The Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 lines(22-58) - notes

The Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 lines(22-58)

3) My wind cooling my broth,............................ to kiss her burial.

1.Where does this scene take place? Name the people who are present

there. In what mood is Salarino in this scene?

This scene takes place in a street of Venice. Antonio, Salarino and

Salanio are present in the scene. Salarino is in a talkative mood and

wants to know the reason for Antonio's melancholy. He says that he too

would be feeling melancholic if his ships were sailing on the sea.

2. What would the wind cooling the broth remind Salarino of?

It would remind Salarino of the stormy winds at sea and of the terrible

damages they might cause to the ships.

3. Give the meaning of:

And see my wealthy Andrew docked in sand...................... to kiss her

burial

Wealthy Andrew refers to a Spanish ship called Andrew captured by the

British sailors in 1596. It ran aground when it was being brought to

England. Since then, Andrew refers to a big cargo ship. In the above lines

Salarino imagines that his rich cargo ship is grounded in sand and her

mast dipped down lower than her sides as if trying to kiss the sands that

surround her.

4. What is the 'Sandy hour- glass’? What would it remind Salarino of?

Sandy hour-glass is an apparatus used to indicate time. It would remind

Salarino of the dangers from hidden banks of sand at sea on which a

ship may run aground.

5. When Salarino would go to church what would he see? What would

the scene make him imagine?

Salarino refers to his richly laden ship as wealthy Andrew. It is so

referred because Salarino feels that like the Spanish ship Andrew

captured by the British in 1596, his ship too is majestic and rich with

cargo.

6. When Salarino would go to church what could he see? What would

the scene make him imagine?

When Salarino would go to church he would see the holy building made of

stone. This scene would make him think of the perilous rocks of the sea

and imagine that a collision of his ship with these rocks would be sufficient

to break his vessel into pieces and scatter on the sea all her spices and

silks.

4) Not in love neither? Then let us say you are sad.................... jest be

laughable

1.Who has just said that Antonio was in love? What was the reaction

of Antonio to that remark?

Salarino has just said that Antonio was in love. Antonio calls the

remark as nonsense and completely denies that he is in love.

2.Antonio says that he is not sad because of love. What explanation

does Salarino give in the extract for Antonio's sadness?

Salarino concludes that Antonio is sad because he is not happy. He

remarks that there are some curious creatures in the world. He

swears by Janus, the two-headed Roman God that some people have

merry natures and are continuously laughing whether the things they

see are subject for mirth or not. Again there are others with the

sourest countenance who will not laugh at any thing though the

gravest old warrior Nestor himself confirms the joke as most

amusing.

3.What is meant by the ' two- headed Janus Why is he referred to in

the extract?

Janus is a Roman God usually depicted with two heads looking in

opposite directions, one frowning and the other smiling. He had

received from God Saturn, the gift to see both the past and the

future. He is referred to in the extract to show that there are two

types of people- one happy and the other sad.

4. Describe in your own words the two types of strange fellows who

have been framed by nature.

Nature has framed two types of people. The first type have happy

natures and often laugh even if the subject of laughter is too trivial

.The second are those with serious and grave faces, who do not

laugh even at the most amusing jokes.

5.Who is Nestor? Why he is referred to in the extract?

Nestor was the King of Pylos. He was one of the greatest generals in

the Trojan War. He was famous for his wisdom, justice, knowledge of

war and profound gravity. If he laughed, it meant the joke was really

funny. He is referred to in the extract to describe the sad and grave

people.

6.Give the meaning of:

a)And the other of such vinegar aspect.

b) Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable.

a) The second type of people who are grave and serious.

b) Even if the wise and grave Nestor certify the joke as funny.

7.Why are a class of people compared to Parrots?

A class of people are compared to parrots because they laugh even at

a bag-piper as foolishly as a parrot laughs at anything.

8.Who comes at the end of Salarino's speech ? Why does Salarino

leave then?

Bassanio, Gratiano and Lorenzo come at the end of Salarino’s speech.

Salarino leaves Antonio then because Antonio's friends,

Bassanio,Gratiano and Lorenzo have come to give him company.