analysis: Confirms that Jessica and Lorenzo fled separately – reinforcing their elopement and secrecy.
🔵 Language: “Amorous Jessica” – romantic tone, but also possibly sarcastic.
📘 Themes: Love vs. parental control, rebellion, identity.
**”Besides, Antonio certified the Duke
They were not with Bassanio in his ship.”**
🟢 Meaning: Antonio confirmed that Lorenzo and Jessica weren’t on Bassanio’s ship.
🟡 Analysis: Antonio is trustworthy and honest – respected by the Duke. Also shows his involvement in trying to help Bassanio.
📘 Themes: Friendship, loyalty, truth vs. lies.
SOLANIO:
“I never heard a passion so confused,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets.”
🟢 Meaning: I’ve never heard anyone express emotions as wildly and inconsistently as Shylock did.
🟡 Analysis: Solanio mocks Shylock’s pain, calling his grief “confused” and “variable.” The slur “dog Jew” again shows prejudice.
🔵 Language: Repetition and listing (“confused… strange… outrageous… variable”) conveys chaos. Dehumanization through “dog.”
📘 Themes: Prejudice, emotional pain, revenge, loss.
**”‘My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!
Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!
Justice, the law! My ducats and my daughter!
A sealèd bag, two sealèd bags of ducats,
Of double ducats, stol’n from me by my daughter!
And jewels—two stones, two rich and precious stones—
Stol’n by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl!
She hath the stones upon her and the ducats.’”**
🟢 Meaning: Solanio quotes Shylock’s outburst. Shylock cries out for both his daughter and his money, mixing his grief.
🟡 Analysis: Shylock is emotionally broken – but others laugh at him. His pain is about both love and material loss.
🔵 Language: Repetition (“My daughter, my ducats”) shows confusion and obsession. Irony in “Christian ducats” – mocking conversion. Alliteration in “double ducats.”
📘 Themes: Greed vs. love, betrayal, justice, prejudice.
SALARINO:
“Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
Crying ‘His stones, his daughter, and his ducats.’”
🟢 Meaning: All the boys in Venice mock Shylock, shouting what he did: about his jewels (“stones”), daughter, and money.
🟡 Analysis: Shylock is publicly humiliated. Even children mock his loss.
🔵 Language: Repetition for mockery. The phrase “his stones” has a double meaning – possibly sexual innuendo.
📘 Themes: Public shame, cruelty, mockery, antisemitism.
SOLANIO:
“Let good Antonio look he keep his day,
Or he shall pay for this.”
🟢 Meaning: Antonio must make sure to pay Shylock on time—or he’ll pay a heavy price.
🟡 Analysis: Foreshadowing the bond (contract) Shylock made with Antonio. Shows growing tension.
📘 Themes: Justice, debt, fate, foreshadowing.
SALARINO:
“Marry, well remembered.
I reasoned with a Frenchman yesterday
Who told me, in the Narrow Seas that part
The French and English, there miscarrièd
A vessel of our country richly fraught.”
🟢 Meaning: Oh yes! I talked with a Frenchman yesterday who told me a ship (richly loaded) from our country was wrecked in the seas between France and England.
🟡 Analysis: Could be Antonio’s ship. Brings danger closer to him.
🔵 Language: “Miscarrièd” = lost or wrecked. “Richly fraught” = full of expensive goods.
📘 Themes: Risk in trade, uncertainty, fear, bad luck.
**”I thought upon Antonio when he told me,
And wished in silence that it were not his.”**
🟢 Meaning: I immediately thought of Antonio and silently hoped it wasn’t his ship.
🟡 Analysis: Shows genuine concern for Antonio—his friends care about him deeply.
📘 Themes: Friendship, worry, misfortune.
SOLANIO:
“You were best to tell Antonio what you hear—
Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him.”
🟢 Meaning: You should tell Antonio about this—but gently, because it might upset him.
🟡 Analysis: Again shows care and emotional sensitivity toward Antonio.
📘 Themes: Friendship, concern, emotional fragility.
