ACT 3, SCENE 5 14. I will explain


15. (lines 31–32) Launcelot is apparently responsible for an African servant of Portia’s household becoming pregnant.


16. It’s unfortunate that there’s more of the Moor than there should be. This is a pun on ‘Moor’.


17. (lines 34–35) Launcelot is saying that even if she is not an honest woman, he still thinks she is more respectable than he first thought.


35 30


LORENZO I shall answer that14 better to the commonwealth than you can the getting up of the Negro’s belly. The Moor is with child by you, Launcelot.15


LAUNCELOT It is much that the Moor should be more than reason,16 but if she be less than an honest woman, she is indeed more than I took her for.17


18. (lines 36–39) Lorenzo is growing tired of Launcelot’s excessive wordplay and suggests that soon intelligent men will have to be silent and leave the talking to parrots.


19. appetites (Lorenzo is instructing Launcelot to tell the servants to get dinner ready, whereas Launcelot pretends he means tell them to get ready to eat dinner.)


20. a person who makes sharp comments 40


LORENZO How every fool can play upon the word! I think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence, and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots.18 Go in, sirrah, bid them prepare for dinner.


LAUNCELOT That is done, sir. They have all stomachs.19


LORENZO Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper20 are you! Then bid them prepare dinner.


21. to set the table (Again, Launcelot deliberately misinterprets ‘cover’ to mean put on one’s hat.)


LAUNCELOT That is done too, sir; only ‘cover’21 is the word.


LORENZO Will you cover then, sir?


22. It was customary for people who were socially inferior to take off their hats as a mark of respect to their social superiors. This causes Launcelot to say he will not put on his hat, as he knows his ‘duty’ or social position.


23. Still finding an opportunity to play with words.


45


LAUNCELOT Not so, sir, neither. I know my duty.22


50


LORENZO Yet more quarrelling with occasion!23 Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray thee understand a plain man in his plain meaning. Go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.


152


The Merchant of Venice


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