"Merchant of Venice" Passage Analysis

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Performance Final for The Merchant of Venice: 3.3.1-39 Antonio Hear me yet, good Shylock— ... I pray thee, hear me speak— ... Let him alone. I’ll follow him no more with bootless prayers. He seeks my life. His reason I well know: I oft delivered from his forfeitures Many that have at times made moan to me. Therefore he hates me. ... The Duke cannot deny the course of law, For the commodity that strangers have With us in Venice, if it be denied, Will much impeach the justice of the state, Since that the trade and profit of the city Consisteth of all nations. Therefore go. These griefs and losses have so bated me That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh Tomorrow to my bloody creditor.— Well, jailer, on.— Pray God Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not. 2. Translation: Please listen to me, good Shylock— ... I beg of you, hear me out— ... Leave him alone. I won’t pursue him with useless pleas any longer. He wants me dead. I know why—I know it very well: There were many times at which I relieved the debts Of those who could not pay their loans to him and came to me seeking help. For this, he despises me. ... The Duke cannot discredit the law, Because the benefit that foreigners Bring to our city Venice, if we deny that, Then we are only cheating ourselves, Since the prosperity of the city Comes from all races. So go. I’ve lost so much weight, being eaten away, worrying over all this madness, That I will scarcely be able to supply a pound of flesh Tomorrow to my hostile and detestable collector.— Okay, jailer, let’s go.— I hope to God that Bassanio will be there To watch me sacrifice my own self for his debt. I don’t care what happens after that. What I learned: Shakespeare was very wise and precise in choosing his words. Paraphrasing his words can be mightily difficult, because his choice of words

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