ACT 1
Scene 3

...at the door.
Enter Bassanio with Shylock the Jew.
Three thousand ducats, well.

...for three months.
For three months, well.

...shall be bound.
Antonio shall become bound, well.

...know your answer?
Three thousand ducats for three months,
and Antonio bound.

...answer to that?
Antonio is a good man.

...to the contrary?
Ho, no, no, no, no! My meaning in saying he
is a good man is to have you understand me that he
is sufficient. Yet his means are in supposition: he
hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the
Indies. I understand, moreover, upon the Rialto,
he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and
other ventures he hath squandered abroad. But
ships are but boards, sailors but men; there be land
rats and water rats, water thieves and land
thieves—I mean pirates—and then there is the
peril of waters, winds, and rocks. The man is,
notwithstanding, sufficient. Three thousand ducats.
I think I may take his bond.

...assured you may.
I will be assured I may. And that I may be
assured, I will bethink me. May I speak with
Antonio?

...dine with us.
Yes, to smell pork! To eat of the habitation
which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the
devil into! I will buy with you, sell with you, talk
with you, walk with you, and so following; but I
will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with
you.—What news on the Rialto?—Who is he comes
here?

...is Signior Antonio.
aside
How like a fawning publican he looks!
I hate him for he is a Christian,
But more for that in low simplicity
He lends out money gratis and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.
If I can catch him once upon the hip,
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation, and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls “interest.” Cursèd be my tribe
If I forgive him!

...do you hear?
I am debating of my present store,
And, by the near guess of my memory,
I cannot instantly raise up the gross
Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?
Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
Will furnish me. But soft, how many months
Do you desire? To Antonio.
Rest you fair, good signior!
Your Worship was the last man in our mouths.

...much you would?
Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

...for three months.
I had forgot—three months. To Bassanio.
You told me so.—
Well then, your bond. And let me see—but hear you:
Methoughts you said you neither lend nor borrow
Upon advantage.

...never use it.
When Jacob grazed his Uncle Laban’s sheep—
This Jacob from our holy Abram was
(As his wise mother wrought in his behalf)
The third possessor; ay, he was the third—

...he take interest?
No, not take interest, not, as you would say,
Directly “interest.” Mark what Jacob did.
When Laban and himself were compromised
That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied
Should fall as Jacob’s hire, the ewes being rank
In end of autumn turnèd to the rams,
And when the work of generation was
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
The skillful shepherd pilled me certain wands,
And in the doing of the deed of kind
He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes,
Who then conceiving did in eaning time
Fall parti-colored lambs, and those were Jacob’s.
This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;
And thrift is blessing if men steal it not.

...ewes and rams?
I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast.
But note me, signior—

...outside falsehood hath!
Three thousand ducats. ’Tis a good round sum.
Three months from twelve, then let me see, the rate—

...beholding to you?
Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys and my usances.
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug
(For suff’rance is the badge of all our tribe).
You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog,
And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine,
And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help.
Go to, then. You come to me and you say
“Shylock, we would have moneys”—you say so,
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold. Moneys is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say
“Hath a dog money? Is it possible
A cur can lend three thousand ducats?” Or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman’s key,
With bated breath and whisp’ring humbleness,
Say this: “Fair sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last;
You spurned me such a day; another time
You called me ‘dog’; and for these courtesies
I’ll lend you thus much moneys”?

...Exact the penalty.
Why, look you how you storm!
I would be friends with you and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stained me with,
Supply your present wants, and take no doit
Of usance for my moneys, and you’ll not hear me!
This is kind I offer.

...This were kindness!
This kindness will I show.
Go with me to a notary, seal me there
Your single bond; and in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on such a day,
In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.

...of this bond.
O father Abram, what these Christians are,
Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others! Pray you tell me this:
If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture?
A pound of man’s flesh taken from a man
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
To buy his favor I extend this friendship.
If he will take it, so. If not, adieu;
And for my love I pray you wrong me not.

...unto this bond.
Then meet me forthwith at the notary’s.
Give him direction for this merry bond,
And I will go and purse the ducats straight,
See to my house left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
I’ll be with you.

...thee, gentle Jew.
Shylock exits.

ACT 2
Scene 5

...be my torchbearer.
Enter Shylock, the Jew, and Lancelet, his man that was, the Clown.
Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge,
The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio.—
What, Jessica!—Thou shalt not gormandize
As thou hast done with me—what, Jessica!—
And sleep, and snore, and rend apparel out.—
Why, Jessica, I say!

