SHYLOCK TALKS TO HIS DAUGHTER

Who has come to the house of Shylock when the latter is preparing to leave for the house of Bassanio to attend the feast? What does Shylock tell him?

When Shylock is preparing to leave for the house of Bassanio to attend the feast, Launcelot appears.

Shylock tells Launcelot that his own eyes can judge the difference between him and the new employer Bassanio. He tells him further that working under Bassanio he would not be able to enjoy himself the way he did under him. He warns him saying that at the house of Bassanio he would not be able to eat like a glutton, sleep soundly and snore and use his garments the way he did while working under him.

What does Shylock tell his daughter at the time of leaving the house to attend the feast at the house of Bassanio?

While leaving the house to attend the feast at the house of Bassanio Shylock tells his daughter about his reluctance to go there. He says that he is aware of the fact that he has been invited with the purpose of flattering him and not out of a feeling of love.  He says further that still he wants to go to waste the resources of the prodigal Christian by eating at his house.

What is shylock’s parting advice to his daughter at the time of leaving the house?

While leaving the house to attend the feast at Bassanio’s Shylokc tells his daughter to be on her guard. He tells him that she should not climb up to the window and stick her face out of it to look down at the painted faces of the Christians passing by in a masquerade. He tells her particularly not to allow the hollow sound of the foppery to enter her serious house and vitiate the atmosphere of gravity. Finally in order to drive home the importance of taking good care of the household things, he uses a proverb. He says that though the proverb ‘fast bind, fast find’ is an old one it has not still lost its significance.

What did Jessica think of her house? Did she have any reason to think of it that way?

When Jessica was bidding adieu to Launcelot, she said that the house had been turned into a veritable hell.

Though she was a person of an objectionable character, she had the reason to think that the house where she lived with her father was a hell. That the atmosphere of the house was suffocating was evident from the way Shylock told his daughter to lock the doors and windows of the house to prevent the sound of the fife that would be played by the Christians. It was the orthodox nature of Shylock that created an atmosphere resembling that of a hell.

WHAT WAS THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE DUKE IN THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

We find the mention of the duke at the time he had come to the harbor to search the ship in which Bassanio had set sail for Belmont. He had been roused to action by Shylcok who clamoured for justice as a Christian by the name of Lorenzo had run away with his daughter along with his jewels and money. The Duke did not ignore the pleas of the Jew and sought to take action immediately. Here he shows his sense of duty to stand by a man who is otherwise despised by the majority of people on account of his hard dealings. In the same way he does not fail to persuade the Jew when he insists on cutting a pound of Antonio’s flesh on the basis of his forfeiture. Besides being humane in his own efforts, he seeks to enlist the support of other merchants and noble men for Antonio in his utter crisis.

 Even when the duke fails to make the Jew lenient, he makes another attempt to play on his emotions in the open court. He tells him that people have a very positive opinion about him despite the show of cruelty he has put on. He wants to arouse sympathy in him by telling him that people including him believe that though he is now bent on exacting his penalty, that is, a pound of Antonio’s flesh he will turn around in an amazing manner at the end when the time for the execution of the bond ripens by acting in manner of generosity. Out of his sympathy for the Merchant presently bowed down by his heavy losses he will not only give up his demand for the pound of his flesh but also forgive him a small portion of the principal amount of three thousand ducats.But the persuasive words of the duke influenced by his compassion for Antonio did not have any effect on Shylock.

When the vindictive Jew told him that he had sworn by their holy day of prayer and meditation that he would end up cutting a pound of Antonio’s flesh, the Duke reacted with his sense of shock. He asked him how he could expect to get mercy from others without doing acts of charity. This prompted the Jew to cut the Duke short with his hard hitting words that eventually defined his deep rooted aversion for Antonio the merchant. Later when the Jew had been pinned down with the charge of trying to murder a Christian and faced severe punishment, the duke was the first one to show him mercy even before he had asked for it. That the duke had an intrinsic sense of courtesy was evident from the way he had made a suggestion to Bassanio at the end of the trial to give her a token of thanks. 

