Shakespeare and St Mark
Who was the most influential literary writer in our Western Culture? The mind springs immediately to Shakespeare. But there was a far more influential writer, who produced only one... more »
“Signior Antonio, Many A Time And Oft” Merchant of Venice Soliloquy Analysis
Read The Merchant of Venice’s Signior Antonio, Many A Time And Oft soliloquy below with modern English translation & analysis:
Spoken by Shylock, The Merchant of Venice, Act 1, Scene 3
Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys and my usances:
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,
For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.
You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,
And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help:
Go to, then; you come to me, and you say
‘Shylock, we would have moneys:’ you say so;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard
And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold: moneys is your suit
What should I say to you? Should I not say
‘Hath a dog money? is it possible
A cur can lend three thousand ducats?’ Or
Shall I bend low and in a bondman’s key,
With bated breath and whispering humbleness, Say this;
‘Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;
You spurn’d me such a day; another time
You call’d me dog; and for these courtesies
I’ll lend you thus much moneys’?
“Signior Antonio, Many A Time And Oft” Soliloquy Translation:
Signior Antonio. So manytimes on the Rialto, you have berated me about money and my money-lending. I’ve always responded with a patient shrug because enduring such things is the badge of all our race. You call me an unbeliever, a cut-throat dog, and spit on my Jewish gabardine. And all for using what belongs to me. Well then, it now seems that you need my help. Alright then: you come to me and you say, “Shylock, we want some money.”
That’s what you say. You, who spat on my beard and kicked me as you would kick a stray dog from your house. Now you want money. What am I supposed to say to you? Shouldn’t I say, “Has a dog got money? Could a mongrel possibly lend three thousand ducats?” Or shall I bend low and in the fawning tone of a servant, softly, in a small humble voice, say this: ‘Good sir, you spat on me last Wednesday; you kicked me on such and such a day: another time you called me ‘dog’. And for these courtesies I’ll lend you so much money?
See other Merchant of Venice soliloquies >>
Read The Merchant of Venice in modern English >>
-
“B, or Not a B?” – Patrick Stewart Rocks!
Just came across this fantastic YouTube snippet of Patrick Stewart on Sesame Street, performing the famous “to be or not to be” Hamlet soliloquy with a twist: It seems... more »
-
Shakespeare’s Writing Habits
There was a BBC series recently in which writers talked about their writing habits, which got me thinking about Shakespeare’s writing habits. The conversations the writers in this series... more »
-
Shakespeare’s Writing Habits
There was a BBC series recently in which writers talked about their writing habits, which got me thinking about Shakespeare’s writing habits. The conversations the writers in this series... more »
-
Shakespeare’s “Real” Ophelia Finally Revealed?
Has Shakespeare’s inspiration for Ophelia – one of literature’s most tragic heroines – finally come to light? A 1569 coroners report published in The Guardian tantalizing suggests maybe... more »
-
Shakespeare’s Wardrobe Issues
When we go to the theatre we expect the costumes to be appropriate to the period in which the play is set, and the different characters will wear costumes... more »
-
Forensics to Finally Uncover the Face of Shakespeare?
An article on the NoSweatShakespeare site outlines the various claims of the portraits that vie for the distinction of being representations of Shakespeare. Just as with Jesus, we all... more »
-
Shakespeare and Electronic Technology
An interesting challenge to readers may be to ask them to think of any life situation that Shakespeare didn’t write about. There are so many things in modern life... more »
-
The Curse of Macbeth
If you’re ever going to be involved in a production of Macbeth you should be very careful, and take precautions. Remember, you’ve been warned. There’s a curse on performances... more »
-
Why is ‘Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow’ such a famous soliloquy?
In the rush of modern life there is little time for reflection but it’s sometimes relaxing to pause occasionally to reflect on some single instances of Shakespeare’s genius. Here... more »