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The Merchant of Venice Act 3 Scene 1 [1]

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Date: 2023-12

I’m sure that if Antonio can’t pay you back, you won’t take his flesh. What use does it have?

Why, I am sure if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh. What’s that good for?

Why, I am sure if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh. What’s that good for?

Shylock

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 the 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.

Close To lure or entice.

Close He has prevented me from making half a million.

Close To make fun of and insult.

Close My nation refers to Shylock’s fellow Jews.

Close Dimensions are bodily parts which can be measured.

Close Look at all of the physical imagery here to do with bodies. Why do you think Shylock uses this? How effective is it?

Close If we are like you physically, then we will also behave in similar ways to you too, which means that we will also seek revenge when we feel wronged.

Close Notice how many rhetorical questions Shylock asks. Why do you think he uses them? What do you think the impact of this is?

Close This is one of the most famous speeches in the play and often quoted as an example of how all human beings, regardless of religion or race, are essentially the same. Why do you think it has become so popular?

[END]
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[1] Url: https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare-learning-zone/the-merchant-of-venice/language/if-you-prick-us-do-we-not-bleed

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