The Merchant of Venice: Shakespeare Retold

By William Shakespeare and James Anthony

Tackling The Merchant of Venice? Easily understand every line and quickly master Shakespeare's tale of love and revenge.

Does Shakespeare's 400-year-old language often leave you confused? Do you wish there was an easier way to get to the heart of the story without tedious cross-referencing? Award-winning Shakes

• Language: English
• Publisher: Redbrick Books
• Release date: Mar 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781914927157

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is the world's greatest ever playwright. Born in 1564, he split his time between Stratford-upon-Avon and London, where he worked as a playwright, poet and actor. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway. Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of fifty-two, leaving three children—Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. The rest is silence.

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Reading Shakespeare Retold

Shakespeare Retold intersperses modern English, line-by-line and beat-for-beat, after each of Shakespeare’s great originals.

ORIGINAL:  Fate, show thy force. Ourselves we do not owe.

RETOLD:  Fate, show your strength! You choose my destiny,

ORIGINAL:  What is decreed must be, and be this so.

RETOLD:  And what you choose for me to be will be.

There is no ‘right or wrong’ way to read Shakespeare Retold. However, a good way to start is to read the original lines, then cross-reference to the retelling when the going gets tough, or just to reaffirm your understanding of the line. Play around with it and do what is best for you.

This ebook contains two versions of the text:

  – Shakespeare’s lines interspersed with the Retold lines

  – The Retold only lines.

Note, Shakespeare’s directions in the play are left ‘as is’ in this text, as most are easily understood without the need for clarification.

UNDERSTANDING IAMBIC PENTAMETER

Shakespeare wrote most of his work in the 10-beat format known as iambic pentameter. The retellings also use this format. So, what is iambic pentameter?

An iamb is a word or phrase with two beats:

one soft/short, one hard/long.

e.g., di-dum; because; in fact; despite; resolve.

Penta is the Greek word for five.

Meter is the Greek word meaning measure, e.g., metronome.

Hence, iambic pentameter is simply five iambs combined to flow in one line, e.g.,

di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

If music be the food of love, play on.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

EXCEPTIONS

Two exceptions to the regular iambic pentameter format are widely used by Shakespeare:

1) Weak Endings

Regular iambic pentameter has 10 syllables, but an additional syllable can be added to create what is known as a ‘weak ending’. Shakespeare’s most famous line has a weak ending:

To be, or not to be? That is the question.

The better part of valour is discretion.

di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum di

2) Trochaic substitution

Though an iamb is ‘di-dum’, a trochee is ‘dum-di’,

e.g. biscuit, reason; bathroom.

Replacing the first iamb with a trochee is known as ‘trochaic substitution’, e.g.,

Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself.

Now is the winter of our discontent.

dum-di di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum.

VERSE VS PROSE

Not every line of Shakespeare’s work is written in iambic pentameter. Often he simply wrote in prose, albeit embellished with poetic qualities. It’s easy to tell the difference:

Verse: The first word of an iambic pentameter line is ALWAYS capitalised, even if it’s a continuation of a sentence from the previous line.

Prose: Prose lines are not capitalised, unless the norms of sentence structure require it.

RHYME

Shakespeare often uses rhyme to emphasise the poetics of the line, especially to signify the closing lines of a particular scene. Throughout these retellings, the rhyme structure is followed (although not always using the same word Shakespeare used to rhyme with.)

Characters

ANTONIO

A loyal and wealthy businessman, he agrees to back his friend Bassanio by borrowing money from Shylock, secured against his returning ships, with the forfeit set at a pound of flesh.

When the ships don’t return, Antonio’s life is in peril as Shylock demands his forfeit.

SHYLOCK

A mean-hearted Jewish money-lender who seeks retribution against Antonio after being treated badly by him over many years.

He gets his comeuppance in the court after Portia insists he can only take an exact amount of flesh without spilling any blood.

BASSANIO

A poor friend of Antonio, he seeks to borrow money in order to try to win Portia’s hand in marriage by choosing the correct casket in the contest defined by Portia’s father.  After picking correctly, and thus winning both Portia’s heart and her wealth, he strives to help Antonio but it is too late to pay off the belligerent Shylock.

PORTIA

The beautiful owner of the house in Belmont, she is obliged to marry the man capable of solving a riddle left by her late father.

