ACT II SCENE 5

Shylock’s leaves for Bassanio’s dinner party

• Where ?
• Venice.Shylock’s house
• Shylock and launcelot enters
• Shylock tells Launcelot will see with his own eyes the
difference between Bassanio and Shylock in his new
employment also Launcelot will not be able to
overeat, sleep and snore the way he did there
• Shylock calls Jessica again and again , Jessica
enters
• Shylocks informs Jessica that he is leaving for the
dinner party , and hands over the keys of the house
to her
• Shylock knows that he has not been invited for dinner
out of love. He is hesitant to go because he foresees
some evil going to take place, for he dreamt of money
bags the previous night
• Finally he decides to go
• Launcelot informs Shylock about the masquerade
naming conspiracy, and relates to omen, inconsistently
• On hearing about the masquerade Shylock warns
Jessica to stay in the house and keep the doors and
windows locked. He also orders her not to open any
window to look upon the ‘Christian fools’ and their
masquerade. He doesn’t want even their sounds to
enter in his sober house
• When Launcelot exits Shylock tells Jessica about
Launcelot – ‘he’s such a huge eater, and slow as a
snail when he works. He sleeps all day like a cat. Bees
that don’t work can’t stay in my hive, so I’m letting him
go, handing him off so he can waste money for his new
master, the man who borrowed money from me.’
• Shylock leaves the house warning Jessica once again
to guard the house
• After saying goodbye to her father Jessica expresses –
‘If luck’s with me, I’ll lose a father, and you’ll lose a
daughter.’
END OF THE SCENE