English Literature books summary

To be ashamed to be my father's child!

But though I am a daughter to his blood,

I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,

If thou keep promise I shall end this strife,

Become a Christian and thy loving wife.

Jessica thus informs the audience that she is in love with Lorenzo, a

Christian. She intends to meet him soon and run away from her father's

house in order to marry Lorenzo.

Act II, Scene Four

Lorenzo, Graziano, Salerio and Solanio are preparing for a masque that

night. Lancelot arrives with the letter from Jessica and hands it to

Lorenzo. Lorenzo reads it and tells Lancelot to inform Jessica that he will

not fail her. Lancelot leaves to bring the news to Jessica, and also to

invite Shylock to Bassanio's house for dinner.

After the other two men leave, Lorenzo shows Graziano the letter from

Jessica. He tells his friend that he and Jessica plan to steal away from

her father's house that night, along with a great deal of her father's gold

and jewels.

Act II, Scene Five

Shylock informs Lancelot that he will have to judge for himself whether

Bassanio is a better master. He then calls Jessica, hands her the keys to

the house, and tells her that he must leave for dinner that evening.

Lancelot tells Shylock that there will likely be a masque that night. At

this news, Shylock orders Jessica to lock up the house and not look out the

windows. He says, "Let not the sound of shallow fopp'ry enter / My sober

house" (2.5.34-35).

As Shylock gets ready to depart, Lancelot privately tells Jessica that

Lorenzo will come for her that night. She is grateful for the message, and

after Shylock leaves she comments that, "I have a father, you a daughter

lost" (2.5.55).

Act II, Scene Six

Salerio and Graziano are part of the masquers partying through the street

of Venice. They stop and wait for Lorenzo, who has asked them to meet him

at a certain spot. Lorenzo arrives and thanks them for their patience. He

then calls out to Jessica, who appears in the window of Shylock's house

dressed as a man. She throws out a casket to Lorenzo filled with much of

her father's gold and jewels. Jessica then goes back inside and steals even

more ducats (golden coins) before joining the men on the street.

Everyone departs except for Bassanio, who unexpectedly meets Antonio.

Antonio tells him to get to the ship heading for Belmont, because the wind

has started blowing the right way and the ship is ready to depart.

Act II, Scene Seven

The Prince of Morocco is brought into a room containing three caskets,

gold, silver and lead. Portia tells him to make his choice. The Prince

reads the inscriptions on all the caskets. Gold reads: "Who chooseth me

shall gain what many men desire" (2.7.5). The silver casket has, "Who

chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves" (2.7.7). Finally, the dull

lead casket bears the inscription, "Who chooseth me must give and hazard

all he hath" (2.7.9).

Portia tells the Prince that the correct casket, or the one that will allow

him to marry her, contains a miniature picture of her likeness. The Prince

looks over all the inscriptions a second time, and decides that lead is too

threatening and not worth risking anything for. He also spurns the silver,

which he feels is too base a metal to hold such a beautiful woman as

Portia. The Prince therefore chooses gold.

Portia hands him the key, and he opens the casket to reveal a golden skull.

The skull holds a written scroll that poetically indicates that he chose

superficially. The Prince departs after a hasty farewell. Portia watches

him go, and remarks, "A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains, go. / Let all

of his complexion choose me so" (2.7.78-79).

Act II, Scene Eight

Salerio and Solanio meet in the street and discuss the hasty departure of

Bassanio and Graziano for Belmont. They further tell the audience that

Shylock returned home and discovered his daughter had run away with

Lorenzo. Shylock then woke up the Duke of Venice and tried to stop

Bassanio's ship, which had already set sail. Antonio assured Shylock that

Jessica was not on board the ship, but rather had been seen in a gondola

with Lorenzo. However, Shylock continues to blame Antonio for the loss of

his daughter and his money.

Solanio informs Salerio that Shylock was later seen in the streets crying,

"My daughter! O, my ducats! O, my daughter!

Fled with a Christian! O, my Christian ducats!

