The Merchant of Venice: Portia
This edition is to be used by the actor playing Portia in "The Merchant of Venice." It has the cue lines spoken by the character before her (in small print), space for scansion, and footnotes that pertain to her lines. If you wish to have the copy that comes with a grid that sections off where to write in your rhetoric and your blocking notes, please see the attached document.
/uploads/1/9/2/5/19259329/mov.portia.1.2.docx
/uploads/1/9/2/5/19259329/mov.portia.1.2.docx
{Antonio
…or for my sake.}
Act 1 Scene 2
Enter Portia with her waiting-woman Nerissa
Portia
By my troth[1], Nerissa, my little[2] body is aweary of
this great world.
{Nerissa
…but competency lives longer.}
Portia
Good sentences[3], and well pronounced[4].
{Nerissa
…better if well followed.}
Portia
If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do,
chapels[5] had been[6] churches, and poor men’s cottages
princes’ palaces. It is a good divine[7] that follows his own
instructions[8]: I can easier teach twenty what were good to
be done than to be one of the twenty to follow mine own
teaching. The brain may devise[9] laws for the blood[10],
but a hot temper leaps o’er a cold decree[11]; such a hare is
madness[12] the youth, to skip[13] o’er the meshes[14] of good
counsel[15] the cripple. But this reasoning[16] is not in the fashion
to choose me a husband. O me, the word ‘choose’! I may
neither choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike, so
is the will[17] of a living daughter curbed[18] by the will[19] of a
dead father. Is it not hard[20], Nerissa, that I cannot choose
one, nor refuse none?
{Nerissa
…that are already come?}
Portia
I pray thee over-name[21] them and, as thou namest them,
I will describe them, and according to my description level
at[22] my affection.
{Nerissa
…is the Neapolitan prince.}
Portia
Ay, that’s a colt[23] indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of
his horse, and he makes it a great appropriation[24] to his own
good parts[25] that he can shoe him himself. I am much
afeard my lady his mother played false with a smith[26].
{Nerissa
…there the County Palatine.}
Portia
He doth nothing but frown, as who should say[27], and
you will not have me, choose. He hears merry tales and
smiles not; I fear he will prove the weeping[28] philosopher
when he grows old, being so full of unmannerly[29] sadness in
his youth. I had rather be married to a death’s head[30] with
a bone in his mouth than to either of these. God defend[31]
me from these two.
{Nerissa
…lord, Monsieur Le Bon?}
Portia
God made him, and therefore let him pass for a man.
In truth, I know it is a sin to be a mocker, but he! Why, he hath
a horse better than the Neapolitan’s, a better bad habit of
frowning than the Count Palatine. He is every man in no
man: if a throstle[32] sing, he falls straight a-capering[33]. He
will fence with his own shadow. If I should marry him, I
should marry twenty husbands. If he would despise me I
would forgive him, for if he love me to madness I shall
never requite[34] him.
{Nerissa
…young baron of England?}
Portia
You know I say nothing to him, for he understands not
me, nor I him. He hath[35] neither Latin, French nor Italian,
and you will come into the court[36] and swear that I have a
poor pennyworth in the English[37]. He is a proper man’s
picture[38], but, alas, who can converse with a dumb-show?
How oddly he is suited[39]! I think he bought his doublet[40] in
Italy, his round hose[41] in France, his bonnet[42] in Germany
and his behaviour everywhere.
{Nerissa
…Scottish lord, his neighbour?}
Portia
That he hath a neighbourly charity in him, for he
borrowed a box of the ear of[43] the Englishman and swore
he would pay him again when he was able. I think the
Frenchman became his surety[44] and sealed[45] under for
another.
{Nerissa
…Duke of Saxony’s nephew?}
Portia
Very viley[46] in the morning, when he is sober, and most
viley in the afternoon, when he is drunk. When he is best, he
is a little worse than a man, and when he is worst he is little
better than a beast. An the worst fall[47] that ever fell[48], I hope
I shall make shift[49] to go without him.
{Nerissa
…refuse to accept him.}
Portia
Therefore, for fear of the worst, I pray thee set a deep[50]
glass of Rhenish wine on the contrary[51] casket, for if the
devil be within, and that temptation without, I know
he will choose it. I will do anything, Nerissa, ere I will be
married to a sponge[52].
{Nerissa
…depending on the caskets.}
Portia
If I live to be as old as Sibylla[53], I will die as chaste as
Diana[54], unless I be obtained[55] by the manner of my father’s
will. I am glad this parcel of wooers are so reasonable[56], for
there is not one among them but I dote on[57] his very
absence, and I pray God grant them a fair departure.
