THE MERCHANT OF VENICE ACT 3 SCENE 3

Shylock asked the jailer to guard closely and not to let Antonio importune
him.
He expressed his hatred for Antonio’s charitable attitude and blames his
interest free loans for his losses. He called Antonio a fool that lent out money
gratis. He does not want to talk to him of mercy.
Antonio asked Shylock not to pursue his bond. He also asked Shylock to hear
him out.
Shylock reacted by saying-:
1. He will have his bond. He asked Antonio not to speak against his having
the bond.
2. Shylock dashed Antonio’s hopes of finding him merciful. He said that he
had sworn to his God that he will pursue the bond.
3. Antonio had called him a dog without any reason. Now, Antonio should
brace for Shylock’s fangs. (His argument is deductive. Since Antonio
called him a dog, he must not expect anything but a dog-like behaviour
from Shylock. He roots and grounds his hatred for Antonio in his
speech.)
4. The Duke will have to do justice to Shylock’s request.
5. Shylock called the jailor ‘naughty’ and criticized him for taking Antonio
to plead with him and others. He asked the jailer to treat more strictly.
(violating jail rules; he had brought Antonio outside the jail when he is
under trial; this makes him suspicious and angry.)
Antonio again asked him to listen him.
Shylock reacted by saying that-:
1. He will pursue his bond. He will not hear Antonio speak.
2. He will not be soft and dull-eyed (stupid) fool, to shake his head and feel
sorry, give in to the Christian pleading with him. (He declared that he will
be cruel and not be foolishly merciful to Christians who have harboured
the traditional hatred against him and his race.)
3. He conveyed that the time to talk is long gone and that the bond will be
pursued.
4. Lastly, he again said that he will have his bond.

Salarino called Shylock ‘an impenetrable cur’ (a had hearted dog) who
lived with men.

Antonio dejectedly confessed that he will not follow Shylock with useless
requests.
He knew why Shylock is after him and wants his life.
He thinks that Shylock’s determination to kill him has to do with
Shylock’s business interests. If Shylock manages to remove Antonio from
the Venetian market, he will be able to charge interest at will.

Salarino expressed the hope that the Duke will not grant his suit.

Antonio said:
1. It is beyond the Duke to refuse commoners justice or alter the very
course of law for him.
2. The right which foreigners have in Venice cannot be denied to them.
3. If rights are denied, it will do harm to the justice of their State,
because the trade and business transactions there are carried out by
men of all nations.
4. The tensions and losses have so affected his body; he had lost a lot of
weight that he hardly had a pound of flesh left for the next day to pay
his blood- thirsty creditor, Shylock. He asked jailor to go along with him.
5. He prayed to God that Bassanio may come to see him pay his debt in
the form of a pound of Antonio’s flesh. He added he do not cars for
anything else.