Justice! The law! My ducats and my daughter!

A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats,"

Solanio is worried about Antonio, whom he says had better repay his bond

with Shylock on time, because Shylock is furious about losing his daughter

and his money and blames Antonio for it. Salerio indicates that a Frenchman

mentioned a Venetian vessel had sunk in the English Channel the day before.

Both men hope that it is not Antonio's ship.

Act II, Scene Nine

The Prince of Aragon arrives in Belmont and decides to choose from among

the three caskets. Portia takes him into the room and makes him recite the

oath never to reveal which casket he chooses, and further to promise never

to marry should he choose the incorrect casket. The Prince of Aragon agrees

and starts to read the inscriptions.

He rejects lead because of the ominous warning, and thinks that gold refers

to the foolish populace. Instead he chooses silver which indicates he will

receive what he deserves. The Prince takes the key and opens the casket to

reveal a "blinking idiot" (2.9.53). The scroll indicates that those who are

self-loving deserve to be called idiots, and would not make good husbands

for Portia. The Prince is upset by his choice, but is forced to leave.

Portia is happy that the Prince has chosen the wrong casket. Her messenger

comes into the room at that moment and informs her that a young Venetian

has just arrived. Portia goes to see who it is, while Nerissa secretly

wishes that it might be Bassanio.

Act III, Scene One

Solanio and Salerio discuss the rumor that Antonio has lost yet a second

ship. Shylock enters and complains that both Solanio and Salerio had

something to do with his daughter's flight. They do not deny it, but

instead ask Shylock if he has heard about Antonio's losses.

Shylock tells them that Antonio should "look to his bond" and make sure he

repays the money, or else Shylock is planning on taking his pound of flesh.

Shylock is furious with Antonio, whom he blames for the loss of Jessica,

and also bears an older grudge against the man. He then delivers his famous

soliloquy, "Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions,

senses, affections, passions..." (3.1.49-50). The speech concludes with

Shylock saying that he will be revenged for all the times he has been

treated badly by Christians.

One of Antonio's servants arrives and bids Solanio and Salerio to go to

Antonio's house. They leave, and Tubal, another Jew, arrives to speak with

Shylock. Tubal has been in Genoa, where he tried to locate Jessica. He

tells Shylock that Jessica had been in the city, and had spent over eighty

ducats while there. She had also traded a turquoise ring for a monkey, a

ring which Shylock regrets losing because he had received it from his wife

Leah. However, Tubal also brings Shylock news that Antonio has lost yet a

third ship, and is almost certain to go bankrupt in the near future.

Shylock is excited by this news, since he has decided that he would rather

exact revenge on Antonio than receive his three thousand ducats back.

Act III, Scene Two

Portia tells Bassanio that she wants him to wait a month or two before

choosing from the caskets so that she may be guaranteed his company for a

while longer. Bassanio tells her that he is desperate to choose, and feels

like he is being tortured the longer he waits. Portia finally agrees to

take him into the room with the caskets.

Portia orders music to be played for Bassanio, and one of her servants

starts to sing a song in which the rhymes all rhyme with lead. Bassanio

speaks directly to the audience and tells them that too many things are

gilded and coated with ornaments. He therefore decides to do away with

gold, comparing it to Midas' greed. The silver casket he also ignores,

saying it resembles money and is therefore too common. He thus chooses the

lead casket and finds Portia's picture inside.

Bassanio is overjoyed by the picture and remarks that it is a beautiful

"counterfeit". He then takes the scroll and reads it: "You that choose not

by the view / Chance as fair and choose as true" (3.2.131-132). Bassanio

goes over to Portia with the note, and she offers him everything she owns,

including herself. Portia then hands Bassanio a ring as a token of her love

and commitment and tells him never to lose it. He promises, telling her

that if he ever stops wearing the ring it will be because he is dead.

Graziano then informs them that he would like to be married as well. He

tells Bassanio and Portia that he and Nerissa (the chambermaid to Portia)

are in love. Bassanio is thrilled for his friend and agrees to let them get

married as well.