After her favourite Bassanio wins the contest, she vows to support him as he tries to defend Antonio against Shylock. She comes up with a plan to act as the court doctor at the trial, and successfully defends Antonio by insisting the forfeit is precisely followed, without spilling a drop.

Still in disguise, she requests Bassanio parts with his wedding ring, something he resists at first. All is revealed when they return to Belmont.

NERISSA

Portia’s maid and friend, she falls for Lorenzo and agrees to marry him in a joint ceremony with Portia and Bassanio.

She accompanies Portia to the court, and joins her in tricking her husband to part with his ring.

GRATIANO

Bassanio’s oafish friend, he joins him when first visiting Portia, falling for Nerissa and marrying her.

LORENZO

A Christian friend of Bassanio, he falls in love with Shylock’s daughter Jessica.

JESSICA

Shylock’s daughter, she leaves her father’s home as she both dislikes him and has fallen in love with the Christian Lorenzo. As she leaves, she steals Shylock’s money and spends it profligately.

LAUNCELOT

A comic clown who works for Shylock, whom he hates. He decides to leave Shylock and work for Bassanio instead.

THE PRINCES OF MOROCCO AND ARRAGON

Suitors seeking Portia's hand in marriage, they participate in the casket test.

.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

ACT 1

ACT 1, SCENE 1

VENICE. A STREET.

[ENTER ANTONIO, SALARINO, AND SALANIO]

ANTONIO

In sooth, I know not why I am so sad:

In truth, I do not know why I’m so sad:

It wearies me; you say it wearies you;

It’s tiring me; you say it’s tiring you.

But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,

But what has caused my sadness to arise,

What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,

The reason for it, how it all began,

I am to learn;

I’ve no idea.

And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,

And such a senseless sadness makes me think

That I have much ado to know myself.

There’s much I do not know about myself.

SALARINO

Your mind is tossing on the ocean;

Your thoughts are tossed about upon the ocean,

There, where your argosies with portly sail,

Where all your merchant ships with massive sails –

Like signiors and rich burghers on the flood,

Like statesmen or the gentry on a river,

Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea,

Or stages draped with curtains on the sea –

Do overpeer the petty traffickers,

Look down upon the smaller boats below them

That curtsy to them, do them reverence,

That bob about, appearing to be bowing

As they fly by them with their woven wings.

In waves created as the ships sail by.

SALANIO

Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth,

In truth, if I had such a risky business,

The better part of my affections would

The vast majority of my attention

Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still

Would be upon my ships abroad. I’d always

Plucking the grass, to know where sits the wind,

Be throwing grass to check the wind’s direction,

Peering in maps for ports and piers and roads;

Staring at maps of ports and piers and roads;

And every object that might make me fear

And every omen that could be construed

Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt

As bad for my endeavours would, for sure,

Would make me sad.

Make me concerned.

SALARINO

My wind cooling my broth

Just blowing on my soup

Would blow me to an ague, when I thought

Would make me shiver if I thought about

What harm a wind too great at sea might do.

The harm a blowing wind at sea might do.

I should not see the sandy hour-glass run,

I could not watch the sand pour through an hourglass

But I should think of shallows and of flats,

Without it bringing thoughts of shallow sandbanks

And see my wealthy Andrew docked in sand,

On which my ship The Andrew runs aground,

Vailing her high-top lower than her ribs

Tipping her masthead lower than her keel

To kiss her burial. Should I go to church

To make her sink. If I went into church

And see the holy edifice of stone,

And saw the holy building made of stone,

And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks,

Would I not quickly think of dangerous rocks

Which touching but my gentle vessel's side,

To scratch the fragile wood hull of my ship

Would scatter all her spices on the stream,

And scatter cargoed spices in the water

Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks,

And spread my silks upon the roaring waves,

And, in a word, but even now worth this,

Which were, moments ago, worth lots of money,

And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought

But now are worthless? Could I think about this

To think on this, and shall I lack the thought

In contemplation, and then not be moved

That such a thing bechanced would make me sad?

To think, if this occurred, I’d not be sad?

But tell not me; I know, Antonio

Don’t answer me; I know Antonio

Is sad to think upon his merchandise.

Is sad about the cargo on his ships.

