Merchant of Venice Workbook Answers Act 1, Scene 1 – ICSE Class 10 & 9 English



Answer the following questions:-

Question 1.
Who address these line to whom?
Answer:
Antonio addresses these lines to Salario in the Merchant of Venice.

Question 2.
What does the words : ‘in sooth’ mean?
Answer:
The words ‘In sooth’ mean ‘to tell you the truth.’

Question 3.
What is intended by the ‘Sadness’ of Antonio?
Answer:
This sadness of Antonio is probably in the key-note of the play which illustrates that the coming events cast their shadows before. The play revolves round this theme mainly.

Question 4.
What does the word ‘want-wit’ mean?
Answer:
The word ‘want-wit’ means an idiot.

Question 5.
Explain : “I have much ado to know myself.”
Answer:
Antonio says that he has great difficulty in recognizing himself on account of the sadness that has made him a dullard as such.

Question 6.
What has Antonio just narrated that makes the speaker say that Antonio’s mind is tossing on the ocean?
Answer:
Antonio has just narrated the state of his mind. He is sad without knowing the reason what makes him sad. He does know the nature of his mysterious sadness, nor does he know the source of its origin. This sadness had made him stupid.
On hearing Antonio’s explanation, his friend, Salarino tries to diagnose the disease. He guesses that Antonio is sad because he is worried about this merchant-ships gone into different directions on the sea.

Question 7.
Where are Antonio’s ships? How do these ships move? How do they present an impressive spectacle on the sea ?
Answer:
His ships are at the sea. With their majestic sails they voyage upon the seas and present an impressive spectacle.

Question 8.
How are Antonio’s big ships compared with the smaller ships ?
Answer:
Antonio’s large ships tower above small vessels engaged in petty traffic, in the same way as gentlemen of status and other rich citizens look far superior to humble people. The smaller ships fitted with light sails, bob up and down under the influence of the waves and so appear to show respect to Antonio’s ships.

Question 9.
How would Salanio have behaved if he had ships at sea like those of Antonio’ what would have made him sad ?
Answer:
Salanio would have also remained worried about his ships if he had any at the sea. If he were facing a similar situation of having a commercial enterprise in danger, the greater part of his feelings would also have been connected with his hopes of safety of his ships. Thinking of the risks at the sea, he would have become sad like Antonio.

Question 10.
Why would he be plucking the grass? What else would he be doing to console himself ?
Answer:
He would continually be plucking blades of grass and throwing them in the wind to find out which way the wind blew. Moreover, he would be examining the maps to know the situation of harbours, piers and anchorages. Every object that seemed to do harm to his ships would certainly make him sad.

Question 11.
Why would Salario be blown to an ague ?
Answer:
If Salario’s ships had gone to sea and if he had heard of a storm that could damage his ships then he would be blown to an ague.

Question 12.
What effect would be running of the sandy hour-glass produce on Salario ?
Answer:
The running of the sandy hour-glass would make him think of shallow waters and sand-banks. He would imagine his richly laden ship Andrew run aground.

Question 13.
What would a visit to the church set him doing ?
Answer:
Even the stones in the church walls would bring to Salario mind the dangerous rocks against which his ships might collide and his spices and silk loaded in the ships would scatter on the surface of the water of the sea.

Question 14.
What could cause sadness to him ?
Answer:
The fear to the safety of his ships would certainly make Salario sad.

Question 15.
How does Salario interpret or explain about Antonio’s sadness ?
Answer:
Thus, says Salario, about Antonio who is sad because his ships laden with goods are at sea and he fears danger to their safety.

Question 16.
What does Antonio mean by saying “Fie, fie”?
Answer:
The word “Fie” means “shame on you”.

Question 17.
Why does he react to SALANIO’s suggestion in this way?
Answer:
Antonio means to say that SALANIO should feel ashamed of himself for having made the suggestion that Antonio might be in love. Antonio reacts to SALANIO’s suggestion adversely because, being an elderly man, he cannot fall in love. If he had not fallen in love in his younger days, there is no possibility of his falling in love now. Thus Antonio totally rejects the suggestion which. SALANIO has made.

Question 18.
According to SALANIO, what strange fellows have been framed by Nature in her time?
Answer:
Some fellows keep laughing without much reason, and others always look serious and sullen. In other words, some have extremely cheerful temperaments, while others are too sober and serious- minded. The serious-minded ones do not laugh even at a joke which is very amusing.

Question 19.
What is meant by “two-headed Janus”?
Answer:
Janus is the name of the God of doors. This god was represented as having two heads facing opposite directions because a door may be used for making an entry into a room and it may also be used for making an exit from a room. Furthermore, this god was represented with one of his two faces as smiling and the other as frowning.

Question 20.
How does Antonio afterwards explain his melancholy?
Answer:
Antonio afterwards says that he regards this world as the stage of a theatre on which everyone has to play some part, his own part on this stage being a sad one. In other words, Antonio says that he is, by nature and by temperament, a melancholy man and that there is no particular reason for his feeling melancholy at this time.

Question 21.
What light does the dialogue quoted above throw upon the characters of the speakers?
Answer:
This dialogue shows that Antonio is so serious-minded man that he has never fallen in love. He regards love as a frivolous pastime. This dialogue also shows the Antonio has full confidence in his continuing prosperity. He believes himself to be a shrewd businessman who has not invested all his money on the merchandise carried by a single ship, and whose other investments also have been made discreetly and intelligently. As for SALANIO, he is a well-wisher of Antonio; and both he and SALARINO are trying to talk Antonio out of his melancholy. They are trying to divert Antonio’s mind by offering different explanations of his melancholy.

Question 22.
Why would Gratiano like to play the role of a comic actor?
Answer:
He is gay and cheerful by nature. It is difficult to find him sad and gloomy. He finds Antonio sad and serious. But he would like to play the role of a clown. He will grow old with fun and laughter.

Question 23.
Why does Gratiano want to drink wine?
Answer:
Gratiano is a jolly Goodman who believes in eat, drink and be merry. He doesn’t want to sticken his heart with sad sights and sobs.

Question 24.
Why doesn’t he like a serious looking man?
Answer:
Gratiano believes that a young man has no reason to be sad and serious. He can not tolerate a warm young man sitting like a marble statue of his grandfather. It is against his nature.

Question 25.
What truth he wants to reveal to Antonio?
Answer:
Gratiano wants to reveal to Antonio that there are some persons whose faces are always sad and sullen. They look like a stagnant pool. But the fact is that they deliberately look serious so that they may earn the reputation of being wise and thoughtful.

Question 26.
Explain the line- “I am Sir Oracle. And when I ope my lips let no dog bark.”
Answer:
Like Sire Oracle, commenting upon the men who always look serious and thus pretend to be wise and deep thinkers. Gratiano says that they wish to be known as prophet. When they speak they do not want any one to disturb them. In other words, nobody should have courage to contradict them for they speak the last word on the subject.