NO.

Name of the Significance of the God/Person Act/Scene

God/Person

1. JANUS A Roman God of doors who had two Act 1: Scene

faces – one frowning and the other 1
smiling; one head looking inwards
and the other looking outwards. He
is referred to, in this scene, by
Salarino to indicate that Nature
has always created two types of
people-one who is always cheerful
and happy and the other who will
always wear a grim and morose
expression.

2. NESTOR Old wise and strict Greek general, Act 1 : Scene

who fought in the Trojan War. 1
Even Nestor may crack up and laugh
at a particular joke but these
serious and grim faced people will
not even bother to show their teeth
in the way of a smile.

3. SIR ORACLE Sir Oracle refers to the Greek Act 1 : Scene

oracle who was believed to be the 1
voice of the gods, uttered through
the mouth of the priests. Gratiano
says a person who stays quiet, tries
to give an impression that in the
rare instance of his speaking no one
else should speak as his speech is
like Sir Oracle, the voice of God

4. JASON Jason’s father, Aeson was usurped Act 1 : Scene

of his throne by Uncle Pelias. Pelias 1
agreed to return the throne on the
condition that Jason get the
mystical object Golden Fleece
 fastened on an an oak tree in the
kingdom of Colchos. Jason was
helped by the Argonauts and Medea
to get the Golden Fleece which was
guarded by a dragon

5. HERACLITUS OF Heraclitus of Ephesus was known by Act 1 : Scene

EPHESUS(known as the name of weeping philosopher 2
the weeping because he renounced himself to
philosopher) the mountains as he was very
distressed by mankind’s stupidity.
Portia likens County Palatine’s frown
to that of the weeping philosopher.

6. SIBYLLA Sibyl, a prophetess in Roman Act 1 : Scene

mythology was granted as many 2
years of life as there were sand
grains she held in her hand by
Apollo (the Sun God) and the God of
Music. Portia refers to her, in this
scene by sarcastically saying that
she may live as old as Sibyl and yet
stay unmarried like Diana(The Moon
Goddess) in the event of any of the
suitors not selecting the casket.

7. DIANA The Goddess of virginity in Roman Act 1 : Scene

Mythology. She was also the Godess 2
of hunting and of the moon. She Act 5 : Scene
was also the Roman Goddess of 1
Chastity (Purity). She fell in love
with the handsome Edymion and
would cast her light on him while he
slept at night.

8. ABRAHAM The founder of the Jewish Race. Act 1 : Scene

3
9. ISAAC Abraham’s son
10. JACOB Abraham’s grandson

“Third possessor” Jacob was third in the line of heirs

to family estates after Abraham
and Isaac. Jacob being younger
than his brother Esau, was not the
rightful heir But Jacob’s mother
deceitfully tricked Isaac into
blessing Jacob with all the
abundance on earth. Jacob at the
behest of his mother covered
himself with goat’s skin. Isaac being
partially blind, blessed Jacob
mistaking him to be the hairy Esau.
Isaac on later knowing his error
could not revoke his blessings
showered on Jacob.

11. LABAN Jacob’s uncle

“Jacob’s trick” Jacob grazed Uncle Laban’s sheep
for a long time and asked the
spotted lambs born to these sheep
as his payment. He then placed
wooden rods in the farm whose
shadows fell on majority of the
sheep. This resulted in these sheep
giving birth to a lot of spotted
lambs which made Jacob very rich.
Thus, Shylock uses this trickery of
Jacob to justify his practice of
usury. He says that thrift or profit
can be taken as a blessing of God as
long as tere is no cheating or
stealing is involved.
12. PHOEBUS The classical Sun God. Morocco (a Act 2 : Scene
Suitor to Portia) 1
Morocco says that the climate of
his country which is close to the
equator is responsible for his dark
complexion. He then asks a
Northward born prince be brought
from an area where Phoebus’(Sun’s)
fire very rarely breaks the ice-
spikes. This means a region where
the people born are of fair
complexion due to the absence of
sun. He then says that this fair
prince and he should draw an
incision on their own skins. As per
the belief in the Elizabethan era,
people with redder blood were
said to be the most
courageous.
13. HERCULES/ALCIDES The demi-god of Greek mythology Act 2 : Scene
1
LICHAS Hercules’ servant

