ACT 3, SCENE 5 Setting: Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.
In this scene, you will: l l
Reflect on the relationship between Jessica and Lorenzo. Discuss the positive and negative aspects of this scene.
Action – What Happens?
This scene appears somewhat out of sync with the rest of the play. Launcelot and Jessica engage in light-hearted banter. Launcelot continues to twist words and misinterpret meanings. Lorenzo becomes a little frustrated with Launcelot when he deliberately misconstrues (misinterprets) Lorenzo’s instructions for dinner. When Lorenzo asks Jessica her opinion of Portia, she is full of high praise for her, saying that she has no equal on earth.
Useful Words tricksy – ambiguous/having more than one possible meaning stomachs – appetites