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This is kind I offer. 66

—Bassanio This were° kindness. 67 / is / would be / is

—Shylock
68
This kindness will I show:
Go with me to a notary, seal me there
69
Your guarantee, and, in a merry sport,° 70 / jest / game
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 / Set forth
Be designated as an equal pound 71 {Be nominated for} / Be thereby namèd for
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
72 73
From° what part of your body pleaseth me.° {In} {It pleaseth me}

+—Bassanio 74
This is more beastly than bizarre. Ne’er have
I heard of terms so odd and ill-conceived. , 75

refuses to hear him: [Ant: I pray thee, hear me speak. Shy: I’ll have my bond: I will not hear thee speak. 3.3.11-12]
[See Additional Notes, 1.3.137]
66. {This is kind I offer}:
kind: a) kindness, benevolence, b) kinship, friendship, c) something natural (as opposed to something
‘unnatural’—which is Antonio’s objection to charging interest on a loan, which allows barren metal to produce
‘offspring’ of metal.
What is Shylock offering? “This is kind I offer—I am offering to loan you the money on your terms, in
kind (likeness) with your sentiments, and to loan you money (as would a friend) without charging interest. I am
going to offer you that, but you storm and interrupt me, and not even allow me to make such an offer—since you are
assuming that I am your enemy, and not your friend, and that I am going to charge you interest. Now, I am offering
to loan you this money as a friend, without interest, but you will not hear me, you will not allow me to speak.” [See
Additional Notes, 1.3.138]
67. / This is kindness!
Here Bassanio is confirming that such an offer (as this point—without having yet heard the grotesque terms of the
bond) is kind. Some productions present the care-free Bassanio as a skeptic and have him pose the line as a cynical
question or remark.
68. Shylock is here building upon Bassanio’s interpretation of the, ‘kind,’ to mean kindness, even though Shylock
may have intended the term to mean, ‘kinship.’
69. {seal me there | Your single bond} / Your fullest guarantee
single bond: implies a bond that Antonio would singularly guarantee; an unconditional bond.
70. / and, in light-hearted fun
71. / Be such that I may have an equal pound
72. [See Additional Notes, 1.3.148a]
73. This grotesque term closely follows that found in Il Perecone: una libra di carne d’addosso di qualunque luogo
e’ volesse (a pound of flesh from whatever place you wish).
How does Shylock (or the Jew in Il Perecone, or in The Ballad of Gernutus) come to nominate this term of
a pound of flesh?—‘to be cut off and taken from what part of your body pleaseth me.’ And how/why does the
condition come to change?—and come to read, ‘nearest his heart’? {Ay, his breast, | So says the bond, doth it not
noble judge? | ‘Nearest his heart,’ those are the very words. [4.1.249-251]} [See Additional Notes, 1.3.148b]
74. There is likely to be some emotional reaction (on the part of Bassanio) to such a grotesque, alien, and bizarre
condition—especially one that puts Antonio’s life in danger. Hence, to make known this sentiment, two lines have
been added.
75. / These terms are beastly and bizarre What dwells | In a man’s heart to contrive° such a thing?
/ These terms are bizarre and ludicrous. | Ne’er have I heard a thing so ill-conceived.