He therefore, spurns the silver, which he feels is too base a metal to hold such a beautiful woman as Portia. He considers himself to be a suitable match for Portia because he is wealthy, he has fine quality, he belongs to a noble family and he has a high position in society.
His choice shows that how he judges by outward appearance, not considering how the contents of the gold casket might not be indicative of its appearance. He continued saying that people base their judgement and consequent actions on mere surface impressions. Both of the suitors were over-confident. Since he considered himself to be worthy of Portia, he chooses the silver casket and that too an order to a servant to perform the task of actually unlocking the casket, to humble a thing for Arragon to do himself.
Shakespeare has given a lengthy speech on each suitor on the casket they were going to choose. The Princes speak in blank verse through their presence, which only changes after both of them reading their scroll. This is symbolic, for he is an old man and hence is an idiot for thinking himself deserving of a young woman. Both of the princes were courteous, affable gentlemen who respected Portia. After reading, I felt sympathy for both the suitors who had come to try their fortune and unfortunately lost.
I have more sympathy with him as he cannot marry any other woman and will have a life of a living hell as in later life he cannot share his happiness and sorrows with anyone. No comments:. Subscribe to: Post Comments Atom. When he opens the silver casket, he finds within "the portrait of a blinking idiot" — a picture of a fool's head. He protests the contents; he chose according to what he felt that he deserved: "Did I deserve no more than a fool's head?
Portia is dearly relieved and sums up the reason for the prince's failure: "O, these deliberate fools! A servant announces the arrival of a Venetian ambassador from another suitor and adds that he brings gifts; in fact, in the messenger's estimation, the man who accompanies this latest suitor is "so likely an ambassador of love" that "a day in April never came so sweet. This scene focuses on the Prince of Arragon's choice of the three caskets. The Prince of Morocco's choice was straightforward and simple.
He chose the gold casket; it seemed to be the most obvious, most desirable choice. In contrast, the Prince of Arragon's choice is done with more prudence. The prince is a proud man; he seems older than Morocco and almost bloodless, compared to Morocco's fiery charismatic bearing. My Captain! The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare.
Chethan asked 4 years ago. Jayanta Kumar Maity Staff answered 4 years ago. Your Answer. Share Tweet Email Whatsapp. Link Text.
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