This is the penthouse under which Lorenzo
Desired us to make stand.
This is the penthouse under which Lorenzo Desired us to make stand.
This is the penthouse under which Lorenzo Desired us to make stand.
This is the penthouse under which Lorenzo Desired us to make stand
His hour is almost past.
His hour is almost past.
His hour is almost past.
His hour is almost past
And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour,
For lovers ever run before the clock.
And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock.
And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock.
And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock
O ten times faster Venus’ pigeons fly
To seal love’s bonds new-made than they are wont
To keep obliged faith unforfeited!
O ten times faster Venus’ pigeons fly To seal love’s bonds new-made than they are wont To keep obliged faith unforfeited!
O ten times faster Venus’ pigeons fly To seal love’s bonds new-made than they are wont To keep obliged faith unforfeited!
O ten times faster Venus’ pigeons fly To seal love’s bonds new-made than they are wont To keep obliged faith unforfeited
That ever holds: who riseth from a feast
With that keen appetite that he sits down?
Where is the horse that doth untread again
His tedious measures with the unbated fire
That he did pace them first? All things that are,
Are with more spirit chased than enjoy’d.
How like a younger or a prodigal
The scarfed bark puts from her native bay,
Hugg’d and embraced by the strumpet wind!
How like the prodigal doth she return
With over-weather’d ribs and ragged sails,
Lean, rent, and beggar’d by the strumpet wind!
That ever holds: who riseth from a feast With that keen appetite that he sits down? Where is the horse that does untread again His tedious measures with the unbated fire That he did pace them first? All things that are, Are with more spirit chased than enjoy’d. How like a younger or a prodigal The scarfed bark puts from her native bay, Hugg’d and embraced by the strumpet wind! How like the prodigal does she return With over-weather’d ribs and ragged sails, Lean, rent, and beggar’d by the strumpet wind!
That ever holds: who riseth from a feast With that keen appetite that he sits down? Where is the horse that does untread again His tedious measures with the unbated fire That he did pace them first? All things that are, Are with more spirit chased than enjoy’d. How like a younger or a prodigal The scarfed bark puts from her native bay, Hugg’d and embraced by the strumpet wind! How like the prodigal does she return With over-weather’d ribs and ragged sails, Lean, rent, and beggar’d by the strumpet wind!
That ever holds: who riseth from a feast With that keen appetite that he sits down Where is the horse that does untread again His tedious measures with the unbated fire That he did pace them first All things that are, Are with more spirit chased than enjoy’d How like a younger or a prodigal The scarfed bark puts from her native bay, Hugg’d and embraced by the strumpet wind How like the prodigal does she return With over-weather’d ribs and ragged sails, Lean, rent, and beggar’d by the strumpet wind
Here comes Lorenzo, more of this hereafter.
Here comes Lorenzo, more of this hereafter.
Here comes Lorenzo, more of this hereafter.
Here comes Lorenzo, more of this hereafter
Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode.
Not I but my affairs have made you wait.
When you shall please to play the thieves for wives,
I’ll watch as long for you then. Approach.
Here dwells my father Jew. Ho! who’s within?
Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode. Not I but my affairs have made you wait. When you shall please to play the thieves for wives, I’ll watch as long for you then. Approach. Here dwells my father Jew. Ho! who’s within?
Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode. Not I but my affairs have made you wait. When you shall please to play the thieves for wives, I’ll watch as long for you then. Approach. Here dwells my father Jew. Ho! who’s within?
Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode Not I but my affairs have made you wait When you shall please to play the thieves for wives, I’ll watch as long for you then Approach Here dwells my father Jew Ho
Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty,
Albeit I’ll swear that I do know your tongue.
Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty, Albeit I’ll swear that I do know your tongue.
Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty, Albeit I’ll swear that I do know your tongue.
Who are you Tell me, for more certainty, Albeit I’ll swear that I do know your tongue
Lorenzo, and thy love.
Lorenzo, and your love.
Lorenzo, and your love.
Lorenzo, and your love
Lorenzo certain, and my love indeed,
For who love I so much? And now who knows
But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?
Lorenzo certain, and my love indeed, For who love I so much? And now who knows But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?
Lorenzo certain, and my love indeed, For who love I so much? And now who knows But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?
Lorenzo certain, and my love indeed, For who love I so much And now who knows But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours
Heaven and thy thoughts are witness that thou art.
Heaven and your thoughts are witness that you are.
Heaven and your thoughts are witness that you are.
Heaven and your thoughts are witness that you are
Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains.
I am glad ’tis night, you do not look on me,
For I am much asham’d of my exchange.
But love is blind, and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit,
For if they could, Cupid himself would blush
To see me thus transformed to a boy.
Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains. I am glad ’tis night, you do not look on me, For I am much asham’d of my exchange. But love is blind, and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit, For if they could, Cupid himself would blush To see me thus transformed to a boy.
Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains. I am glad ’tis night, you do not look on me, For I am much asham’d of my exchange. But love is blind, and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit, For if they could, Cupid himself would blush To see me thus transformed to a boy.
Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains I am glad ’tis night, you do not look on me, For I am much asham’d of my exchange But love is blind, and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit, For if they could, Cupid himself would blush To see me thus transformed to a boy
Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer.
Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer.
Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer.
Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer
Jessica's descent from the window is one of the play's most visually potent moments. The window represents the boundary between Shylock's controlled domestic world and the open, festive, Christian Venice outside. She descends wearing boy's clothes — a cross-dressing convention Shakespeare uses repeatedly — carrying a casket of her father's money. Everything about the staging emphasises transgression: she crosses the boundary, crosses gender, crosses religion, and crosses class (from daughter to runaway). The beauty and the guilt are inseparable. Shakespeare does not let her descend triumphantly — she's 'much ashamed of her exchange' and the night hides her. The darkness is doing more than concealment here.
What! must I hold a candle to my shames?
They in themselves, good sooth, are too too light.
Why, ’tis an office of discovery, love,
And I should be obscur’d.
What! must I hold a candle to my shames? They in themselves, good sooth, are too too light. Why, ’tis an office of discovery, love, And I should be obscur’d.
What! must I hold a candle to my shames? They in themselves, good sooth, are too too light. Why, ’tis an office of discovery, love, And I should be obscur’d.
What must I hold a candle to my shames They in themselves, good sooth, are too too light Why, ’tis an office of discovery, love, And I should be obscur’d
So are you, sweet,
Even in the lovely garnish of a boy.
But come at once,
For the close night doth play the runaway,
And we are stay’d for at Bassanio’s feast.
So are you, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. But come at once, For the close night does play the runaway, And we are stay’d for at Bassanio’s feast.
So are you, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. But come at once, For the close night does play the runaway, And we are stay’d for at Bassanio’s feast.
So are you, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy But come at once, For the close night does play the runaway, And we are stay’d for at Bassanio’s feast
I will make fast the doors, and gild myself
With some moe ducats, and be with you straight.
I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some moe ducats, and be with you straight.
I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some moe ducats, and be with you straight.
I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some moe ducats, and be with you straight
Now, by my hood, a gentle, and no Jew.
Now, by my hood, a gentle, and no Jew.
Now, by my hood, a gentle, and no Jew.
Now, by my hood, a gentle, and no Jew
Beshrew me but I love her heartily,
For she is wise, if I can judge of her,
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true,
And true she is, as she hath prov’d herself.
And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,
Shall she be placed in my constant soul.
Beshrew me but I love her heartily, For she is wise, if I can judge of her, And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true, And true she is, as she has prov’d herself. And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true, Shall she be placed in my constant soul.
Beshrew me but I love her heartily, For she is wise, if I can judge of her, And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true, And true she is, as she has prov’d herself. And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true, Shall she be placed in my constant soul.
Beshrew me but I love her heartily, For she is wise, if I can judge of her, And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true, And true she is, as she has prov’d herself And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true, Shall she be placed in my constant soul
Who’s there?
Who’s there?
Who’s there?
Who’s there
Signior Antonio!
Signior Antonio!
Signior Antonio!
Signior Antonio
Fie, fie, Gratiano! where are all the rest?
’Tis nine o’clock, our friends all stay for you.
No masque tonight, the wind is come about;
Bassanio presently will go aboard.
I have sent twenty out to seek for you.
Fie, fie, Gratiano! where are all the rest? ’Tis nine o’clock, our friends all stay for you. No masque tonight, the wind is come about; Bassanio presently will go aboard. I have sent twenty out to seek for you.
Fie, fie, Gratiano! where are all the rest? ’Tis nine o’clock, our friends all stay for you. No masque tonight, the wind is come about; Bassanio presently will go aboard. I have sent twenty out to seek for you.
Fie, fie, Gratiano where are all the rest ’Tis nine o’clock, our friends all stay for you No masque tonight, the wind is come about; Bassanio presently will go aboard I have sent twenty out to seek for you
I am glad on’t. I desire no more delight
Than to be under sail and gone tonight.
I am glad on’t. I desire no more delight Than to be under sail and gone tonight.
I am glad on’t. I desire no more delight Than to be under sail and gone tonight.
I am glad on’t I desire no more delight Than to be under sail and gone tonight
The Reckoning
The elopement scene plays as romantic comedy but carries a dark underside: Jessica steals from her father, disguises herself, and descends from the window of a house she is abandoning. Gratiano's cheerful 'a gentle, and no Jew' is meant warmly but says something cruel. And the scene ends with Antonio arriving to say all plans are off — the masque is cancelled, the wind has changed, Bassanio is leaving tonight. Everything accelerates.
If this happened today…
A woman in her twenties climbs down the fire escape of her family home while her dad is at a dinner he was manipulated into attending. She's wearing her brother's hoodie and carrying her dad's savings in a duffle bag. Her boyfriend is waiting below with his crew. She's beautiful and ashamed of it. He calls up: it's me, are you there? She whispers: I know your voice. He says: come down. She says: I'm embarrassed by what I'm doing. He says: you're covered, it's dark. Then she says: let me grab more money and I'll be right there.