9.

THE CASKET TEST

Read and Answer

A. 1. a. The speaker is the Prince of Arragon. He is speaking to Portia.

b. In Arragon's opinion, what 'many men desire are beautiful, showy things that may not
have any real worth or an intrinsic value.
c. Arragon will not choose what many men desire because he believes that the majority of
people value things by their outward show. They do not look beyond what is visible to
the eye.
d. Arragon regards the common people as foolish ('fool multitude') and vulgar ('barbarous
multitudes') who are attracted by the external look of things. They do not have the ability
or good sense to appreciate the real, intrinsic worth of things.
2. a. Just before these lines, the speaker wishes for estates, degrees, offices and honorary titles

to be earned by true merit and not bought by corrupt means.

b. If the wish came true then many whotake their hats off as a mark of respect to
now

exercise authority and control

superiors, would stand with their heads covered. Many who
would be cast
would be commanded by those they control. A lot of undeserving people
due honour and respect.
off, and those who are deserving would be given their
 men who are
c. i. If honours and titles bought but derived solely by merit, many
were not
considered inferior would keep their hats on, i.e., deserve respect, and
those who are in
a position to command would actually be commanded by others.
ii. It honours were bestowed on the basis of merit, many worthy of honour would be
picked from those who are forgotten or thought of as worthless, and given their true and
legitimate recognition.
3. a. Prince Arragon proves himself a fool by choosing the silver casket. He is rewarded a
fool's head because of his choice. Hence, he says that he had come with a fool's head and
is going away with two.
b. The speaker had taken three oaths prior to the casket test. First, he would never disclose to
anyone which casket he chose; second, he would never woo any lady by way of marriage;
and finally, he would leave Portia and Belmont at once if he failed the test.
c. The message the 'fool' has just given Arragon is that just as silver has to be purified by
fire seven times, so does a judgement need to be tested seven times to become infallible.
In his arrogance, Arragon judged himself superior to the 'fool multitude'. But that is
his delusion, which is soon broken: 'Some there be that shadows kiss; Such have but a
shadow's bliss.' There are fools who look wise and learned, and Arragon, in his choice,
has proved to be one such fool.
1. Arragon rightly says that a person's merit, and not any corrupt means, should entitle them
to honour and fortune. However, he is arrogant in thinking that he has the merit to deserve
Portia. This is where he goes wrong.
2. The name 'Arragon' resembles 'arrogant", a quality that the prince amply exhibits. He seofs
at the majority, regarding them
foolish as and unsophisticated, as they are easily influenced
by the outward show of things. So he shuns the gold casket because he does not want to
choose what many men desire. He chooses the silver casket instead,
agreeing with the
inscription that merit, and not any corrupt means, should be the basis for conferring honour.
But he is arrogant in thinking that he has the merit to deserve Portia: I will assume desert',
Arragon says, confident of finding Portia's portrait in the casket.