Enter Bassanio with Shylock the Jew. SHYLOCK Three thousand ducats, well. BASSANIO Ay, sir, for three months. SHYLOCK For three months, well. BASSANIO For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall
be bound. 5 SHYLOCK Antonio shall become bound, well. BASSANIO May you stead me? Will you pleasure me?
Shall I know your answer? SHYLOCK Three thousand ducats for three months,
and Antonio bound. 10 BASSANIO Your answer to that? SHYLOCK Antonio is a good man. BASSANIO Have you heard any imputation to the
contrary? SHYLOCK Ho, no, no, no, no! My meaning in saying he 15
is a good man is to have you understand me that he
is sufficient. Yet his means are in supposition: he
hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the
Indies. I understand, moreover, upon the Rialto,
he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and 20
other ventures he hath squandered abroad. But
ships are but boards, sailors but men; there be land
rats and water rats, water thieves and land
thieves—I mean pirates—and then there is the
peril of waters, winds, and rocks. The man is, 25
notwithstanding, sufficient. Three thousand ducats.
I think I may take his bond. BASSANIO Be assured you may. SHYLOCK I will be assured I may. And that I may be
assured, I will bethink me. May I speak with 30
Antonio? BASSANIO If it please you to dine with us. SHYLOCK Yes, to smell pork! To eat of the habitation
which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the
devil into! I will buy with you, sell with you, talk 35
with you, walk with you, and so following; but I
will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with
you.—What news on the Rialto?—Who is he comes
here? | Back on the mean streets of Venice, Bassanio wheels and deals with Shylock, a Jewish merchant. Bassanio wants 3,000 ducats, or gold coins, on Antonio's credit, with the stipulation that he'll pay them back in three months. Shylock notes that Antonio is likely good for the money, but still, all the man's cash is tied up in potential ventures—none of it actually exists yet. Antonio has a ship bound to Tripoli and another to the Indies, and Shylock's heard rumors of even more ships backed by Antonio: a third for Mexico, a fourth for England, and several others. Though all this sailing about seems rather risky, Shylock says he'll lend the money, but would like to speak to Antonio first. Bassanio invites Shylock to dinner but Shylock turns him down, as it will likely be a Christian dinner with pork, which isn't kosher. Shylock says he's fine trading, talking, and walking with Christians, but not eating, drinking, or praying with them. |
Enter Antonio. BASSANIO This is Signior Antonio. 40 SHYLOCK, aside
How like a fawning publican he looks!
I hate him for he is a Christian,
But more for that in low simplicity
He lends out money gratis and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice. 45
If I can catch him once upon the hip,
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation, and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift, 50
Which he calls “interest.” Cursèd be my tribe
If I forgive him! BASSANIO Shylock, do you hear? SHYLOCK
I am debating of my present store,
And, by the near guess of my memory, 55
I cannot instantly raise up the gross
Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?
Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
Will furnish me. But soft, how many months
Do you desire? To Antonio. Rest you fair, good 60
signior!
Your Worship was the last man in our mouths. ANTONIO
Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow
By taking nor by giving of excess,
Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend, 65
I’ll break a custom. To Bassanio. Is he yet
possessed
How much you would? SHYLOCK Ay, ay, three thousand
ducats. 70 ANTONIO And for three months. SHYLOCK
I had forgot—three months. To Bassanio.
You told me so.—
Well then, your bond. And let me see—but hear
you: 75
Methoughts you said you neither lend nor borrow
Upon advantage. ANTONIO I do never use it. SHYLOCK
When Jacob grazed his Uncle Laban’s sheep—
This Jacob from our holy Abram was 80
(As his wise mother wrought in his behalf)
The third possessor; ay, he was the third— ANTONIO
And what of him? Did he take interest? SHYLOCK
No, not take interest, not, as you would say,
Directly “interest.” Mark what Jacob did. 85
When Laban and himself were compromised
That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied
Should fall as Jacob’s hire, the ewes being rank
In end of autumn turnèd to the rams,
And when the work of generation was 90
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
The skillful shepherd pilled me certain wands,
And in the doing of the deed of kind
He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes,
Who then conceiving did in eaning time 95
Fall parti-colored lambs, and those were Jacob’s.
This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;
And thrift is blessing if men steal it not. ANTONIO
This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for,
A thing not in his power to bring to pass, 100
But swayed and fashioned by the hand of heaven.
Was this inserted to make interest good?
Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams? SHYLOCK
I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast.
But note me, signior— 105 ANTONIO, aside to Bassanio
Mark you this, Bassanio,
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose!
