The Merchant of Venice

Shylock’s Speech at the Trial

I have possessed your grace of what I purpose,	I have informed your lordship of what I want, 	
And by our holy Sabbeth have I sworn	And by the holy Sabbeth I have sworn 	
To have the due and forfeit of my bond.	To have what's mine in the bond. 	
If you deny it, let the danger light	If you deny me, let harm fall 	
Upon your charter and your city's freedom!	Upon your rules and freedom as a city! 	
You'll ask me why I rather choose to have	You ask me why I'd rather have 	
A weight of carrion flesh than to receive	A weight of dead flesh than to receive 	
Three thousand ducats. I'll not answer that!	Three thousand ducats. I'm not answering that! 	
But say it is my humour - is it answered?	Say it is my whim (the mood I'm in) - is that enough of an answer? 	
What if my house be troubled with a rat,	What if my house was troubled by a rat 	
And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats	And I wanted to pay ten thousand ducats 	
To have it baned? What, are you answered yet?	To get rid of it? Is that enough of an answer? 	
Some men there are love not a gaping pig; 	Some men do not love a pig roasted with its mouth open; 	
Some that are mad if they behold a cat;	Some are mad if they see a cat; 	
And others, when the bagpipe sings i'th' nose,	And others, when they hear the whining noise from the bagpipes, 	
Cannot contain their urine - for affection,	Have to pee - for our natural response 	
Master of passion, sways it to the mood	Which controls our emotions, causes us to react 	
Of what it likes or loathes, Now for your answer:	With either love or hate. Now for your answer: 	
As there is no firm reason to be rendered	As there is no right answer which can be given 	
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig,	Why he hates a roasted pig with an open mouth 	
Why he a harmless, necessary cat,	Why he dislikes a harmless cat 	
Why he a woollen bagpipe, but of force	Why on hearing a bagpipe, he involuntarily 	
Must yield to such inevitable shame	Has to give in to the embarrassment 	
As to offend, himself being offended;	of wetting himself when he is offended by the noise 	
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,	So I can give no reason 	
More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing	But the immovable hate 	
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus	I have for Antonio and so I pursue 	
A losing suit against him! Are you answered?	An unprofitable case against him! Is that an answer? 	

Instructions

Match the original lines with the modern version. 

What does this speech tell us about Shylock's motivations?

What do we learn about money?

What do we learn about justice?

I have possessed your grace of what I purpose, 	
And by our holy Sabbeth have I sworn 	
To have the due and forfeit of my bond. 	
If you deny it, let the danger light 	
Upon your charter and your city's freedom! 	
You'll ask me why I rather choose to have 	
A weight of carrion flesh than to receive 	
Three thousand ducats. I'll not answer that! 	
But say it is my humour - is it answered? 	
What if my house be troubled with a rat, 	
And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats 	
To have it baned? What, are you answered yet? 	
Some men there are love not a gaping pig; 	
Some that are mad if they behold a cat; 	
And others, when the bagpipe sings i'th' nose, 	
Cannot contain their urine - for affection, 	
Master of passion, sways it to the mood 	
Of what it likes or loathes, Now for your answer: 	
As there is no firm reason to be rendered 	
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig, 	
Why he a harmless, necessary cat, 	
Why he a woollen bagpipe, but of force 	
Must yield to such inevitable shame 	
As to offend, himself being offended; 	
So can I give no reason, nor I will not, 	
More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing 	
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus 	
A losing suit against him! Are you answered? 	
I have informed your lordship of what I want, 	
And by the holy Sabbeth I have sworn 	
To have what's mine in the bond. 	
If you deny me, let harm fall 	
Upon your rules and freedom as a city! 	
You ask me why I'd rather have 	
A weight of dead flesh than to receive 	
Three thousand ducats. I'm not answering that! 	
Say it is my whim (the mood I'm in) - is that enough of an answer? 	
What if my house was troubled by a rat 	
And I wanted to pay ten thousand ducats 	
To get rid of it? Is that enough of an answer? 	
Some men do not love a pig roasted with its mouth open; 	
Some are mad if they see a cat; 	
And others, when they hear the whining noise from the bagpipes, 	
Have to pee - for our natural response 	
Which controls our emotions, causes us to react 	
With either love or hate. Now for your answer: 	
As there is no right answer which can be given 	
Why he hates a roasted pig with an open mouth 	
Why he dislikes a harmless cat 	
Why on hearing a bagpipe, he involuntarily 	
Has to give in to the embarrassment 	
of wetting himself when he is offended by the noise 	
So I can give no reason 	
But the immovable hate 	
I have for Antonio and so I pursue 	
An unprofitable case against him! Is that an answer? 	

Instructions

Match the original lines with the modern version. 

What does this speech tell us about Shylock's motivations?

What do we learn about money?

What do we learn about justice?

© Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (First published 1998)