Merchant of Venice. - Repositories

154 NOTES [ACT i)
(. 51. cerecloth. Waxed linen, serving as a shroud for the
dead. Note that cere is one syllable, even in cerement, a
synonym for cerecloth.
1. 61. 6bscure. Note the accent, and contrast it with that of
aspect in L
1. 53. ten times. The ratio of gold to silver at this time in
England was ten to one.
1. 57. Note that upon is strongly contrasted with within, in
line 59.
1. 60. Is there (up to line 60) any conceit expressed in
Morocco's arguing? Any proof of his love for Portia? Any
compliment paid to her ? Which of his comparisons are beautiful
? Which extravagant ?
1. 63. Death. Death^s-head; skull. Did Portia know what
was in this casket ? Did Nerissa ? Read over L, ii., carefully,
to see.
1. 68. my outside. Does my refer to the casket, or to the
skull ?
I. 72. Your. Johnson thinks the word intended here was
this.
II. 1-79. Is insincerity of character betrayed by Morocco
anywhere in this scene ? What was the mistake he made, or,
in other words, in what one way did he not ''rightly love"?
Of what does he think the more, the meaning of the metals, or
of that of the inscriptions ? What do you think of Portia's
bearing toward him ? What of her real feelings ? Keep in
mind especially the character of Morocco, in order that after