CONTEXT QUESTIONS
1. (i) Antonio is referred to as a true gentleman. He is in need of relief as Shylock insists on the penalty for the forfeiture of the bond, which is a pound of flesh from any part of his body.
(ii) The relationship between the gentlemen, i.e., Antonio and Bassanio is that of love, affection and friendship. Antonio readily agrees to Shylock's bond to give money to Bassanio to woo Portia and never regrets his generosity even at the forfeiture of the bond. His last wish is to see Bassanio before he dies. Bassanio reciprocates the same sentiments by rushing back to Venice soon after his marriage to save his friend.
(iii) (a) an equal yoke of love: by the same bond of love.
(b) Of lineaments, of manners and of spirit: features, mind, behaviour and disposition.
(iv) Portia says that when two people are close friends and are united by the tie of mutual love, their two natures may have many things in common. There must be a certain similarity of features, mind, behaviour and disposition. This makes her conclude that the true gentleman, i.e., Antonio must be like Bassanio.
(v) Bassanio needed three thousand ducats to come to Belmont to woo
Portia. He approached Antonio for help. As Antonio had no ready cash with him, he borrowed the amount from Shylock, his enemy after signing the treacherous bond. Bassanio could win over Portia and marry her due to this generosity of Antonio. (vi) In the given scene shows Portia's intellectual ability, her devotion
to Bassanio and her admiration for Antonio. She feels that since
Antonio is like Bassanio in mind and personality, her admiration
for Antonio is justified.
2. (i) The given words mean: the control and management of my house. Portia tells Lorenzo that she gives into his hands the entire management and care of her mansion till the return of her husband.
(ii) Portia gives Lorenzo the complete control and management of her mansion till her husband's return. Portia says that she has taken a secret oath to pass her days in religious exercises and holy meditation with Nerissa alone as her companion until the return of her husband.
(iii) Portia's intention in leaving her home was to go to Venice to save Antonio from the clutches of Shylock by disguising herself as a lawyer. She needed Nerissa to act as lawyer's clerk.
(iv) Portia was leaving her house under the pretext of spending her days in religious exercises and holy meditation in the company of Nerissa till the return of her husband.
(v) Portia says that during her absence Lorenzo would not find any difficulty in running her house because she has instructed her servants to accept Lorenzo and Jessica as their master and mistress till she comes back.
(vi) In this scene, Portia shows that her intelligence and good management
skills. She devises a plan to save Antonio from the clutches of Shylock.
After consulting her cousin Dr. Bellario, she decides to go to Venice,
dressed as a lawyer with Nerissa dressed as lawyer's clerk. She
entrusts to Lorenzo and Jessica the administration of her mansion.
It is her intelligent planning and management of the situation that
take the action of the play forward.
3. (i) Portia sends Balthazar Padua to Dr. Ballario. She chooses him for this errand as Balthazar is her honest and trustworthy servant.
(ii) Balthazar takes with him a letter to be given to Dr. Bellario of Padua, a lawyer and Portia's cousin.
(iii) (a) with imagined speed: with maximum speed one is capable of. (b) to the common ferry/ Which trades to Venice: to the public ferry-boat which plies to and from Venice.
(iv) The purpose of sending Balthazar to Portia's cousin was to hand over to him her letter and then to bring back from him certain letters, notes and robes. Notes prefer Dr. Bellario's written opinion about the case. Robes refer to the robes of a Doctor of Law for Portia and the dress of a lawyer's clerk, meant for Nerissa.
(v) After Balthazar's departure, Portia gives Nerissa a hint regarding their mission saying that she has some urgent work. She also says that they will go to the place where their husbands are. Portia will outline the rest of the plan to Nerissa in the coach which will carry them to their destined place.
4. (i) The husbands of Portia and Nerissa would not recognise them when they would see them because they will be dressed like young men - one a Doctor of Law and the other as his clerk (ii) After she reaches her destination dressed as a young man, Portia will wear a dagger by her side. She will speak in the husky voice of a youth, passing from boyhood to manhood. She will walk with long manly strides instead of two short and quick steps of a woman. She will talk of broils and fights like a boastful young man. She will tell fanciful stories, as for instance how many great ladies have loved her and died of a broken heart. She says that her mind is full of thousands of school-boyish pranks and she will try them all. (iii) Portia will tell fanciful stories as to how many great ladies have loved her and died of a broken heart because she did not love.
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