In the "Merchant of Venice" it is reached in the Third Scene of the Third Act, where Antonio is in prison and Shylock will not hear of mercy. From this point the action proceeds to the close or dénouement. The knot is untied; the complications in which the leading characters have become involved are either happily removed, or lead to an inevitable catastrophe. Avoiding every digression, the action should go forward rapidly, in order not to weary the patience and dissipate the interest of the spectator. The dénouement should not be dependent upon some foreign element introduced at the last moment; but should spring naturally from the antecedent action. In the "Merchant of Venice," the knot is untied at the end of the Fourth Act, where the over-reaching malice of Shylock meets its punishment, and the noble Antonio is triumphantly vindicated. But as Schlegel remarks, "the poet was unwilling to dismiss his audience with the gloomy impressions which Antonio's acquittal — effected with so much difficulty and the condemnation of Shylock were calculated to leave behind them; he therefore added a Fifth Act by way of a musical afterlude to the piece itself." In addition to unity of action, which is obviously the indispensable law of the drama, two other unities have been prescribed from a very early day. The one is unity of time, which requires that the action fall within the limits of a single day; the other is unity of place, which requires that the action occur in the same locality. While evidently artificial and dispensable, these latter unities conduce to clear and concise treatment. Among the Greeks and Romans the three unities, as they are called, were strictly observed; they have been followed also by the French drama; but the English stage, breaking away in the days of Elizabeth from every artificial restriction, recognizes unity of action alone. The "Merchant of Venice" includes I. In sooth in truth. A. S. soth, truth. Cf. forsooth, soothsayer. = = 2. Want-wit foolish, idiotic. This unaccountable sadness of Antonio has been called the keynote of the play. It forbodes coming disaster. 3. Ado trouble. Contraction of Mid. Eng. at do. 4. Argosies = merchant vessels. From Argo, the name of the ship which carried Jason to Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece. lords. From Lat. senior, elder, through the Italian. shows, spectacles. Originally the movable scaffolds used 5. Signiors 6. Pageants = = in the miracle plays. 7. Overpeer: = tower above, look over. 8. Venture = hazard, risk; especially, something sent to sea in trade. Etymologically, a headless form of adventure. 9. Still constantly. = = 10. Roads = places where ships ride at anchor. A. S. rad, road. II. Wealthy Andrew dock'd in sand richly freighted ship stranded. The name is probably taken from Andrea Doria, a famous Genoese admiral. 12. Vailing lowering. A headless form of the Fr. avaler, from Lat. ad vallem, to the valley. = = 13. Straight at once, immediately. A. S. streccan, to stretch. 14. Worth this refers to some expressive gesture. 15. Bottom = merchant vessel. 16. Janus = a Latin deity represented with two faces looking in opposite directions. January is named after him. See Webster. Troy. 17. Peep through their eyes, because half shut with laughter. = others; frequently used as a plural in Shakespeare. 20. Prevented = anticipated. This is the old sense; from Fr. prevenir, Lat. prae, before, and venire, to come. 21. Exceeding strange = exceedingly strange-like, quite strangers. Exceeding is often used as an adverb by Shakespeare. 22. Respect upon 23. Play the fool = = regard, consideration for. act the part of the fool, as seen in old comedies. His function was to show the comic side of things. 25. Do has who understood as its subject. The whole line may be rendered thus: And who do maintain an obstinate silence. 26. Opinion of wisdom 27. Conceit = thought. In Shakespeare this word is used for thought, conception, imagination, but never in the sense of vanity. 28. As who should say = as if one should say; who being indefinite. 29. A reference to Matt. v. 22. "Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." If these silent persons should speak, they would provoke their hearers to say "thou fool," and thus bring them into danger of condemnation. 30. Gudgeon = a small fish that is easily caught. See Webster. 31. Moe = more. 32. Gear matter, business, purpose. In Act II, Scene 2, we find: "Well, if Fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear." 33. Something: somewhat. This use is common in Shakespeare. 34. Swelling port great state, ostentatious manner of living. 35. Rate = manner, style. = engaged, pledged. constantly. See note 9. = = = to find the other out. test or experiment of childhood. 43. Wilful obstinate in extravagance. Owing to the obscurity, "witless" and "wasteful" have been suggested for wilful. 