... Why, Jessica!
Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.

...is your will?
I am bid forth to supper, Jessica.
There are my keys.—But wherefore should I go?
I am not bid for love. They flatter me.
But yet I’ll go in hate, to feed upon
The prodigal Christian.—Jessica, my girl,
Look to my house.—I am right loath to go.
There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest,
For I did dream of money bags tonight.

...expect your reproach.
So do I his.

...in th’ afternoon.
What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica,
Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum
And the vile squealing of the wry-necked fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street
To gaze on Christian fools with varnished faces,
But stop my house’s ears (I mean my casements).
Let not the sound of shallow fopp’ry enter
My sober house. By Jacob’s staff I swear
I have no mind of feasting forth tonight.
But I will go.—Go you before me, sirrah.
Say I will come.

...a Jewess’ eye.
What says that fool of Hagar’s offspring, ha?

...mistress,” nothing else.
The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder,
Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day
More than the wildcat. Drones hive not with me,
Therefore I part with him, and part with him
To one that I would have him help to waste
His borrowed purse. Well, Jessica, go in.
Perhaps I will return immediately.
Do as I bid you. Shut doors after you.
Fast bind, fast find—
A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.
He exits.

ACT 3
Scene 1

...of a Jew.
Enter Shylock.

...among the merchants?
You knew, none so well, none so well as you,
of my daughter’s flight.

...leave the dam.
She is damned for it.

...be her judge.
My own flesh and blood to rebel!

...at these years?
I say my daughter is my flesh and my blood.

...sea or no?
There I have another bad match! A bankrout,
a prodigal, who dare scarce show his head on
the Rialto, a beggar that was used to come so smug
upon the mart! Let him look to his bond. He was
wont to call me usurer; let him look to his bond. He
was wont to lend money for a Christian cur’sy; let
him look to his bond.

...that good for?
To bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else,
it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me and
hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses,
mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted
my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies—
and what’s his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not
a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions,
senses, affections, passions? Fed with the
same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to
the same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer
as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not
bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you
poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall
we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will
resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,
what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong
a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian
example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me I
will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the
instruction.

...himself turn Jew.
How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa?
Hast thou found my daughter?

...cannot find her.
Why, there, there, there, there! A diamond
gone cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfurt!
The curse never fell upon our nation till now, I
never felt it till now. Two thousand ducats in that,
and other precious, precious jewels! I would my
daughter were dead at my foot and the jewels in her
ear; would she were hearsed at my foot and the
ducats in her coffin. No news of them? Why so? And
I know not what’s spent in the search! Why, thou
loss upon loss! The thief gone with so much, and so
much to find the thief, and no satisfaction, no
revenge, nor no ill luck stirring but what lights a’ my
shoulders, no sighs but a’ my breathing, no tears but
a’ my shedding.

...heard in Genoa—
What, what, what? Ill luck, ill luck?

...coming from Tripolis.
I thank God, I thank God! Is it true, is it true?

...escaped the wrack.
I thank thee, good Tubal. Good news, good
news! Ha, ha, heard in Genoa—

...night fourscore ducats.
Thou stick’st a dagger in me. I shall never
see my gold again. Fourscore ducats at a sitting,
fourscore ducats!

...choose but break.
I am very glad of it. I’ll plague him, I’ll
torture him. I am glad of it.

...for a monkey.
Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal. It
was my turquoise! I had it of Leah when I was a
bachelor. I would not have given it for a wilderness
of monkeys.

...is certainly undone.
Nay, that’s true, that’s very true. Go, Tubal,
fee me an officer. Bespeak him a fortnight before. I
will have the heart of him if he forfeit, for were he
out of Venice I can make what merchandise I will.
Go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue. Go, good
Tubal, at our synagogue, Tubal.
They exit.

Scene 3

...’twixt us twain.
Enter Shylock, the Jew, and Solanio, and Antonio, and the Jailer.
Jailer, look to him. Tell not me of mercy.
This is the fool that lent out money gratis.
Jailer, look to him.

...yet, good Shylock—
I’ll have my bond. Speak not against my bond.
I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond.
Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause,
But since I am a dog, beware my fangs.
The Duke shall grant me justice.—I do wonder,
Thou naughty jailer, that thou art so fond
To come abroad with him at his request.