{Nerissa
…the Marquis of Montferrat?}
Portia
Yes, yes, it was Bassanio, as I think, so was he called.
{Nerissa
…deserving a fair lady.}
Portia
I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of
thy praise.
[Enter a Servingman]
How now, what news?
{Servingman
…will be here tonight.}
Portia
If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good heart
as I can bid the other four farewell, I should be glad of his
approach. If he have the condition[58] of a saint and the
complexion[59] of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me[60]
than wive me. Come, Nerissa. — Sirrah[61], go before[62].
[Exit Servingman]
Whiles we shut the gate upon one wooer, another
knocks at the door.
[Exit Portia and Nerissa]
[1] In faith; an oath
[2] Small or short
[3] Opinions or wisdom
[4] Proclaimed or delivered
[5] Small private rooms for worship
[6] Would be
[7] Clergyman
[8] Teaching
[9] Invent or think out
[10] Emotions or passions
[11] Law or judgement
[12] Folly
[13] Who leaps
[14] Nets, used to catch hares
[15] Advice or direction
[16] Logic
[17] Wish
[18] Controlled or restrained
[19] Last will and testament
[20] Troublesome or difficult
[21] Name one after the other
[22] “level at”(focus on or take aim)
[23] Awkward young person
[24] Special attribute
[25] Qualities or talents
[26] Committed adultery with a blacksmith
[27] “as who should say”(as if to say)
[28] Melancholy
[29] Rude or discourteous
[30] “death’s head”(skull)
[31] Protect
[32] Thrush
[33] Dancing or leaping
[34] Return his love
[35] Speaks or understands
[36] Court of law
[37] “poor pennyworth in the English”(mere scrap of English)
[38] Likeness
[39] Dressed
[40] Jacket like body garment with or without sleeves
[41] Breeches like garment, covering legs, and padded to round it out
[42] Cap for head
[43] “box of the ear of”(hit/strike on the head)
[44] Security or protector
[45] Ratified
[46] Awful or disgusting
[47] Happening or occurrence
[48] Happens
[49] “make shift”(find a way)
[50] Full or large
[51] Wrong
[52] Drunk or someone who soaks up alcohol
[53] The most famous oracle/prophetess, at Cumae, said to have lived a thousand years
[54] Roman moon goddess and protector of women
[55] Won
[56] Rational or sensible
[57] “dote on”(infatuated with)
[58] State of being or moral nature
[59] Nature or character
[60] “strive me”(hear my confession)
[61] Addressing for a male of low status
[62] “go before”(ahead of us)
…or for my sake.}
Act 1 Scene 2
Enter Portia with her waiting-woman Nerissa
Portia
By my troth[1], Nerissa, my little[2] body is aweary of
this great world.
{Nerissa
…but competency lives longer.}
Portia
Good sentences[3], and well pronounced[4].
{Nerissa
…better if well followed.}
Portia
If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do,
chapels[5] had been[6] churches, and poor men’s cottages
princes’ palaces. It is a good divine[7] that follows his own
instructions[8]: I can easier teach twenty what were good to
be done than to be one of the twenty to follow mine own
teaching. The brain may devise[9] laws for the blood[10],
but a hot temper leaps o’er a cold decree[11]; such a hare is
madness[12] the youth, to skip[13] o’er the meshes[14] of good
counsel[15] the cripple. But this reasoning[16] is not in the fashion
to choose me a husband. O me, the word ‘choose’! I may
neither choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike, so
is the will[17] of a living daughter curbed[18] by the will[19] of a
dead father. Is it not hard[20], Nerissa, that I cannot choose
one, nor refuse none?
{Nerissa
…that are already come?}
Portia
I pray thee over-name[21] them and, as thou namest them,
I will describe them, and according to my description level
at[22] my affection.
{Nerissa
…is the Neapolitan prince.}
Portia
Ay, that’s a colt[23] indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of
his horse, and he makes it a great appropriation[24] to his own
good parts[25] that he can shoe him himself. I am much
afeard my lady his mother played false with a smith[26].
{Nerissa
…there the County Palatine.}
Portia
He doth nothing but frown, as who should say[27], and
you will not have me, choose. He hears merry tales and
smiles not; I fear he will prove the weeping[28] philosopher
when he grows old, being so full of unmannerly[29] sadness in
his youth. I had rather be married to a death’s head[30] with
a bone in his mouth than to either of these. God defend[31]
me from these two.
{Nerissa
…lord, Monsieur Le Bon?}
Portia
God made him, and therefore let him pass for a man.