44. That self way that same way. This use of self is frequent in Shakespeare. 45. Circumstance utmost for you. = = circumlocution. 47. Prest ready. O. Fr. prest, now prêt, ready. 48. Richly left with a large inheritance. 49. Sometimes = formerly. Sometimes and sometime were used indiffer ently by Shakespeare in this sense. 50. Nothing undervalued: not at all inferior. 51. Brutus' Portia. See Shakespeare's Julius Cæsar, in which Portia is a prominent character. 52. Colchos' strand. Colchis was situated at the eastern extremity of the Black Sea. Thither, according to Grecian mythology, Jason was sent in quest of the golden fleece, which, though it was guarded by a sleepless dragon, he succeeded in obtaining. The Argonautic expedition is referred to again in Act III. Scene 2:, "We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece." 53. With one of them = as one of them. 54. Thrift: success. 55. Commodity = property, merchandise. 57. Of my trust, etc. = on my credit as a merchant or as a personal favor. SCENE II. I. Troth = truth, of which it is an old form. 2. Nor refuse none. - We should now say, Nor refuse any. But the double negative had not yet disappeared from English in Shakespeare's day. 7. Weeping philosopher = Heraclitus; so called because he wept over the follies of mankind. Democritus, who laughed at them, was called "The laughing philosopher." 8. By: = of, about, concerning —a not unfrequent use of the word. 9. Say to is here playfully used in a different sense from that which = 12. Doublet a close-fitting coat, with skirts reaching a little below the girdle. 13. Round hose to coat and breeches. 14. Bonnet == = coverings for the legs. Doublet and hose is equivalent hat or head-dress. Since Shakespeare's day bonnet and hat have changed places. 15. Sealed under, that is, as surety he placed his name under that of the principal. There seems to be a sly hit at the constant assistance which the French promised the Scotch in their quarrels with the English. 16. An if. = 17. Should: Shakespeare. = would. These words were not fully differentiated by = 18. Contrary wrong. So in "King John,” IV. 2: "Standing on slippers which his nimble haste had falsely thrust upon contrary feet." 19. Sort = manner; or, possibly, lot, as in "Troilus and Cressida,” I. 3: "Let blockish Ajax draw the sort to fight with Hector." 20. Imposition = imposed condition. 21. Sibylla is erroneously used as a proper noun. A sibyl was a woman supposed to be endowed with a spirit of prophecy. The reference here is to one to whom Apollo promised as many years of life as there were grains of sand in her hand. 22. Four is probably an oversight, as there were six of the strangers. disposition, temper. This is a common meaning of the 23. Condition = word in Shakespeare. 24. Shrive to administer confession and absolution. coins first issued in the duchy of Apulia. From O. Fr. Ital. ducato Low Lat. ducatus, duchy. So called because when first coined, about A.D. 1140, they bore the legend, "Sit tibi, Christe, datus, quem tu regis, iste ducatus." —SKEAT. The Venetian silver ducat was worth about one dollar. 2. May you stead me can you help me. May originally expressed ability. 3. A good man = a solvent man, one able to meet his obligations. = in doubtful form, being risked at sea. 5. Rialto the Exchange of Venice. From rivo alto, higher shore. The name was originally applied to the chief island in Venice. 6. Squandered = scattered, dispersed; this was the original sense of the word. 7. Referring to the permission given the devils to enter into the herd of swine. Matt. viii. 32. 8. Usance = interest. = 9. Catch upon the hip to get into one's power; a phrase used by wrestlers. now. 10. Interest was a term of reproach in Shakespeare's day, as usury is It was held disreputable to take compensation for the use of money, inasmuch, as it was said, "it is against nature for money to beget money." 11. Rest you fair may you have fair fortune. 12. Excess = that which is paid in excess of the sum lent. 13. Ripe wants = wants that require immediate attention. 14. Possess'd = informed. = 15. Methought it seemed to me. From A. S. thincan to seem. To think comes from A. S. thencan. 16. The third, counting Abraham as the first. Gen. xxvii. 21. These lines are spoken aside, while Shylock is occupied with his calculations. 22. Beholding = beholden, indebted. Shakespeare always uses the form in ing, beholden occurring not a single time in his writings. 23. Gaberdine = a coarse smock-frock or upper garment. 24. Go to = 25. Breed: = come; a phrase of exhortation. interest, money bred from the principal. 26. Who is here without a verb. This use of the relative with a supplementary pronoun was not uncommon. "Which though it be not true, yet I forbear to note any deficiencies."- BACON. 27. Doit = a small Dutch coin, worth about a quarter of a cent. 28. Condition = agreement. |