Merchant of Venice Act 4 Scene 2 Summary
Merchant of Venice Act 4 Scene 2 Summary, Merchant of Venice Workbook Answers
Merchant of Venice Act 4 Scene 2 Summary
Setting : Venice
Characters : Portia, Nerissa, Gratiano
Portia asks Nerissa to go and get the signature of Shylock on the deed of gift. She also tells her that they should reach Belmont earlier than their husbands. In the meantime, Gratiano overtakes Portia and hands over Bassanio’s ring to her.
Portia accepts the ring from Gratiano and asks him to show Shylock’s house to Nerissa. Nerissa tells Portia that she will also try to persuade her husband to give her his ring which she has given him. This will provide them an opportunity to quarrel with their husbands on the ground that they have given their rings to two young women. They will/of course, deny the charge. But they will assert that they are concealing the truth.
Merchant of Venice Act 4 Scene 2 Critical Commentary
This scene informs us that Nerissa, too, will try to get the ring from Gratiano. We also come to know that Portia and Nerissa are in a hurry to reach Belmont before their husbands. They anticipate a humorous situation when they confront their husbands.
Significance of the Scene
- This small scene is a continuation of the Trial Scene itself.
- We are being prepared for the comic interlude (the ring episode) in the last Act.
Merchant of Venice Act 4 Scene 2 Glossary
Lines 1-23 deed : document
more advice : second thought
swear : promise
warrant : assure
old : hard
outface : face
outswear : swear loudly
tarry : wait