SALARINO:
“A kinder gentleman treads not the Earth.”
🟢 Meaning: There is no kinder man alive than Antonio.
🟡 Analysis: High praise. Reinforces Antonio’s noble and generous character.
🔵 Language: Hyperbole – exaggerated praise.
📘 Themes: Loyalty, admiration, goodness.
SALARINO:
“I saw Bassanio and Antonio part.”
🟢 Meaning: I saw Bassanio and Antonio saying goodbye.
🟡 Analysis: This sets the tone—something heartfelt and serious just happened.
📘 Theme: Friendship, parting, loyalty.
“Bassanio told him he would make some speed
Of his return.”
🟢 Meaning: Bassanio promised to come back quickly.
🟡 Analysis: Bassanio cares about Antonio’s feelings and doesn’t want to be away long.
📘 Theme: Loyalty, love between friends.
“He answered, ‘Do not so.
Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,’”
🟢 Meaning: Antonio replied, “Don’t rush. Don’t mess up your important tasks for me.”
🟡 Analysis: “Slubber” means to do something carelessly. Antonio is selfless, asking Bassanio not to ruin things just to hurry back.
🔵 Language: Archaic word “slubber” shows the poetic nature of Antonio’s speech.
📘 Themes: Selflessness, nobility, wise friendship.
“But stay the very riping of the time;”
🟢 Meaning: Wait until the perfect moment—don’t act too soon.
🟡 Analysis: Antonio values patience and good timing.
🔵 Language: Metaphor – “riping” compares time to fruit that must be picked when ready.
📘 Theme: Wisdom, maturity, patience.
“And for the Jew’s bond which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love.”
🟢 Meaning: Don’t worry about the bond I made with Shylock. Forget about it while you’re with the one you love.
🟡 Analysis: Antonio is brave and doesn’t want his troubles to interfere with Bassanio’s happiness.
📘 Themes: Sacrifice, love vs. duty, foreshadowing (the bond will become important later).
“Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts
To courtship and such fair ostents of love
As shall conveniently become you there.”
🟢 Meaning: Be happy and focus on wooing Portia. Do what’s appropriate for a man in love.
🟡 Analysis: Antonio wants Bassanio to succeed in love. “Fair ostents” means impressive displays.
🔵 Language: Elevated, poetic tone. “Fair ostents” shows romantic idealism.
📘 Themes: Love, support, encouragement.
“And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wondrous sensible
He wrung Bassanio’s hand—and so they parted.”
🟢 Meaning: Antonio had tears in his eyes, turned away to hide them, held Bassanio’s hand tightly, and that’s how they said goodbye.
🟡 Analysis: A deeply emotional moment. Antonio tries to be strong, but his love for Bassanio shows.
🔵 Language Techniques:
- Imagery: “His eye being big with tears.”
- Symbolism: “Wrung Bassanio’s hand” – physical act shows emotional bond.
- Emotive language: “Affection wondrous sensible” = incredibly heartfelt emotion.
📘 Themes: Male friendship, emotional restraint, sacrifice, unspoken love.
SOLANIO:
“I think he only loves the world for him.”
🟢 Meaning: I think Antonio’s only reason to care about life is Bassanio.
🟡 Analysis: This line shows how deep Antonio’s love (possibly romantic or brotherly) is for Bassanio.
🔵 Language: Hyperbole for emotional impact.
📘 Themes: Devotion, love, emotional dependence.
“I pray thee, let us go and find him out
And quicken his embracèd heaviness
With some delight or other.”
🟢 Meaning: Let’s go find him and cheer him up—he’s holding onto his sadness.
🟡 Analysis: Solanio cares for Antonio and wants to bring joy to his melancholy world.
🔵 Language: Personification – “embraced heaviness” gives sadness a physical presence.
📘 Themes: Compassion, friendship, emotional support.
SALARINO:
“Do we so.”
🟢 Meaning: Let’s do that.
🟡 Analysis: A simple agreement that closes the scene on a note of care and action.
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