Page 151 - William_Shakespeare_-_The_Merchant_of_Venice_191

‘Tis very true, O wise and righteous° judge! {upright}
How much more elder art thou than thy looks!

—Portia [to Antonio]
Therefore, lay bare your bosom.

—Shylock Ah, his breast.
So says the bond; doth it not, noble judge?
‘Nearest his heart’—those are the very words.

—Portia
‘Tis so. Are scales° here to weigh the flesh? {balance}

—Shylock [opening a bag to reveal them]
I have them ready. +They are in my bag.,

—Portia
124
Have you° a surgeon, Shylock, on your charge,° 125 / Is there // hired / paid for by you
To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death?

—Shylock [looks at the bond]
Is it so nominated in° the bond? 126 / specified within

—Portia
It is not so expressed, but what of that°? / it
127 128
‘Twere good you do so much out of compassion° {for charity}
—Shylock [handing back the bond]
I cannot find it; ‘tis not in the bond. 129

—Portia

124. The calling of Shylock by his name, as opposed to ‘Jew,’ at this stage in the game is somewhat telling. Portia
is still appealing to him on a personal level, giving him yet another opportunity to veer from his intended course and
show mercy—though at this point, by all accounts, she is now disgusted with Shylock’s intransigent and unmerciful
position.
125. {Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge.}
have by: have you come by; have you hired
/ And have you, Shylock, paid for a surgeon / And have you, Shylock, here employed a surgeon?
/ Have you employed a surgeon, on your charge / Have you a surgeon, hired at your expense?
126. / Is that condition listed in the bond? / Is that mentioned in the terms of the bond? / Is that specified in the
written bond?
127. / It is an act of charity and goodness. / It is a righteous action of compassion.
128. Portia, seeing the futility of trying to reason with Shylock—and his showing not one iota of compassion or
mercy—now shifts her position and seeks to actuate her course of action against Shylock. She has given him every
chance to be merciful and charitable—actions that are in line with higher principles—all of which he refused.
129. Here there is a shift in Portia’s attitude towards Shylock; rather than continuing to address him (and continuing
to argue with him) she shifts her attention and focus away from him. Perhaps her sensitivity now gives in to disgust
at what appears to a singular lack of charity and humanity—a sentiment rather alien and abhorrent to Portia. See
previous note.