I BELIEVE

                                                                                      

 The very title of the poem ‘I Believe’ conveys a great sense of conviction. In the first three stanzas the poet gives expression to her potential to accomplish tasks that appear to be herculean but she says with a sense of robust confidence that she is capable of accomplishing them. She speaks in a tone of exaggeration that she will accomplish the most impossible tasks with grit and determination. These hyperbolic assertions give us an idea of the way she is able to utilize the most of her potential to achieve what appears to be incredible under normal circumstances. She intentionally raises the pitch to a height impossible to drive home the message that we need to be honest in our approach to the basic problems of life to deliver the results. She imbues (inspires) us with the message of humanity and eventually states in clear terms that we need to address ourselves to the tasks that should be accomplished to work towards the betterment of our fellow men. She means honestly that we should have the intention and willingness to make efforts to promote the well being of our fellow men, making the world a better place to live in. She gives us an idea of her prudence as well as her compassion when she says that one has to make efforts and render services to the people of the world in order to make it a better place to live in as this is the very place where we live and nurse the most cherished of our aspirations.

In the short but very inspiring poem the poetess distinguishes between capabilities and priorities. She talks about the way she is able to harness her potential to do things which apparently seem absurd. But this is indicative of the way she is able to use the figment of her imagination when it comes to thinking of accomplishing the most difficult tasks. She talks about her capabilities in a hyperbolic manner but it speaks volume for the robustness of her confidence. She wants to give an idea of the fact that man can have an absolute sway over the different manifestations of nature provided he or she wants to achieve it. But behind the portrayal of such a galvanic approach there is a message of reality that relates to the mundane and pragmatic ways of life. There is a suggestion loud in its nature that no matter how great the potential or capability of a human being is, one has to keep in mind the nature of his or her commitment to the very world he or she belongs to as a member of the human race. By virtue of being a human being one has to take on oneself the very task of contributing to the wellbeing of the world around him or her. She begins on a note of exaggeration in order to highlight human stamina but tones it down with a practical sense of life that is fairly collective from an altruistic (selfless) point of view. 

In the different stanzas the poet lists the tasks she believes she can perform with ease. In a tone of exaggeration, she goes on talking about her capabilities. She talks about her belief of piercing the heavens by throwing a mere pebble with the result that she would be able to see the angels playing there. It is interesting to note that the poet wants to use a mere object like a pebble to achieve the great task of penetrating the heavens to be able to see the angels enjoying their fun and frolic. In the second stanza she talks about flying up to the infinite spaces of the sky to be able to touch the delicate and fleecy clouds and feel the stars. After conquering the loftiness of the heavens and sky, the poet talks about how she can plunge to the depth of oceans and seas. In the third stanza her action is one of diving into the depth of oceans and proving equal to the deadliest of marine creatures such as sharks by swimming with them. Now the poet wants to dig into the earth to make the most of the treasures lying embedded in its cavity. Her confidence urges her to believe that she can claw into the bowels of the earth to retrieve priceless gems and beautify herself with them. Then there is a sudden shift in the poet’s scheme of things and her conviction urges her to focus on her priorities as a human being.  She talks about how she can make efforts to do many things in the midst of human beings and thus promote the well being of the mankind surrounded by the world’s treasures. Then the poetess goes on to say emphatically that it is her firm belief that she will have to play her role as a human being in an effective manner. The poetess imbibes the spirit of philanthropy and wants to complete the role that has been assigned to her by virtue of being a member of the human race. She stresses the importance of the role of humanity, rendering services towards the people in the world where she nurses her dreams and breathes. 

PREPOSITION TEST

fill in the blanks with prepositions:
They did not look----the complaint.
The economy of the war ravaged country is tottering------the brink of collapse.
The betrayal will not go------well with the people of the country.
Sanjib used to correspond------his friend every week.
The details corresponded-----those supplied by the local people.
Both the countries decided to resolve their differences-------dialogue.
Ronit was  astonished------the reaction of his friend.
Some of the members left the room-----a huff.
The king took pity-----the poor subjects.
They are not likely to approve-----the bizarre alliance.
The host put the guest------his ease.
I could not take my eyes----- the cherubic face of the boy.
The traveller was taken------a ride by a dishonest agent.
The poor father pinned all his hopes-------his son.
All the details were laid------in the agreement. 

TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES WITH ANSWERS

CHANGE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES AS DIRECTED

1. The police went into the house and made an inquiry. B: The police did not 

2. Our talks with the agitators were fruitful and all were happy. B: Had

3.We took the decision at the last minute. B: It

4. "I was watching them from my place of hiding", said the boy. B: The boy

5.They all gather at this place every Sunday, encouraging the children to play. B: Every Sunday

6. Rohit stood beside the oppressed people and used his innovative ideas to help them. B: Besides

7.Shylock lamented the loss of the precious stone and became emotional. B: Not only

8.The speaker paused every five minutes to continue with the speech. B: The speaker could not

9.Rohan was late but he did not regret it. Omit 'but'

10.Raima and her friends were assisting the volunteers. B: Raima with

11. They searched for the fugitive and went to many places. B: Their

12. The last decision made everybody confused. End with: confusion. 

ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE QUETIONS

1.The police did not make an inquiry until they went into the house. 

2. Had our talks with the agitators not been fruitful all would not have been happy. 

3. It was at the last minute that we took the decision. 

4. The boy said that he had been watching them from his place of hiding. 

5. Every Sunday witnesses them all gather at this place to encouage the children. 

6.Besides standing beside the oppressed people Rohit used his innovative ideas to help them. 

7.Not only did Shylock lament the loss of the precious stone but also became emotional. 

8.The speaker could not continue with his speech without pausing every five minutes. 

9.Though Rohan was late he did not regret it. 

10.Raima with her friends was assisting the volunteers. 

11.Their search for the fugitive took them to many places. 

12. The last decision led to everybody's confusion. 

PRE EXAMINATION PREPOSITIONS WITH ANSWERS

                                                                                                                                                                                          

The programme ended on a happy note. There I sat listening to the notes of the birds. I told my sister to note down what the saint had said. The beauty of the place appealed to me. By the time we reached the castle, the mayor was not there. We learnt to adjust ourselves to the circumstances. Finally it dawned on us that we had made a mistake. There was no one to respond to our call. The author has a number of tiles to his credit. The author is credited with a number of titles. She is known for her flair for mischief mongering. They did not let the wounded man bleed to death. They rushed the wounded man to a hospital. Some armed men rushed into the bungalow. The prince despaired of the role of the general.  The dishonest trader chose to confess to his offences. The leader is to account for his actions. The leader was accountable to the people. The poet had been confined to a small room for the rest of his life. The captain was down in the spirits and did not talk to anyone. When the detective caught sight of the stranger, he alerted the police. The son wanted to step into the shoes of his father. The factory has decided to step up production. Under pressure of the media the tainted leader had to step down Security has been stepped up across the country. The success of the project hinges on the co-operation of the local people. The minister hinted at some changes in the cabinet. We learnt that many changes are on course. Blood courses through our veins. The player was hated for his addiction to drugs. The teacher will explain the passages at length. Some of the accused are still at large. They have raised an objection to our proposal. I mistook the stranger for one of my friends. My father called on the teacher at his house. I could not call up the first two lines of the poem. In the land nobody is above law. As soon as the food was served, I tucked into it. The little boy began to draw away at the sight of the bear. A few years into the college, he progressed in an excellent manner. The fight over landed property led to their woes. The men chose to fight for their rights. Cato did not want to die at the hands of his enemies. The teacher sent for some of the boys. The climber died of a heart attack. Many new issues came up for discussion. A building is likely to come up on the vacant plot of land opposite to our house. I gazed at the face of the stranger for some time. The wounded man was gasping for breath. The new project will rid the local people of many difficulties. The woman was shocked into silence. I was shocked at his reaction. The refugees were treated with disdain. We were treated to a good fare. Arun deals in electrical equipments. The police could not deal with the protestors. A smile spread over the face of the doctor. The cavalry came charging at the foot soldiers. One of the employees was charged with bias. The matter pertained to some of us. They closed the matter once and for all. The speaker said something contrary to what the teacher had opined. The body of the soldier was finally consigned to flames. A man fails when he resorts to unfair means. Finally the realization dawned on us. Finally we arrived at a conclusion. The singer was endowed with a good voice. Nature testifies to our goodness. A man is blind when he is seized with frenzy. Left with no choice we decided to seize upon that opportunity. Every war we have perpetrated will bear witness/testimony to our frenzy. We decided to dispose of the old pieces of furniture. The government has ordered an inquiry into the incident of carnage (massacre). My father subscribe to a number of magazines. The doctor held out hope. The captain held out his hands. I ran fast to catch up with others. The actor was tired and wanted to catch up on some sleep. A dishonest man resorts to unfair means. The aircraft has run out of fuel. The officer was finally relieved of his responsibilities. The battery of the car has run down. The doll was stuffed with rags. The boy stuffed some marbles into his pockets. The shepherd was busy tending to his flock.