ANTONIO

Believe me, no: I thank my fortune for it,

Believe me, that’s not true. I’m lucky that

My ventures are not in one bottom trusted,

My wealth is not tied up within one ship,

Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate

Nor single place; and everything I own

Upon the fortune of this present year:

Is not reliant on this current year.

Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad.

So I’m not sad about my merchandise.

SALARINO

Why, then you are in love.

So, you must be in love then.

ANTONIO

Fie, fie!

Oh, give-over!

SALARINO

Not in love neither? Then let us say you are sad,

Not in love neither? Then let’s say you’re sad,

Because you are not merry: and 'twere as easy

For you’re not happy; then it is as easy

For you to laugh and leap and say you are merry,

For you to laugh and dance and say you’re happy

Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed Janus,

For you’re not sad. Now, Janus – two-faced god –

Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time:

Has made some wacky people in her time:

Some that will evermore peep through their eyes

Some people look through barely opened eyes and

And laugh like parrots at a bag-piper,

Laugh raucously at melancholy bagpipes,

And other of such vinegar aspect

And others are so sour in their demeanour

That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile,

That they won’t crack a smile to show their teeth

Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable.

If Nestor – wise old god – swore it was funny.

[ENTER BASSANIO, LORENZO, AND GRATIANO]

SALANIO

Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman,

Here comes Bassanio, your noble cousin;

Gratiano and Lorenzo. Fare ye well:

He’s with Gratiano and Lorenzo. Goodbye.

We leave you now with better company.

We’ll leave you in their better company.

SALARINO

I would have stayed till I had made you merry,

I would have stayed until I’d cheered you up

If worthier friends had not prevented me.

If better friends had not shown up to stop me.

ANTONIO

Your worth is very dear in my regard.

I hold a very high opinion of you.

I take it, your own business calls on you

I understand: you’ve other work to do

And you embrace the occasion to depart.

And this is an excuse for you to leave.

SALARINO

Good morrow, my good lords.

Good morning, my good lords.

BASSANIO

Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? Say, when?

Good gentlemen, when will we party next?

You grow exceeding strange: must it be so?

You’re turning into strangers: must this happen?

SALARINO

We'll make our leisures to attend on yours.

We’ll party with you any time you want us.

[EXEUNT SALARINO AND SALANIO]

LORENZO

My Lord Bassanio, since you have found Antonio,

My Lord Bassanio, since you have found Antonio,

We two will leave you: but at dinner-time,

The two of us will leave you. But for dinner,

I pray you, have in mind where we must meet.

I beg you, don’t forget where we are meeting.

BASSANIO

I will not fail you.

I will not let you down.

GRATIANO

You look not well, Signior Antonio;

You don’t look well, Signior Antonio.

You have too much respect upon the world:

You’re too concerned with worldly goings-on;

They lose it that do buy it with much care:

You’ll lose the lot with over-worrying.

Believe me, you are marvellously changed.

Believe me, you look altogether different.

ANTONIO

I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano;

The world is just the world to me, Gratiano;

A stage where every man must play a part,

A stage where every person plays a part,

And mine a sad one.

And my role is a sad one.

GRATIANO

Let me play the fool:

I’ll play fool:

With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come,

My jokes cause laughter-lines, like old-age wrinkles,

And let my liver rather heat with wine

And, liver, make me hot and red with wine

Than my heart cool with mortifying groans.

Before my heart goes cold from dull complaining.

Why should a man, whose blood is warm within,

Why should a man, whose blood flows warm within him,

Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster?

Sit like a stone-cut statue of his grandad?

Sleep when he wakes and creep into the jaundice

Why, when awake, look sleepy, turning sick

By being peevish? I tell thee what, Antonio--

By acting petulant? You know, Antonio,

I love thee, and it is my love that speaks--

I love you, and I say this out of love:

There are a sort of men whose visages

There is a type of man who likes to look

Do cream and mantle like a standing pond,

Lifeless, like scum upon a stagnant pond,

And do a wilful stillness entertain,

And quite deliberately keeps very still

With purpose to be dressed in an opinion

Intending to create a reputation

Of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit,

That he’s a wise, sophisticated thinker,

As who should say 'I am Sir Oracle,

Believing when he says, ‘I am all knowing,

And when I ope my lips let no dog bark!'

And when I speak, don’t even let dogs bark!’