Jessica, Lorenzo and Salerio arrive at Belmont. Bassanio is happy to see

all of them, but Salerio then hands him a letter from Antonio. Bassanio

turns pale at the news that Antonio has lost his fortune and his ships, and

he asks Salerio if it is true that all of Antonio's ventures have failed.

Salerio tells him it is true, and that Shylock is so excited about getting

his pound of flesh that even if Antonio could repay him he would likely

refuse it.

Portia asks what amount of money Antonio owes to Shylock, and then orders

Bassanio to return to Venice and offer Shylock six thousand ducats to

destroy the contract. She informs Bassanio and Graziano that she and

Nerissa will live like widows in their absence. They all agree to get

married first and then go straight to Venice to rescue Antonio.

Act III, Scene Three

Shylock has come to watch Antonio be taken away by a jailer. Antonio pleads

with Shylock to listen to him, but Shylock says, "I have sworn an oath that

I will have my bond," (3.3.4) and refuses to listen to any of the pleas for

mercy. After Shylock departs, Antonio tells Solanio that Shylock hates him

because he used to loan money to men who were in debt to Shylock, thus

preventing Shylock from collecting the forfeiture. Antonio is prepared to

pay his "bloody creditor" the next day in court, but prays that Bassanio

will arrive in time to watch him die.

Act III, Scene Four

Portia and Nerissa, worried about their new husbands, tell Lorenzo that

they are going to stay at a local monastery for a few days in order to

pray. After Lorenzo and Jessica leave, Portia sends her servant Balthasar

to her cousin Doctor Bellario with instructions that Balthasar should bring

anything Bellario gives him to Venice. Portia then informs Nerissa that

they are going to dress up as men and go to Venice in order to help their

husbands.

Act III, Scene Five

Lancelot and Jessica are in an argument over whether she can be saved by

God since she was born a Jew. Lancelot tells her that since both her

parents are Jews, she is damned. She protests that she can be saved once

she becomes a Christian because her husband Lorenzo is a Christian.

Lancelot then makes a joke, and says that Lorenzo is a bad man because by

converting all the Jews he is raising the price of pork (since Jews do not

eat pork, but Christians do). Lorenzo then arrives and orders Lancelot to

go inside and prepare the table for dinner. He and Jessica praise Portia

for being such a wonderful hostess before entering the house to get their

dinner.

Act IV, Scene One

Antonio is brought before the Duke and the magnificoes of Venice to stand

trial for failing to pay off his obligation to Shylock. The Duke is upset

about the penalty, a pound of Antonio's flesh, but cannot find any lawful

way of freeing Antonio from his bond. Shylock enters the court and the Duke

tells him that all of the men gathered there expect him to pardon Antonio

and forgive the debt.

Shylock replies that he has already sworn by his Sabbath that he will take

his pound of flesh from Antonio. He is unable to provide a good reason for

wanting to punish Antonio in this manner, other than to say, "So can I give

no reason, nor I will not, / More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing

/ I bear Antonio" (4.1.58-60).

Bassanio then comes forward and offers Shylock the six thousand ducats as

repayment for the loan. Shylock tells him that even if there were six times

as much money offered to him, he would not take it. The Duke asks Shylock,

"How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none?" (4.1.87). Shylock responds

that he is doing nothing wrong, and compares his contract with Antonio to

the Christian slave trade. He tells the Duke that he does not demand that

the Christians should free their slaves, and therefore the Christians

should not demand that he free Antonio.

The Duke threatens to dismiss the court without settling the suit brought

by Shylock if Doctor Bellario fails to arrive. Salerio tells him that a

messenger has just come from Bellario, and Nerissa enters dressed as a man

and informs the Duke that Bellario has sent a letter to him. Shylock whets

his knife on his shoe, confident that he will receive his pound of flesh.

The letter from Bellario recommends a young and educated doctor to

arbitrate the case. The Duke asks where the young doctor is, and Nerissa

tells him that he is waiting outside to be admitted into the court. The

Duke orders him to be brought in, and Portia enters dressed as a man,

pretending to be a doctor named Balthasar.