In truth, I know it is a sin to be a mocker, but he! Why, he hath
a horse better than the Neapolitan’s, a better bad habit of
frowning than the Count Palatine. He is every man in no
man: if a throstle[32] sing, he falls straight a-capering[33]. He
will fence with his own shadow. If I should marry him, I
should marry twenty husbands. If he would despise me I
would forgive him, for if he love me to madness I shall
never requite[34] him.
{Nerissa
…young baron of England?}
Portia
You know I say nothing to him, for he understands not
me, nor I him. He hath[35] neither Latin, French nor Italian,
and you will come into the court[36] and swear that I have a
poor pennyworth in the English[37]. He is a proper man’s
picture[38], but, alas, who can converse with a dumb-show?
How oddly he is suited[39]! I think he bought his doublet[40] in
Italy, his round hose[41] in France, his bonnet[42] in Germany
and his behaviour everywhere.
{Nerissa
…Scottish lord, his neighbour?}
Portia
That he hath a neighbourly charity in him, for he
borrowed a box of the ear of[43] the Englishman and swore
he would pay him again when he was able. I think the
Frenchman became his surety[44] and sealed[45] under for
another.
{Nerissa
…Duke of Saxony’s nephew?}
Portia
Very viley[46] in the morning, when he is sober, and most
viley in the afternoon, when he is drunk. When he is best, he
is a little worse than a man, and when he is worst he is little
better than a beast. An the worst fall[47] that ever fell[48], I hope
I shall make shift[49] to go without him.
{Nerissa
…refuse to accept him.}
Portia
Therefore, for fear of the worst, I pray thee set a deep[50]
glass of Rhenish wine on the contrary[51] casket, for if the
devil be within, and that temptation without, I know
he will choose it. I will do anything, Nerissa, ere I will be
married to a sponge[52].
{Nerissa
…depending on the caskets.}
Portia
If I live to be as old as Sibylla[53], I will die as chaste as
Diana[54], unless I be obtained[55] by the manner of my father’s
will. I am glad this parcel of wooers are so reasonable[56], for
there is not one among them but I dote on[57] his very
absence, and I pray God grant them a fair departure.
{Nerissa
…the Marquis of Montferrat?}
Portia
Yes, yes, it was Bassanio, as I think, so was he called.
{Nerissa
…deserving a fair lady.}
Portia
I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of
thy praise.
[Enter a Servingman]
How now, what news?
{Servingman
…will be here tonight.}
Portia
If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good heart
as I can bid the other four farewell, I should be glad of his
approach. If he have the condition[58] of a saint and the
complexion[59] of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me[60]
than wive me. Come, Nerissa. — Sirrah[61], go before[62].
[Exit Servingman]
Whiles we shut the gate upon one wooer, another
knocks at the door.
[Exit Portia and Nerissa]
[1] In faith; an oath
[2] Small or short
[3] Opinions or wisdom
[4] Proclaimed or delivered
[5] Small private rooms for worship
[6] Would be
[7] Clergyman
[8] Teaching
[9] Invent or think out
[10] Emotions or passions
[11] Law or judgement
[12] Folly
[13] Who leaps
[14] Nets, used to catch hares
[15] Advice or direction
[16] Logic
[17] Wish
[18] Controlled or restrained
[19] Last will and testament
[20] Troublesome or difficult
[21] Name one after the other
[22] “level at”(focus on or take aim)
[23] Awkward young person
[24] Special attribute
[25] Qualities or talents
[26] Committed adultery with a blacksmith
[27] “as who should say”(as if to say)
[28] Melancholy
[29] Rude or discourteous
[30] “death’s head”(skull)
[31] Protect
[32] Thrush
[33] Dancing or leaping
[34] Return his love
[35] Speaks or understands
[36] Court of law
[37] “poor pennyworth in the English”(mere scrap of English)
[38] Likeness
[39] Dressed
[40] Jacket like body garment with or without sleeves
[41] Breeches like garment, covering legs, and padded to round it out
[42] Cap for head
[43] “box of the ear of”(hit/strike on the head)
[44] Security or protector
[45] Ratified
[46] Awful or disgusting
[47] Happening or occurrence
[48] Happens
[49] “make shift”(find a way)
[50] Full or large
[51] Wrong
[52] Drunk or someone who soaks up alcohol
[53] The most famous oracle/prophetess, at Cumae, said to have lived a thousand years
[54] Roman moon goddess and protector of women
[55] Won
[56] Rational or sensible
[57] “dote on”(infatuated with)
[58] State of being or moral nature
[59] Nature or character
[60] “strive me”(hear my confession)
[61] Addressing for a male of low status
[62] “go before”(ahead of us)