O my Antonio, I do know of these

Antonio, I know about these people

That therefore only are reputed wise

Who are reputedly so wise and smart

For saying nothing; when, I am very sure,

Because they do not speak; but I am sure

If they should speak, would almost damn those ears,

That if they were to speak, it would be painful

Which, hearing them, would call their brothers fools.

To those who listened; they’d call him a fool.

I'll tell thee more of this another time:

I’ll tell you more of this another time.

But fish not, with this melancholy bait,

But don’t seek compliments by acting sad,

For this fool gudgeon, this opinion.

For that’s like using bait to sway opinions.

Come, good Lorenzo. Fare ye well awhile:

Come on now, good Lorenzo. Bye for now;

I'll end my exhortation after dinner.

I’ll finish up my lecture after dinner.

LORENZO

Well, we will leave you then till dinner-time:

Well, we will leave you now till dinnertime.

I must be one of these same dumb wise men,

I guess I’m one of those same dumb wise men,

For Gratiano never lets me speak.

For Gratiano never lets me speak.

GRATIANO

Well, keep me company but two years moe,

Well, if you stay with me for two more years,

Thou shalt not know the sound of thine own tongue.

You will not know the sound of your own voice.

ANTONIO

Farewell: I'll grow a talker for this gear.

Goodbye: I’ll start to talk from what you’ve told me.

GRATIANO

Thanks, i' faith, for silence is only commendable

My thanks, for silence only is a virtue

In a neat's tongue dried and a maid not vendible.

In cooked ox tongue and girls unfit for marriage.

[EXEUNT GRATIANO AND LORENZO]

ANTONIO

Is that any thing now?

Is there truth in that?

BASSANIO

Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more

Gratiano speaks an endless stream of drivel,

than any man in all Venice. His reasons are as two

more than any man in Venice. His reasoning is like two

grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff: you

grains of wheat hidden in a haystack: you

shall seek all day ere you find them, and when you

can look all day before finding them, and when you

have them, they are not worth the search.

find them, you’ll see they weren’t worth looking for.

ANTONIO

Well, tell me now what lady is the same

So, tell me all about this very lady

To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage,

you swore you’d go to visit secretly;

That you to-day promised to tell me of?

You promised me you’d tell me all today.

BASSANIO

'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio,

You know of this yourself, Antonio

How much I have disabled mine estate,

How much I’ve whittled down my cash and savings

By something showing a more swelling port

By acting like I’m richer than I am,

Than my faint means would grant continuance:

And that my meagre wealth will not support this.

Nor do I now make moan to be abridged

I’m not complaining that I have to cut back

From such a noble rate; but my chief care

From such flamboyant living, but my main wish

Is to come fairly off from the great debts

Is honouring the debts that I’ve accrued

Wherein my time something too prodigal

When I was over-profligate and lavish,

Hath left me gaged. To you, Antonio,

And now I’m broke. To you, Antonio,

I owe the most, in money and in love,

I’m most in debt, with money and with favours,

And from your love I have a warranty

And as we’re friends, I have an obligation

To unburden all my plots and purposes

To share my plans and actions I intend

How to get clear of all the debts I owe.

To carry out to clear the debts I owe.

ANTONIO

I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it;

Come on then, good Bassanio, tell me of them;

And if it stand, as you yourself still do,

And if the plans are good, like you are good,

Within the eye of honour, be assured,

Then it will be an honour, rest assured, that

My purse, my person, my extremest means,

My money, time, whatever else you need,

Lie all unlocked to your occasions.

Are all available to help you out.

BASSANIO

In my school-days, when I had lost one shaft,

In my school-days, when I had lost an arrow,

I shot his fellow of the self-same flight

I’d fire another arrow on the same course

The self-same way with more advised watch,

As I had fired the first, watching more closely

To find the other forth, and by adventuring both

To help me find the first; by risking both,

I oft found both: I urge this childhood proof,

I’d often find them both. I share this story

Because what follows is pure innocence.

For what I’ll say is innocent and childlike. 

I owe you much, and, like a wilful youth,

I owe you much, but, like a wasteful youth,

That which I owe is lost; but if you please

I’ve lost the money that I owe you; but if

To shoot another arrow that self way

You shoot another arrow just the same way

Which you did shoot the first, I do not doubt,

You shot the first one, then I do not doubt,

As I will watch the aim, or to find both

For I will watch the shot, I might find