Portia tells the Duke that she has thoroughly studied the case and then

asks, "Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?" (4.1.169). Antonio

and Shylock both step forward, and Portia asks Antonio if he confesses to

signing the contract. He does, and Portia then says that Shylock therefore

must be merciful. She delivers a short speech on mercy, but Shylock ignores

it and demands the contract be fulfilled. Portia then asks if no one has

been able to repay the amount, but since Shylock has refused the money

there is nothing she can do to make him take it. She comments that she must

therefore side with Shylock.

Shylock, impressed that Portia is supporting his case, says, "A Daniel come

to judgment, yea, a Daniel!" (4.1.218). Portia rules that Shylock has the

right to claim a pound of flesh from next to Antonio's heart according to

the bond. Antonio's bosom is laid bare and Shylock gets ready to cut.

Portia asks him if he has a surgeon ready to stop the bleeding once he has

taken his pound of flesh. Shylock says, "I cannot find it. 'Tis not in the

bond" (4.1.257).

Just as Shylock is about to start cutting again, Portia says that the bond

does not give him permission to shed Antonio's blood. The laws of Venice

are such that if any Venetian's blood is shed, all the goods and lands of

the perpetrator may be confiscated by the state. Shylock realizes that he

cannot cut the flesh without drawing blood, and instead agrees to take the

money instead. However, Portia is not willing to back down and instead only

gives him the pound of flesh, further saying that if he takes a tiny bit

more or less he will be put to death himself. Shylock, unable to comply

with this stipulation, decides to withdraw his case.

Portia tells Shylock to remain in the court. She says that Venice has a

further law which says that if any foreigner tries to kill a Venetian, the

foreigner will have half of his property go to the Venetian against whom he

plotted, and the state will receive the other half. In addition, the life

of the foreigner will be in the hands of the Duke, who may decide to do

whatever he wants to. Shylock is forced to kneel on the ground before the

court, but the Duke pardons his life before he can beg for mercy.

Shylock instead asks the Duke to kill him, saying, "Nay, take my life and

all, pardon not that. / You take my house when you do take the prop / That

doth sustain my house; you take my life /When you do take the means whereby

I live" (4.1.369-373). Antonio intervenes on Shylock's behalf, and asks the

Duke to allow Shylock to keep half of his wealth. He further offers to take

care of the half he was awarded as a form of inheritance for Jessica and

Lorenzo. The only requirements Antonio puts on his offer are that Shylock

must convert and become a Christian, and further that he must give

everything he owns to Lorenzo upon his death.

Shylock, wretched and having lost everything he owns, tells the court that

he is content to accept these conditions. The Duke leaves and tells Antonio

to thank the young doctor who has saved his life. Bassanio and Graziano go

to Portia and thank her profusely, and Bassanio offers the young doctor

anything he wants. Portia decides to test her husband's trustworthiness,

and asks him for the engagement ring, the ring which she made him vow never

to part with. He refuses, and Portia and Nerissa leave. However, at

Antonio's urging, Bassanio takes off the ring and gives it to Graziano,

telling him to take it to Portia and invite her to dinner that night at

Antonio's.

Act IV, Scene Two

Portia gives Nerissa the deed by which Shylock will pass his inheritance to

Lorenzo. She tells Nerissa to take it to Shylock's house and make him sign

it. At the moment Graziano catches up with the two women and gives the ring

to Portia. She is surprised that Bassanio parted with it after all, and

Nerissa decides to test Graziano in the same way. Nerissa takes the deed

and asks Graziano to show her the way to Shylock's house.

Act V, Scene One

Lorenzo and Jessica, still at Belmont, sit outside and enjoy the night.

They compare the night to the stories of Troilus and Cressida, Pyramus and

Thisbe, and Dido and Aeneus, and then extend the analogy to their own love

affair. They are interrupted by Stefano, who tells them that Portia is

returning home with Nerissa. Lancelot then arrives and informs Lorenzo that

Bassanio will also be back by morning. Both Lorenzo and Jessica return to

the house and listen to music.