OLD LOVE

 AN INTRODUCTION: An intense rivalry between two extremely meritorious students of English literature from the University of Oxford metamorphosed into a strong bond of love that sustained them throughout their lives marked by their characteristic idiosyncrasies. Both William and Philippa showed the keenness of their competitive zeal, trying to beat the other. They both finished their graduation with distinction and set about preparing themselves for the prestigious Oldham Shakespeare prize competition. They begun to cull facts from different sources, never tiring of badgering the professor with questions to know what they thought was germane to the competition.                                                                  

Two exceptionally brilliant undergraduate students namely William and Philippa came to their respective colleges for the study of English language and literature and evolved as fierce competitors. They improved steadily and vied with each other, developing their potential as much as they could, backed up by the tutelage of their professor, Mr. Simpson. They successfully steered themselves through two years at the college, never failing to prove their edge on each other through their well honed arguments. In the third and the final year of their undergraduate studies they were encouraged by their professor to enter the Oldham Shakespeare contest to prove their unique distinction. The competition required them to submit a twenty five thousand word essay on satire in the works of Shakespeare. In an attempt to brace themselves for the contest they both dedicated themselves to a serious study of the subject, culling resources from different sources. Before they could submit the essay for the contest they had to sit for the final year honours examinations. They studied hard and came out with flying colours in the final examinations. Both of them secured first class degrees.  Then came the contest of having to write the lengthy essay on the theme of satire in Shakespeare.

In the wake of the contest when William wanted to ease the feeling of the strain, he ended up discovering his arch rival, Philippa in an emotional crisis on account of the death of her father, a patient of cancer who went out of his way to give education to his daughter at the citadel of oxford, being extremely meticulous in concealing his deadly disease from her. He reached out to her in a gesture of compassion and offered to drive her to her house for the funeral of her father. That over the years of their competition they had developed soft corners for each other became evident from the way they discovered an undercurrent of love in their mutual relationship. The drive to the house and back marked a turning point in their relationship. They both made another trip to Stratford and on their way back home when they had been stranded due to the fact that the car had run out of petrol, William proposed to Phiippa asking her in a lighter vein if she would marry him if he won the Oldham contest.  As they both waited with bated breath along with the other contestants on the day of the competition, Philppa was declared to have been the winner. Philippa gave expression to her love for William when her eyes welled up with tears as the reality of her winning the contest made her conscious of the fact that William would not be able to marry her as his marriage hinged on his winning the Oldham prize contest.  But her feeling of utter depression gave rise to one of euphoria when both Philippa and William were declared as joint winners of the contest. There was an open recognition of their love when they embraced each other in public. After their marriage in a month they joined their colleges with junior fellowships and settled down to serious creative work.  

They stood by each other with commitment enduring their relationship with love but it was not without the characteristics of trying to show off their superiority to each other. Each of them boasted of their professional excellence as professors, highlighting their achievements with conceit. Despite their lofty achievements Phillipa failed to be a mother and she made up for it by showering her motherly affection on her students. They both worked together decoding messages to and from German warships, proving to be hugely indispensable to the allies. They both rose to prominence, transcending the confines of academic life. Phillipa was honoured with the royal title of the dame and she began to exult in her distinction trying to show off her superiority to William. Her delight did not last long as William soon caught up with her after the title of knighthood had been conferred on him. While solving crossword puzzles Phillipa debated about a word suggested by William while the latter emphasized on the existence of such a word on the dictionary going for a bet with her.

Soon after Phillipa had died of a heart attack in the kitchen William was discovered in his room lying in a pool of blood. He had shot himself in the head with a note that he had no choice but to kill him as he had to tell her that the word did exist in the works of the writer.