Passage From the Text
Bassanio: Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow. When I am absent then lie with my wife.
Antonio: Sweet lady, you have given me life and living, for here I read for certain that my ships are safely come to road.
Portia: How now, Lorenzo! My clerk hath some good comforts too for you.
Nerissa: Aye, and I'll give them him without a fee. There so I give you and Jessica from the rich Jew a special deed of gift after his death of all he dies possessed of.
Lorenzo: Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way of starved people.
Portia: It is almost morning, and yet I am sure you are not satisfied of these events at full. Let us go in, and charge us there upon interrogatories, and we will answer all things faithfully.
Gratiano: Let it be so. The first interrogatory the my Nerissa shall be sworn on is whether till the next night she had rather stay, or go to bed now, being two hours to day. But were the day come, i should wish it dark till i were couching with the doctor's clerk. Well, while I live I'll fear no other thing so sore as keeping safe Nerissa's ring. (V.i.300-325)
Antonio: Sweet lady, you have given me life and living, for here I read for certain that my ships are safely come to road.
Portia: How now, Lorenzo! My clerk hath some good comforts too for you.
Nerissa: Aye, and I'll give them him without a fee. There so I give you and Jessica from the rich Jew a special deed of gift after his death of all he dies possessed of.
Lorenzo: Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way of starved people.
Portia: It is almost morning, and yet I am sure you are not satisfied of these events at full. Let us go in, and charge us there upon interrogatories, and we will answer all things faithfully.
Gratiano: Let it be so. The first interrogatory the my Nerissa shall be sworn on is whether till the next night she had rather stay, or go to bed now, being two hours to day. But were the day come, i should wish it dark till i were couching with the doctor's clerk. Well, while I live I'll fear no other thing so sore as keeping safe Nerissa's ring. (V.i.300-325)
Response to the Text
3) The author seems to feel like this is the true tragedy of the play and that justice has in no way been administered to any of the characters for their actions. It is notable that the only death that occurs during the play is that of Shylock, and his death is only mentioned to explain why Portia is giving Lorenzo a gift. The play culminates with Lorenzo getting his ships back, Lorenzo and Jessica becoming a couple married with hatred, and Gratiano and Bassanio being forgiven by their wives. None of the characters learn or evolve to become better people, but rather sink lower into bad behavior. Shakespeare also gives no response from Jessica when she learns of her father's death. This can either mean that she is too shocked to respond to the matter, or her, along with everyone else, is truly apathetic of the matter. Shakespeare by this point reveals Shylock as the tragic hero of the play with his critical flaw being his powerful and unwavering sense of justice. His death is played off by the other characters as an incident that needed to occur in order for their more important matters to take place. Shylock's death reminds me of that of a soldier or a police officer. They are committed to justice and integrity and unfortunately they are seen as just a number instead of a person that was striving to do the right thing.