威尼斯商人英文舞台剧剧本the-merchant-of-venice

TheMerchantofVenice

ActIVSceneI

Venice.Acourtofjustice

RoleDescription

Shylock

Heistherepresentativeofusurycapital,isstingymiser.Butmoney-grubberShylockwasuncharacteristicallyatthebeginningoftheplay,notseveraltimesmorethantherepaymentofborrowings,andtoapieceofuselesshumanflesh,showingitspettyandvengefulveryheavy,achanceencounterwouldbecrazyretaliationagainsthimwhocannothavetoputopponentstodeath,showingtheirruthless.Sherlockretortedabuseofothers,calmandconfidentattitudealive.Afterlosingthreetimesashewantsrepayment,greedyandstingynatureoftherecovery,themiser'struthexposed.Heisanoutdemons.Meanwhile,heisalsoaChristiansocietybulliedJews.Shylock'srevengeonAntoniohasareasonableandcomplexmotivations.PeopleShylock,bothdespisehisgreed,hatredofhiscruelty,butalsohowmuchsympathyhesufferedracialoppressionandhumiliation.Inmanypeople'seyesLixialuokeisasophistication,greedy,stingy,thevampire'simage,butalsoamiser,"Imakeawonkyguardedportal,alittleworried,"Shylockcannotsayitisnotthetragedyofthiscomedycharacter,theservantrandefectedhungrypeoplehatetheirown,whilethedaughterisholdingtheirpropertyandloverseloped,andfinallyevenlostpartofhisremainingproperty,hereallyis,"losthiswifeandfoldsoldiers."Itisahighlyvindictivepeople,inretaliationfortheabuseofhatredAntoniocannotchargeinteresttolethimstepbystepdrillintoatrap,inorderistogethispieceofmeat,butmeat,whatcanheget?Hesays,"bringgoodfishing."Infact,Antonioisalsoastumblingblocktoblockhiswayofgettingmoney,inordertomaketheirownsourcesofrevenuemustgetridofthisstumblingblock.

Antonio

Heisanemergingbourgeoisbusinessman,heistheauthorofsomelandscaping.Theauthorwrotehischerishedfriendship,inordertoborrowmoneyfromloansharksandfriendsandtothisenddiewithoutresentment;hisgenerosityinthefaceofshamelessconspiracyShylock,actuallysubmissive;Facedwiththethreatofdeath,theRomanhero,ashehascourage,death-defyingspirit.Inshort,hisbodyupright,Emotion,suaveandotherhumanistswhomqualityAcura.

Bassanio

Antonio'sfriend.Courageous,EmotionShigeyoshi,butdonotknowhowtofightthepolicy,theperformancewasovertheweak.

Duke

Anathletickindman.

Solanio,Bassanio,Gratiano

Antonio’sfriend.

Nerissa

Portia'smaid.PortiaisBassanio'sfiancée.

Housewives

VenetianbusinessmanAntonioforthesakeofafriendBassanio'smarriagetotheJewishusurerShylocktoborrow.DonotgivedueAntoniointerestfromloans,inaddition,oftenaccusedAntonioShylock,thetwoforgedahatred.Shylockopportunityvindictiverevenge,donotmaketheirowninterest,butifitfailstodoyet,cutapoundoffleshfromAntonio'schest.Unfortunately,themerchantAntoniocamenewsofthecrash,cashflowproblems,inabilitytorepaytheloan.Sherlockwenttocourttosue,accordingtothelegalprovisionstoAntoniopromise.CrueltytopersuadepeopletogiveupthecontractfleshShylock,butShylockinsiststofulfillthecontract,cutapieceoffleshfromAntoniobody.TosavethelifeofAntonio,Bassanio'sfianceePortiaposingcounsel,Thusbeganthestory.

Duke:GooneandcalltheJewtothecourt.Makeroomandlethimstandbeforeourface.

Solanio:Heiscome,mylord.

Duke:Shylock,theworldthinks,andIthinkso,too,thatyoubutlead'stthisfashionofyourmalicetothelasthouroftheactandthen'tisthoughtyou'llshowyourmercyandremorse,morestrangethanisyourstrangeapparentcruelty.Whatsayyou,Jew?Weallexpectagentleanswer.

Shylock:IhaveinformedyourgraceofwhatIpurposeandbyourholySabbathhaveIsworntohavethedueandforfeitofmybond.Ifyoudenyit,letthedangerlightuponyourcharterandyourcity'sfreedom.You'llaskmewhyIratherchoosetohaveaweightofhumanfleshthantoreceivethreethousandducats.I'llnotanswerthat.But,say,itismyhumor-isitanswered?WhatifmyhousebetroubledbyaratandIampleasedtogivetenthousandducatstohaveitkilled?

-What,areyouansweredyet?-(Crowd)No.

Somemendon’tloveagapingpig;somearemadiftheyseeacatandotherscannotcontaintheirurinewhentheyhearthebagpipe.-Foraffection,masterofpassion,controlsone’slikesanddislikes.Nowforyouranswer.Asthereisnofirmreasontobegivenwhyhecannotabideagapingpig,whyhe,(cannotbear)aharmless,necessarycat,whyhe(cannotendure)awoolenbagpipe,butofforcemustyieldtosuchinevitableshameastooffendhimselfbeingoffended,socanIgivenoreason,norwillInot.IbearsodeepandfixedhateagainstAntoniothatIfollowthusthislosingsuitagainsthim.-Areyouanswered?-(All)No!

Bassanio:Thisisnoanswer,youunfeelingman,toexcuseyourcruelty.

Portia:Shylock,thereistwicethemoneyofferedyou.