Portia and Nerissa, dressed as themselves again, return home and enter the

building. Lorenzo recognizes Portia's voice and comes to greet her. She

orders the servants to pretend as if she had never left, and asks Lorenzo

and Jessica to do the same. Soon thereafter Bassanio, Graziano and Antonio

arrive.

Nerissa demands that Graziano show her the ring he gave away to Portia's

"clerk" in Venice. They start to argue over it, with Graziano defending his

action as a form of kindness for Antonio. Portia overhears them and

pretends to "discover" what happened. She then demands that Bassanio show

her his ring, which he of course cannot do. Portia and Nerissa then berate

their husbands for giving away the rings, and even tell them that they

would prefer to sleep with the doctor and his clerk rather than with their

unfaithful husbands.

Antonio offers his assurance that neither Bassanio nor Graziano will ever

give away their wives' gifts again. Portia thanks him and asks him to give

Bassanio another ring to keep. Bassanio looks at the ring and recognizes it

as being the same ring he gave away. Portia then tells him that the doctor

came back to Belmont and slept with her. Bassanio is amazed and does not

know how to respond.

Portia finally clears up the confusion by informing Bassanio that she and

Nerissa were the doctor and the clerk. She further has good news for

Antonio, namely a letter that indicates that three of his ships arrived in

port safely. Nerissa then hands Lorenzo the deed from Shylock in which he

inherits everything after Shylock dies. The play ends with Graziano

promising to forever keep Nerissa's ring safe.

Othello

Act I, scene i:

Othello begins in the city of Venice, at night; Roderigo is having a

discussion with Iago, who is bitter at being passed up as Othello's

lieutenant. Though Iago had greater practice in battle and in military

matters, Cassio, a man of strategy but of little experience, was named

lieutenant by Othello. Iago says that he only serves Othello to further

himself, and makes shows of his allegiance only for his own gain; he is

playing false, and admits that his nature is not at all what it seems. Iago

is aware that the daughter of Brabantio, a Venetian nobleman of some

stature, has run off with Othello, the black warrior of the Moors.

Desdemona is Brabantio's daughter, and Brabantio, and many others, know

nothing of this coupling; Iago decides to enlist Roderigo, who lusts after

Desdemona, and awaken Brabantio with screams that his daughter is gone.

At first, Brabantio dismisses these cries in the dark; but when he realizes

his daughter is not there, he gives the news some credence. Roderigo is the

one speaking most to Brabantio, but Iago is there too, hidden, yelling

unsavory things about Othello and his intentions toward Desdemona.

Brabantio panics, and calls for people to try and find his daughter; Iago

leaves, not wanting anyone to find out that he betrayed his own leader, and

Brabantio begins to search for his daughter.

Act I, scene ii:

Iago has now joined Othello, and has told Othello about Roderigo's betrayal

of the news of his marriage to Brabantio's daughter. He tells Othello that

Brabantio is upset, and will probably try to tear Desdemona from him.

Cassio comes at last, as do Roderigo and Brabantio; Iago threatens Roderigo

with violence, again making a false show of his loyalty to Othello.

Brabantio is very angry, swearing that Othello must have bewitched his

daughter, and that the state will not decide for him in this case. Othello

says that the Duke must hear him, and decide in his favor, or else all is

far from right in Venice.

Act I, scene iii:

Military conflict is challenging the Venetian stronghold of Cyprus; there

are reports that Turkish ships are heading toward the island, which means

some defense will be necessary. Brabantio and Othello enter the assembled

Venetian leaders, who are discussing this military matter, and Brabantio

announces his grievance against Othello for marrying his daughter. Othello

addresses the company, admitting that he did marry Desdemona, but wooed her

with stories, and did her no wrongs. Desdemona comes to speak, and she

confirms Othello's words; Brabantio's grievance is denied, and Desdemona

will indeed stay with Othello. However, Othello is called away to Cyprus,

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