Page 40 - William_Shakespeare_-_The_Merchant_of_Venice_191

ACT TWO - Scene One 1 2.1.0 Xxx

Portia’s house in Belmont.

A flourish of cornets. Enter the Prince from Morocco (a dark-skinned Moor dressed in
white), and three or four followers (of similar complexion) with Portia, Nerissa, and
attendants

—Morocco
Mislike° me not for my complexion;° 2 / Dislike
This darkened raiment° of the burnished° sun 3 {shadowed livery} // burning
Is worn by all who breed° so near° its fire. 4 / who live // beneath
Bring me a man whose skin is light and fair, 5
Born° from the coldest regions of the north, 6
Where the sun’s heat° can scarce thaw an icicle,° 7 / rays / fire // scarcely thaw the ice
8
And let us make a cut,° at love’s behest, / cut our skin // request
To prove whose blood is reddest—his or mine.
I tell thee, lady,° this aspect° of mine / I say, dear lady // feature
Has brought much fear to brave and valiant men. 9
And by my love, I swear, it too was loved 10
11
By the most-honored virgins of our clime.° / region / climate
I would not change this dark and noble hue,
12 13
Except to steal° your thoughts, my gentle queen. / know 14

1. This is a short, filler scene, which helps alternate the action between Venice and Belmont. In deference to time,
many productions delete this scene or merge elements of it with Morocco’s next appearance in 2.7.
2. / Do not disfavor me for my complexion
my complexion: my complexion which is dark. A light complexion was held (be Europeans) to be fair or
beautiful, whereas a dark complexion was thought to be attractive (and the color of the devil). To fit the meter,
complexion is pronounced with four syllables: comPLEXeeON
3. / . . . bestowed by the sun
4. {To whom I am a neighbor and near bred.}
/ Near which I live and near where I was bred / Which all my kin, bred near its heat, do wear.
5. / Bring me a fair creature born in the north / Bring me a man with light and frosty skin,
6. / Who comes from cold and ever-dark regions. / One who was born in the northernmost region
7. {Where Phoebus’s fire scarce thaws the icicles}
Phoebus’s fire: the sun’s heat. Phoebus was god of the sun.
8. {And let us make incision for your love}
9. / Has wrought great fear in the hearts of the valiant / Has prompted many heros to run in fright.
10. / By my love, I swear, it too has been loved
11. {best-regarded} / most respected / most revered
12. It seems the whole of Morocco’s plea is designed to overcome or appease the sure prejudice (and dislike of
those with dark complexions) which he knows Portia possesses. Even though Portia’s opinion of him has no effect
on the outcome of his drawing, he may be testing her, to see if she likes him—for what is the purpose of winning a
woman who cannot stand your sight? Portia’s positive response to Morocco’s plea—which is polite to the point of
being misleading—leads Morocco to believe that she accepts (and even likes) his dark complexion. Thus, with this
‘OK’ he proceeds with his choice.
13. We see that Morocco’s bases himself upon the virtue of his strength and physical attributes. His first reference
is to his outer appearance; thereafter all his references are to his strength and physical prowess: swearing upon his
sword (that slew great rulers and won three battles), he tells how he would outstare and outbrave the most daring
men, defy bears and lions; then he likens himself to Hercules, the strongest man on earth. In this context (dependent
solely upon physical prowess) he does not comprehend the ‘skill’ involved in the lottery and sees it in terms of pure