The Merchant of Venice
Act III, Scene 3
Venice. A street.
Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause, but since I am a dog, beware my fangs.
Shylock rebuffing Antonio
Richard Westall, 1795
- Enter Shylock the Jew and Solanio and Antonio and the
- Jailer.
Shylock
1 - 3- Jailer, look to him, tell not me of mercy.
- This is the fool that lent out money gratis.
- Jailer, look to him.
Antonio
4- Hear me yet, good Shylock.
Shylock
5 - 11- I’ll have my bond, speak not against my bond,
- I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond.
- Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause,
- But since I am a dog, beware my fangs.
- The Duke shall grant me justice. I do wonder,
- Thou naughty jailer, that thou art so fond
- To come abroad with him at his request.
Antonio
12- I pray thee hear me speak.
Shylock
13 - 18- I’ll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak.
- I’ll have my bond, and therefore speak no more.
- I’ll not be made a soft and dull-ey’d fool
- To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield
- To Christian intercessors. Follow not,
- I’ll have no speaking, I will have my bond.
- Exit Jew.
Solanio
19 - 20- It is the most impenetrable cur
- That ever kept with men.
Antonio
21 - 26- Let him alone,
- I’ll follow him no more with bootless prayers.
- He seeks my life; his reason well I know:
- I oft deliver’d from his forfeitures
- Many that have at times made moan to me;
- Therefore he hates me.
I’ll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak.
Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
1914
Solanio
27 - 28- I am sure the Duke
- Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.
Antonio
29 - 39- The Duke cannot deny the course of law;
- For the commodity that strangers have
- With us in Venice, if it be denied,
- Will much impeach the justice of the state,
- Since that the trade and profit of the city
- Consisteth of all nations. Therefore go.
- These griefs and losses have so bated me
- That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh
- Tomorrow to my bloody creditor.
- Well, jailer, on. Pray God Bassanio come
- To see me pay his debt, and then I care not!
- Exeunt.
Charles Macklin as Shylock
At Covent Garden, London
Johann Zoffany, circa 1767