Page 126 - William_Shakespeare_-_The_Merchant_of_Venice_191

ACT THREE – Scene 4 1 3.4

Belmont. Enter Portia, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and Balthazar, Portia’s servant

—Lorenzo
Madam, although I speak it in your presence,
+And hesitate° to volunteer° such praise,, 2 / am not wont // offer you
You have a true and noble understanding 3
Of godlike friendship,° which appears most strongly° {amity} // so fully
In bearing, thus, the absence of your lord.
But if you knew the one to whom you honor,° 4 / favor
How true a gentleman you deem to help,° {send relief}
How dear he’s held within° thine husband’s heart 5 / placèd in / placed within
I know you would be prouder of this work 6
7
Than from the customary° acts° of kindness / usual / common {works} / deeds
8 9
That your good° nature moves° you to perform. // Your godly nature / prompts

1. At this point Portia has decided to go to Venice and intervene on Antonio’s behalf—now believing that such an
intervention is necessary (because neither the justice system of Venice, nor the ducats she has armed Bassanio with,
are sufficient to save Antonio). But upon what information has she come to make this decision? Initially she thought
that her tens of thousands of ducats would be enough to save Antonio—despite Jessica’s statement, ‘That he would
rather have Antonio’s flesh | Than twenty times the value of the sum.’ [3.2.284-85] However, something has since
changed her mind, and now she believes that neither her money nor the justice system of Venice would be sufficient
to save Antonio—and she concludes that she must go to Venice and intervene. Thus, this change in Portia’s opinion
(which resulted in her changing her course of action) could only have come about as a result of her continued (and
more informed) conversation with Jessica. We are not clear on how Portia came to conclude that only her legal
intervention could help Antonio, especially since she had no legal training and was not familiar with the specifics of
the case. We are also not clear as to how she knew that her cousin, Bellario, had been summoned by the Duke to
rule on the case—and was too sick to do so—unless she had received a prior communication from Bellario telling
her of these matters.)
Thus, it is clear that Portia had a change of heart due to her continued conversation with Jessica, who was
intimately knowledgeable about the matter. To indicate this ongoing conversation (which began in 3.2) the two
could be seen entering the scene together (ahead of the others), in conversation—even where Portia could appear to
be asking questions with Jessica answering. [See Additional Notes, 3.4.0]
2. A line to clarify Lorenzo’s reticence has been added here:
a) The sense may be that it is impolite to praise a person in his/her own presence—as this might cause
embarrassment (to those who would be modest) or self-aggrandizement (to those inclined in this direction), or b) that
words spoken in one’s presence are likely to be embellishments (toward positive praise) and therefore may not
reflect the total truth (whereas words spoken when the subject is absent, are more likely to be truthful). In this
instance, it could be that Lorenzo is reiterating that, although his words are spoken in her presence, they are not said
lightly, as hollow praise, but truly reflect his opinion.
a) / +And loathe to offer such excessive praise,
b) / +And you may doubt the truth of what I say,
3. {Madam, although I speak it in your presence | You have a noble and true conceit}
although: even though
/ Although I pause to speak it in your presence | Madam, you have a noble understanding
/ Madam, I pause to say it is your presence, | And yet, you show a noble understanding
/ I hope it’s not too bold of me to say, | Madam, and yet I think you have a true sense
4. {But if you knew to whom you show this honor}
/ But if you knew the one whom you thus honor
5. {How dear a lover of my lord your husband}
/ How dear he’s placèd in your husband’s heart
6. / You’d be more honored by this virtuous work° / kindly act / generous deed
7. / Than from the custom’ry displays of kindness
8. / Your gen’rous nature moves you to perform / Than your good heart obliges you to enact
9.{Than customary bounty can enforce you} / Than from obligèd acts of charity
customary: ususal, regular, standard
bounty: goodness, benevolence, generosity, overflowing kindness, etc.