...hear me speak—
I’ll have my bond. I will not hear thee speak.
I’ll have my bond, and therefore speak no more.
I’ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool,
To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield
To Christian intercessors. Follow not!
I’ll have no speaking. I will have my bond.
He exits.

ACT 4
Scene 1

...comes, my lord.
Enter Shylock.

...gentle answer, Jew.
I have possessed your Grace of what I purpose,
And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn
To have the due and forfeit of my bond.
If you deny it, let the danger light
Upon your charter and your city’s freedom!
You’ll ask me why I rather choose to have
A weight of carrion flesh than to receive
Three thousand ducats. I’ll not answer that,
But say it is my humor. Is it answered?
What if my house be troubled with a rat,
And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats
To have it baned? What, are you answered yet?
Some men there are love not a gaping pig,
Some that are mad if they behold a cat,
And others, when the bagpipe sings i’ th’ nose,
Cannot contain their urine; for affection
Masters oft passion, sways it to the mood
Of what it likes or loathes. Now for your answer:
As there is no firm reason to be rendered
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig,
Why he a harmless necessary cat,
Why he a woolen bagpipe, but of force
Must yield to such inevitable shame
As to offend, himself being offended,
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus
A losing suit against him. Are you answered?

...of thy cruelty.
I am not bound to please thee with my answers.

...do not love?
Hates any man the thing he would not kill?

...hate at first.
What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?

...here is six.
If every ducat in six thousand ducats
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat,
I would not draw them. I would have my bond.

...mercy, rend’ring none?
What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?
You have among you many a purchased slave,
Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish parts
Because you bought them. Shall I say to you
“Let them be free! Marry them to your heirs!
Why sweat they under burdens? Let their beds
Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
Be seasoned with such viands”? You will answer
“The slaves are ours!” So do I answer you:
The pound of flesh which I demand of him
Is dearly bought; ’tis mine and I will have it.
If you deny me, fie upon your law:
There is no force in the decrees of Venice.
I stand for judgment. Answer: shall I have it?

...greets your Grace.
Handing him a paper, which he reads, aside, while Shylock sharpens his knife on the sole of his shoe.

...knife so earnestly?
To cut the forfeiture from that bankrout there.

...prayers pierce thee?
No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.

...starved, and ravenous.
Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond,
Thou but offend’st thy lungs to speak so loud.
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall
To cureless ruin. I stand here for law.

...your name Shylock?
Shylock is my name.

...Jew be merciful.
On what compulsion must I? Tell me that.

...merchant there.
My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

...It cannot be.
A Daniel come to judgment! Yea, a Daniel.
O wise young judge, how I do honor thee!

...upon the bond.
Here ’tis, most reverend doctor, here it is.
Handing Portia a paper.

...money offered thee.
An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven!
Shall I lay perjury upon my soul?
No, not for Venice!

...tear the bond.
When it is paid according to the tenor.
It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
You know the law; your exposition
Hath been most sound. I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment. By my soul I swear
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me. I stay here on my bond.

...for his knife—
O noble judge! O excellent young man!

...upon the bond.
’Tis very true. O wise and upright judge,
How much more elder art thou than thy looks!

...bare your bosom—
Ay, his breast!
So says the bond, doth it not, noble judge?
“Nearest his heart.” Those are the very words.

...weigh the flesh?
I have them ready.

...bleed to death.
Is it so nominated in the bond?

...much for charity.
I cannot find it. ’Tis not in the bond.

...an unquiet house.
These be the Christian husbands! I have a daughter—
Would any of the stock of Barabbas
Had been her husband, rather than a Christian!
We trifle time. I pray thee, pursue sentence.

...doth give it.
Most rightful judge!

...court awards it.
Most learnèd judge! A sentence!—Come, prepare.

...Jew.—O learnèd judge!
Is that the law?

...a learnèd judge!
I take this offer then. Pay the bond thrice
And let the Christian go.

...Take thy forfeiture.
Give me my principal and let me go.

...me that word.
Shall I not have barely my principal?

...thy peril, Jew.
Why, then, the devil give him good of it!
I’ll stay no longer question.
He begins to exit.

...not for Antonio.
Nay, take my life and all. Pardon not that.
You take my house when you do take the prop
That doth sustain my house; you take my life
When you do take the means whereby I live.

...dost thou say?
I am content.

...deed of gift.
I pray you give me leave to go from hence.
I am not well. Send the deed after me
And I will sign it.

...to the font.
Shylock exits.