Scene 1 of Act I of the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare- Fully Explained

1. TheMerchantofVenice
ACT 1 SCENE 1
Part 1

2. Meaning of the Dialogue
ANTONIO
In sooth, I know not why I am so sad;
It wearies me; you say it wearies you;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff ‘tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn;
And such a want-wit sadness makes of me,
That I have much ado to know myself.
ACT I
SCENE I. Venice. A street.
Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SALANIO
(Antonio replies his two friends when they ask him the
reason for his melancholic mood.)
Truly, I don’t know why I am so sad
You say my sadness tires you, but it tires me too
But how I acquired the sadness,
What is it made of and the origin (cause) of the sadness,
I am yet to know (unaware);
And the sadness makes me such want –wit (absent minded)
That I have trouble knowing myself.
Questions :
1. What does Antonio tell his friends about his sadness?
2. What is the effect of sadness on Antonio?
Word meanings –
wearies – tires
want-wit – absent minded
ado – trouble

3. Your thoughts are on the ocean tossing
Where your big ships are sailing portly
They are like gentlemen and rich people of the sea
Or the processions of the sea
And the small ships which bob up and down seem as if they
are bowing his ships and doing them reverance
As his ships are passing by them with their canvas sails
SALARINO
Your mind is tossing on the ocean;
There, where your argosies with portly sail,
Like signiors and rich burghers on the flood,
Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea,
Do overpeer the petty traffickers,
That curtsy to them, do them reverence,
As they fly by them with their woven wings.
Meaning of the Dialogue
Word meanings –
argosies – big ships
signiors – important people
flood – sea
overpeer – look down upon
pageants – processions
Traffickers – small boats
Curtsy – bow (the bobbing
boats seem to be bow down)
In this dialogue, Salarino predicts that Antonio is sad because he is worried about his
ships which are carrying merchandise. Here Salarino is trying to boost up Antonio as
he praises his ships.
Questions :
1. Which cause does Salarino predict of Antonio's sadness?
2. What does Salarino compare Antonio’s ships to? [3 comparisons]

4. Believe me, sir, if I had such venture out there, the better
part of my thoughts would be with my hope of their safe
arrival. I’d be still plucking the grass to know where the
wind blows, looking over maps for ports and piers and
roads; And every object that would make me afraid of
misfortune to my ships, would make me sad without a doubt.
Meaning of the Dialogue
In this dialogue, Salanio adds to Salarino, saying that if he had such a risky business on
the sea, he would be tensed too. He says that he would be worried of the wind and storms
at sea. Although he can’t do anything with the safety of the ships, he will want to know
the direction of the wind and peer in maps for safe places.
Word meanings –
Venture – business
forth – out at sea
Affections - thoughts
peering – looking keenly

5. His breath cooling the soup would bring him an ague as
it reminds him the harm a great wind at sea could do to
his ship.
The sandy hour glass would remind him the sandy shores
on which his wealthy ship could have run aground. He
imagines his ship docked in sand with its mast lower than
the sides touching the sand where it is going to be buried.
1.
2.
The three MISFORTUNES
When he visits the church, the holy building made of stones
reminds him of the huge rocks at sea which pose danger to
his ships. His ship would crack and all of his merchandise
would drown even if a rock brushed her.
3.
Word meanings
wind : breath wealthy Andrew : rich ship (Andrew was a name used for ships)
vailing : lowering. vailing : lowering
ague : fever enrobe : cover
Questions
Why would Salarino be blown to an ague ?
What effect would be running of the sandy hour-glass
produce on Salarino ?
What would Salarino think after going to the church?

6. TheThree
Misfortunes

7. In a moment, his ships worth everything and then worth
nothing.
If I can think about all this (If I were a merchant)
Can I not think if such a thing could happened, how sad I
would be….
So, don’t argue with me, I know Antonio
You are sad because of your merchandise
Meaning of the Dialogue

8. Believe me, it is not like that . I thank my fortune for
My business is not trusted to one ship
The ships are not going to one place and my entire estate is
Not depended on the profit or loss of this financial year
Then are you in love
Nonsense !!!
Meaning of the Dialogue
Word meanings –
Bottom : ship
Estate : merchandise
What reasons does Antonio give for proving that he is
not sad because of his merchandise? (3 reasons)
Question

9. Not in love either? Then let’s say you’re sad because you are
not happy; just as it’s easy to say that you are happy because
you are not sad.
By Janus, nature has made strange people in her time : Some
that laugh like parrots at a bag piper until their eyes shrink
Some have such a sour aspect, that they will not laugh even if
Nestor swears the joke is laughable.
Meaning of the Dialogue
Extra references –
Janus : the God of doors who had two heads – one frowning and one merry
Nestor : A general who was known for the fact that no one could make him laugh
What does Salanio say could be the reason for Antonio’s sadness?
(when Antonio says his melancholy is not due to his merchandise)
What types of people has nature created according to Salanio?
Who is Janus?
Who is Nestor?
Questions
Meanings –
‘twere : it were
Joke : joke

10. SALANIO :
I appreciate your concern. I see your own business
needs you, And you take this opportunity to leave.
laugh – meet together and enjoy
71 – We will meet when we both are free
(mutual understanding)

11. Thank you