MOV Questiuons and Answers, Act 3, Scene 2

 

Act 3 - Scene 2

(Workbook Answers: 1 to 3) 

Extract 1

Answer 1: This scene takes place in a room in Portia's house at Belmont. The first line refers to the fact that if Portia expressed her thought, people will think bad things about her, so she can't speak of her desire. Portia says enough to convey to Bassanio that she loved him. She is doubtful whether Bassanio has understood what she has said and wanted to explain further. But then she is taken over by her maidenly modesty.

Answer 2: At the end of her speech, Portia says that she spoke at length to stretch the time and delay Bassanio's act of choosing the caskets. This shows that she has feelings of love for Bassanio and does not want to lose him soon.

 

Answer 3: Portia cannot teach Bassanio to choose the correct casket as she has promised her father not to reveal the secret of the caskets to anyone. She would never break her promise. If Bassanio were to make an incorrect choice, Portia would have wished that she had broken her promise.

 

Answer 4: The given lines mean, 'May your eyes be ccursed. They have cast a spell on me and divided me'. Portia says that Bassanio's eyes have cast a spell on her and divided her for she no longer seems to be herself. She says that half of her belongs to him and the other half to her.

Answer 5: The extract shows that as a lover, Portia loves Bassanio and does not want to lose him and wants to detain him with her for a month or two. She says that Bassanio's eyes have cast a spell on her and divided her. She affirms that she is completely his. But as a dutiful daughter, she will never guide Bassanio to choose the right casket as it would break her promise to her father.

Extract 2

Answer 1: It means: If Bassanio were to lose Portia by choosing the wrong casket, then his end will be accompanied by the fading music. There was a contemporary belief that the swan, sang a beautiful song just before its death. The swan-song was sung only once its life.

 

Answer 2: Portia calls for music first of all to calm the excitement in her own heart. She further says that if Bassanio fails, he will bid his last farewell to Portia, with music in the background. This will be like a swan that sings before it dies. And if Bassanio succeeds, the music will create the perfect moment for celebration.

 

Answer 3: Portia says that if Bassanio fails to choose the right casket, he will have a swan-like end. Portia says that her eyes with tears will be Bassanio's watery grave, just like the river is the grave for a dying swan.

 

Answer 4:  If Bassanio chooses the right casket in midst of the music being played, then according to Portia, it is similar to the bridegroom waking up to the sound of loud music outside his window. In medieval England there was a custom that the bridegroom was woken by the sound of loud music outside his house, on his wedding day.

 

Answer 5: In the given scene, Portia acts as a romantic heroine. Her maidenly modesty and cleverness is seen when she detains Bassanio a little longer before making his choice. She expresses her affection for him. When Bassanio chooses correctly, she is happy and surrenders herself, her property and her servants to Bassanio. She also offers him a ring and makes him promise never to part with it.

The theme of love versus wealth is developed in the scene by comparing the choice of casket made by Morocco and Arragon with that of Bassanio. Morocco and Arragon were led, in their choiceby appearance of gold and silver. On the other hand, Bassanio was not deceived with outward appearance. Therefore, he rejected the glittering gold and pale silver and instead chose the unattractive dull lead. Bassanio was able to make the right choice as his motive was love rather than wealth.

Extract 3

 

Answer 1: Alcides refers to young Hercules. In Greek mythology, he is depicted as a strong and courageous young man.
'Virgin tribute' refers to Hesione, who was the daughter of King of Troy. Hesione was tied to a rock, and offered as a sacrifice to a sea-monster. Hercules saved her by killing the monster.

Answer 2: Portia compares Bassanio to Hercules. Just like Hercules saved Hesione, Bassanio can save Portia. Portia says that Bassanio has the same dignity as Hercules, but he has more love in his heart than Hercules had for Hesione.
Portia compares herself to Hesione. Hesione could have been eaten by a sea monster, and Portia could have been married by monster (a cruel man), because her marriage depends on the lottery of caskets.

Answer 3:

(a) howling Troy: the loud lamentations of the people of Troy at the sacrifice of Hesione.
(b) bleared visages: means tear-stained faces.
(c) The issue of the exploit: It means the outcome of the rescue operation.

 

Answer 4: 'The rest aloof' referred to in the extract are people in the room like Nerissa, Gratiano and others whom Portia compares to Trojan women. Dardanian wives are Trojan women. The Trojan women had assembled on the beach with tear-stained faces to wait and watch the result of the encounter between Hercules and the sea-monster.

Answer 5: Portia asks Bassanio, 'Go Hercules' because in her opinion the similarity between Bassanio and Hercules is complete and perfect. Portia tells Bassanio to go ahead and choose the casket. While he is choosing she will be watching the test with much more anxiety than Bassanio. She says that if he succeeds, she lives. If he fails, it is death for her.