Page 141 - William_Shakespeare_-_The_Merchant_of_Venice_191

What judgement shall I dread, doing no wrong? 50
51
You have acquired° many a purchased slave {among you}
Which, like your donkeys° and your dogs and mules, {asses}
You use in abject° and in slavish roles° 52 / lowly {parts} / tasks/ chores / functions
Because you bought them. Shall I say to you:
‘Let them be free. Marry them to your heirs.
Why sweat them under burdens?° Let their beds {burthens}
Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates° / mouths / meals
Be seasoned with your spices.’° You will answer: {viands}
The slaves are ours. So do I answer you: 53
The pound of flesh which I demand of him
Is dearly bought, ‘tis mine, and I will have it.
If you deny me, fie upon your law!
There is no force in the decrees of Venice. 54
I stand° for judgement.° Answer—shall I have it? / wait // justice

—Duke
55
Upon my power I may dismiss this court,° / case
Unless Bellario, a learnéd judge,° {a learned doctor} / a doctor of law
56
Whom I have sent for to determine this,
Come here today. 57

50. / What fate should I dread, having done no wrong? / For what mercy should I hope, doing no wrong? / Why
hope for mercy, having done no wrong?
Here is the blunder of Shylock’s position—he is doing a great wrong. He is holding to the letter of the law
to justify his doing something he knows (by his own conscience and the laws of Judaism) to be wrong. Hence, it is
Shylock’s own feeble consciousness (or greed-infested anger) which does not allow him to understand the truth of
the law—and this is his undoing. His position is untruthful in every respect and violates the spirit of every law: thus
he tries to empower himself by cleaving to the strict letter of the Venetian law—for his own selfish gain—as opposed
to upholding the law of human righteousness. Thus, by his own lack of truth, he is undone.
51. / Many among you have a purchased slave,
52. / You burden with despised and slavish means
53. / Be seasoned with the same viands.’ Your answer
Shall be: ‘The slaves belong to us; +we have
Purchased them.’, So, I answer you the same:
54. / There is no power in the laws of Venice.
55. {Upon my power I may dismiss this court}
upon my power: by virtue of my power, in accord with my power (as Duke)
I may dismiss: a) dismiss the case entirely, b) adjourn the case until such time as Bellario appears. The
legal proceedings of the play corresponds to neither Venetian nor English law of the time.
The Duke states that he has the power to dismiss this case, contrary to the assertions made that the Duke does not
have that power, and must follow the strict letter of the law (and thereby honor the contract) [Antonio: 3.4.26-31;
Portia: 4.1.215-219] . One of the earliest cases in US law involved individual rights, and it was ruled that the state
could not nullify a contract made between individuals—if it did have that power the ( as stated in Chief Justice
Marshall’s opinion) the very institution and fabric of the economic livelihood of the country would be undermined.
[See Additional Notes, 4.1.103]
56. [See Additional Notes, 4.1.105]
57. There is a causality implied here: “I, the Duke, have the power to dismiss this case, unless Bellario comes to
determine it.” Hence, if Bellario does not come, the Duke may dismiss the case (due to its unusual nature). Hence,
Portia’s arrival on behalf of Bellario—and with Bellario’s glowing recommendation—is the very thing that stalls the
Duke and prevents him from dismissing the case. Thus, Portia’s arrival has unwittingly put Antonio’s life in new
jeopardy. As such, it becomes increasingly clear that Portia was fully versed in the law and was well aware that she
could save Antonio before she dared such a bold intervention.