“Game of Dice” Morocco says that if Hercules and

Lichas play a game of dice, it is not
necessary that Hercules, being the
stronger one shall win. Instead, the
winning throw may also come by
chance from the hand of the
weaker man. Similarly he feels that
a suitor who may not match
Morocco’s overall persona, may still
choose the right casket and win
Portia’s hand in marriage
14. VENUS A classical Goddes of love who rode Act 2 : Scene
in a chariot drawn by doves. Doves 6
of Venus move 10 times faster to
seal the promises made by new
souls about to fall in love than they
are accustomed to maintaining love
that is confirmed. Salarino says
this to Gratiano when they
suprisingly find that Lorenzo has
not turned up at the appointed
time. ( because lovers always come
before the appointed time ).
15. CUPID (Son of Venus – Goddess of love) Act 2 : Scene
The God of love. 6
Jessica, who is disguised as a boy
to elope with her lover Lorenzo,
says that even Cupid would be
ashamed of the weird exercises
that lovers indulge in

16. ALCIDES/HERCULES The superman of Greek mythology

“sea monsters” Hercules rescued Hesoine, the Act 3 : Scene
unmarried daughter of the Trojan 2
king from being sacrificed to a sea
monster. He acted not out of love
for Hesione but for the reward of
Trojan horses for rescuing her.
Portia sees herself as Hesoine and
Bassanio as Hercules but with much
more love for her.

17. MARS The Roman God of War Act 3 : Scene

2
18. MIDAS A wealthy king in Greek mythology
who out of greed requested
Dionysus that all things he touched
should turn into gold. However the
boon turned out to be
counterproductive as everything
that Midas touched turned to gold
including the food making it unfit
for consumption. Bassanio while
commenting on the golden casket
remarks gold as hard food for
Midas and thus rejects it.

19. PYTHAGORAS A Greek philosopher who believed Act 4 : Scene

that souls of men and animals 1
appeared several times on the
earth infusing themselves into
sometimes higher and lower forms
of life. Gratiano says he believes in
this theory look Shylock.

20. DANIEL A great Jewish character (of the Act 4 : Scene

old Testment) in the Bible who was 1
known for his wisdom and
judgement.

21. BARRABAS A notorious criminal Pilate, the king Act 4 : Scene

of the jews asked the Jewish Mob 1
whom he should set free: Jesus
Christ or Barrabas. The mob said
that Barrabas be set free and
Christ be crucified.

22. TROILUS AND Troilus (son of the king of Troy) Act 5 : Scene
CRESSDA and Cressda were lovers and had 1
exchanged vows of external
fidelity. However, during the seige
of Troy, Cressida was handed over
 to the Greeks in an exchange of
prisoners. She had vowed to remain
constant, but she soon fell in love
with Diomed. For a long time, every
night Troilus stood on the walls
ofTroy looking at the Greek camp.
Thus Cressida became a symbol of
unfaithful lovers.

23. THISBE AND A Babylonian woman (maiden). She Act 5 : Scene

PYRAMUS and her lover Pyramus were 1
forbidden to meet by their parents.
One day, they arranged to meet in a
forest. Thisbe saw a lion and fled
leaving her cloak behind. Pyramus
saw her blood stained cloak,
thought Thisbe was dead and killed
himself. Thisbe returned, saw her
lover’s body and killed herself too.
Both became symbols of faithful
lovers.

24. DIDO AND AENUS The love story of Aeneas and Dido
is narrated by Virgil in the Aeneid.
Aeneas was the Trojan warrior who
founded the city of Rome. During
his voyages, he reached Carthage
where he loved Queen Dido. After a
long stay with her, he sailed away
leaving Dido heartbroken. She
ki8lled herself out of grief. This is
a symbol of deserted love.

25. MEDEA AND JASON Medea (Jason’s wife) helped him to Act 5 : Scene
win the golden fleece. Besides, she 1
gathered herbs of magical
properties by night and
administered them to her aged
father-in-law Aeson to restore his
 youth.

26. EREBUS In classical mythology the home of Act 5 : Scene

the dead, an area of darkness near 1
hell.

27. ENDYMION A beautiful youth who was loved by Act 5 : Scene

the moon. When he slept at night, 1
the moon kissed him by pouring
down her silvery light.