An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
A goodly apple rotten at the heart. 110
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath! | Antonio enters, and Shylock mutters under his breath that he hates Antonio first because he's Christian, but even moreso because he lends out money free of interest, which is unfair competition for the lenders who aren't willing to do so. Shylock says he'd like to catch Antonio at a disadvantage so he can get even with him—not only for undercutting him in trade, but also for the nasty things Antonio has said about Shylock. Shylock tells A & B he can lend the 3,000 ducats, but he's surprised Antonio is willing to deal with interest rates. Isn't that kind of hypocritical? Antonio says he'll do anything to help Bassanio—even join the interest game he's so often scorned. Shylock continues to needle Antonio about changing his tune, and then he tells the story of Jacob and Laban from the Bible. (Check out our discussion of this in the "Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory" if you want to know more.) Antonio mocks Shylock's attempts to use the Bible as justification for charging interest, and tells Bassanio that all he's learned from this experience is that even the "devil" can cite Scripture to his purposes. |
SHYLOCK
Three thousand ducats. ’Tis a good round sum.
Three months from twelve, then let me see, the
rate— ANTONIO
Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to you? 115 SHYLOCK
Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys and my usances.
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug
(For suff’rance is the badge of all our tribe). 120
You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog,
And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine,
And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help.
Go to, then. You come to me and you say 125
“Shylock, we would have moneys”—you say so,
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold. Moneys is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say 130
“Hath a dog money? Is it possible
A cur can lend three thousand ducats?” Or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman’s key,
With bated breath and whisp’ring humbleness,
Say this: “Fair sir, you spet on me on Wednesday 135
last;
You spurned me such a day; another time
You called me ‘dog’; and for these courtesies
I’ll lend you thus much moneys”? ANTONIO
I am as like to call thee so again, 140
To spet on thee again, to spurn thee, too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friends, for when did friendship take
A breed for barren metal of his friend?
But lend it rather to thine enemy, 145
Who, if he break, thou mayst with better face
Exact the penalty. SHYLOCK Why, look you how you storm!
I would be friends with you and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stained me with, 150
Supply your present wants, and take no doit
Of usance for my moneys, and you’ll not hear me!
This is kind I offer. BASSANIO This were kindness! SHYLOCK This kindness will I show. 155
Go with me to a notary, seal me there
Your single bond; and in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on such a day,
In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit 160
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me. ANTONIO
Content, in faith. I’ll seal to such a bond,
And say there is much kindness in the Jew. 165 | After hearing Antonio's remark, Shylock gets angry. He points out that in the business district, Antonio has spit on him, called him a dog, and insulted him publicly for his practice of lending with interest. (Dang. Is this why Shylock says he hates Antonio for being a Christian?) He asks if he's supposed to just forget about Antonio's abuse now that the guy needs some extra cash and wants to borrow money. Antonio doesn't deny these nasty charges. In fact, he says he's likely to spit on Shylock again, but that's irrelevant. They're not friends—this is a business transaction, and Shylock should consider it a transaction between enemies. If Antonio can't pay him back, Shylock gets to enact a penalty. Shylock says hey, let's be friends, buddy. And let's do the deal this way: I'll lend you the money, and I won't charge even charge you interest. Instead, if you can't pay it back on the date we set, my payment will be a pound of flesh off your body from wherever I choose. Antonio is fine with this idea. (What?!) |
BASSANIO
You shall not seal to such a bond for me!
I’ll rather dwell in my necessity. ANTONIO
Why, fear not, man, I will not forfeit it!
Within these two months—that’s a month before
This bond expires—I do expect return 170
Of thrice three times the value of this bond. SHYLOCK
O father Abram, what these Christians are,
Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others! Pray you tell me this:
If he should break his day, what should I gain 175
By the exaction of the forfeiture?
A pound of man’s flesh taken from a man
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
To buy his favor I extend this friendship. 180
If he will take it, so. If not, adieu;
And for my love I pray you wrong me not. ANTONIO
Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond. SHYLOCK
Then meet me forthwith at the notary’s.
Give him direction for this merry bond, 185
And I will go and purse the ducats straight,
See to my house left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
I’ll be with you. ANTONIO Hie thee, gentle Jew. 190 Shylock exits. The Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind. BASSANIO
I like not fair terms and a villain’s mind. ANTONIO
Come on, in this there can be no dismay;
My ships come home a month before the day. They exit. | Bassanio's this this "pound of flesh" deal is insane, but Antonio sees it as a nonthreat. He's confident he'll have three times enough the money to pay Shylock back in two months—a whole month before the debt is even due. Shylock also does a good job of easing Bassanio's fear—he asks what on earth he could gain by having a pound of Antonio's flesh. Clearly, Shylock says, he's only adding the "pound of flesh" caveat for funzies. This being said, the men agree to meet at the notary and draw up the agreement. Then Shylock will hand over the money. Antonio seems to believe that Shylock is being kind, but Bassanio still thinks there's something wicked going on. |