ACT 3, SCENE 5 38. while I’m in the mood


JESSICA Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach.38


39. dinner conversation


40. (lines 79–80) And whatever you would like to say about that as well as about other topics I will listen to you.


41. I will praise you. 80 Exeunt. OVERVIEW OF ACT 3, SCENE 5 l


This light-hearted scene seems to provide some respite (a short break) for the audience before the next scene. We are still in the idyllic (perfect/ideal), romantic fairy-tale world of Belmont where Lorenzo and Jessica have been left in charge of Portia’s estate.


l


At the start of this scene Launcelot is teasing Jessica. He tells her that she will be damned because she is the daughter of a Jew. Jessica cleverly states that since she is now the wife of a Christian, and has converted to Christianity, she will be saved:


I shall be saved by my husband. He hath made me a Christian. (lines 15–16)


l


Lorenzo arrives and jokes that he will become jealous of Launcelot’s secret chats with his wife. Launcelot continues to use his characteristic (typical) puns and malapropisms (incorrect use of a word in place of a word that sounds similar) in his language. Lorenzo reveals that Launcelot has made one of Portia’s servants (an African woman) pregnant. In his typical blasé (casual) fashion, Launcelot shrugs it off and makes disparaging (insulting) remarks about her.


l


When Lorenzo instructs Launcelot to tell the servants to prepare dinner, there ensues (follows) a comic scene of wordplay where Launcelot continually and deliberately misinterprets Lorenzo’s words for comical effect.


l


When Launcelot leaves, we gain a brief insight into the relationship between Jessica and Lorenzo. It seems that Jessica and Lorenzo are quite content together.


l


Lorenzo asks Jessica her opinion of Portia to which she replies that Portia is beyond compare. She lavishes praise on Portia using religious imagery, suggesting how divine and unique Portia is. She claims that Bassanio has ‘such a blessing in his lady, He finds the joys of heaven here on earth’ (lines 65– 66). She also declares that there is no one on earth equal to Portia – ‘for the poor rude world hath not her fellow’ (lines 72–73).


l


Lorenzo playfully insists that he is as good a husband as Portia is a wife: Even such a husband


Hast thou of me as she is for a wife. (lines 73–74) l The scene ends with Jessica and Lorenzo engaging in light-hearted banter as they leave for dinner. 154 The Merchant of Venice


LORENZO No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk.39 Then, howsome’er thou speak’st, ’mong other things I shall digest it.40


JESSICA Well, I’ll set you forth.41


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