Shylock:Anoath,anoath.Ihaveanoathinheaven.ShallIlayperjuryuponmysoul?No.NotforVenice.

Portia:Well,thisbondisforfeit.Andaccordingtothelaw,theJewmayclaimapoundoffleshtobecutoffbyhimnearestthemerchant'sheart.Bemerciful.Taketwiceyourmoney,andletmetearthebond.

Shylock:Whenitispaid,accordingtotheterms.

Antonio:MostheartilyIdobeseechthecourttogivethejudgment.

(TheDukesignalsPortiatocomenearandthenthetwowhisper)

Portia:Thenthusitis.Youmustprepareyourbosomforhisknife.

Shylock:Onoblejudge,excellentyoungman.

Portia:Fortheintentandpurposeofthelawfullyrecognizethevalidityofpenaltywhichhereappearsdueuponthebond.

Shylock:'Tisverytrue.Owiseanduprightjudge.Howmucholderyouarethanyoulook.

Portia:Therefore,laybareyourbosom.

Shylock:Yes,hisbreast.Sosaysthebond,doesitnot,noblejudge?Nearesttheheart.Thosearetheverywords.

Portia:Itisso.Aretherebalancesheretoweightheflesh?

Shylock:Ihavethemhere.(Crowdgasp)(Antoniofaintsandthenissetonthechair)

Portia:Findasurgeon,Shylock,onyourchargetostophiswoundslestheshouldbleedtodeath.

Shylock:Isitsomentionedinthebond?

Portia:Itisnotsoexpressedbutwhatofthat?'Tweregoodyoudosomuchforcharity.

Shylock:Icannotfindit.'Tisnotinthebond.

Portia:You,merchant,haveyouanythingtosay?

Antonio:Butlittle.(makeasignofcross)Iamarmedandwellprepared.Givemeyourhand,Bassanio.Fareyouwell.Don’tgrievethatIamfallentothisforyou,forhereinFortuneshowsherselfkinderthanusual.Commendmetoyourhonorablewife.TellhertheprocessofAntonio'send.SayhowIlovedyou,speakmefairindeath.Andwhenthetaleistold,letherjudgewhetherBassaniohadoncebeenlovedornot.Youshallrepentthatyouloseyourfriendratherthanthathepaysyourdebt.ForiftheJewdoescutbutdeepenough,I'llpayitinstantlywithallmyheart.

Bassanio:Antonio,Iammarriedtoawifewhichisasdeartomeaslifeitself.

Butlifeitself,mywifeandalltheworldarenotwithmeesteemedaboveyourlife.

Iwouldloseall,yes,sacrificethemall,heretothisdeviltodeliveryou.

Gratiano:Ihaveawife,whom,Iprotest,Ilove–I’dwouldthatshewereinheaven,soshecouldentreatsomepowertochangethiscursedJew!

Shylock:Ihaveadaughter!I’drathermarryhertoanyofthestockofathiefthantoaChristian.Wearewastingtime.Iprayyou,pursuesentence.

Portia:Youmayproceed.Apoundofthatmerchant'sfleshisyours.Thecourtawardsitandthelawdoesgiveit.

Shylock:Mostrightfuljudge.

Portia:Youmustcutthisfleshfromoffhisbreast.Thecourtawardsitandthelawallowsit.

Shylock:Mostlearnedjudge.Asentence.Come.Prepare.

Portia:Tarryalittle!Thereissomethingelse.Thisbonddoesnotgiveyouhereadropofblood.Thewordsobviouslyareapoundofflesh.Takethenyourbond,takethenyourpoundofflesh,butinthecuttingofit,ifyoudoshedonedropofChristianblood,yourlandsandgoodsarebythelawsofVeniceconfiscatetothestateofVenice.

Gratiano:Ouprightjudge!Mark,Jew.Learnedjudge!

Shylock:Isthatthelaw?

Portia:Yourselfshallseetheact.Forasyouurgeonjustice,beassuredyoushallhavejusticemorethanyoudesire.

Shylock:Well.Itaketheoffer,then.PaythebondtwiceandlettheChristiango.

Bassanio:Hereisthemoney.

Portia:Soft.TheJewshallhavealljustice.Nohaste.Heshallhavenothingbutthepenalty.(Crowdmurmurs)Therefore,preparetocutofftheflesh.Shedthennobloodnorcutlessnormorebutjustapoundofflesh.Ifyoutakemoreorlessthanapound,ifthescaledoesturnintheestimationofahair,youdieandallyourgoodsareconfiscate.

Gratiano:AsecondDaniel!(Laughter)Now,infidel,Ihaveyouonthehip!

Portia:WhydoestheJewpause?

Shylock:ShallInotevenhavemyprincipal?

Portia:Youshallhavenothingbutyourforfeiture,sotakeitatyourperil,Jew.

Shylock:Thenletthedevilgivehimgoodofit.I'llstaynolonger.

Portia:Tarry,Jew.Thelawhasyetanotherholdonyou.ItisenactedinthelawsofVenice,

ifitisprovedagainstanalienthatbydirectorindirectattemptsheseekthelifeofanycitizen,

thepartyagainstwhichhedoescontriveshallseizeonehalfofhisgoods.Theotherhalfcomestotheprivycofferofthestateandtheoffender'slifeliesinthemercyoftheDukeonly,againstallothervoice.(Antonioisreleasedandbeginstocry)Inwhichpredicament,Isayyoustand.Down,therefore,andbegmercyoftheDuke.

Gratiano:(goesneartoShylock)Begthatyoumayhaveleavetohangyourself.

Duke:Thatyoushallseethedifferenceinours