English Literature books summary

exit.

Act 5, scene 8

Macbeth enters, contemplating whether or not he should kill himself, and

resolving that he is too brave to do so. Macduff finds him and challenges

him. Macbeth replies that he has avoided Macduff until his point, but now

he will fight. Macduff unsheathes his sword, saying that his sword will

speak for him. The men fight. As they fight, Macbeth tells him that he

leads a charmed life; he will only fall to a man who is not born of woman.

Macduff replies that the time has come for Macbeth to despair: "let the

angel whom thou still hast served / Tell thee Macduff was from his mother's

womb / Untimely ripped" (Macduff was born through the medieval equivalent

of a caesarian section)! Hearing this, Macbeth quails and says that he will

not fight. Macduff replies by commanding him to yield, and allow himself to

be the laughing stock of Scotland under Malcolm's rule. This enrages

Macbeth, who swears he will never yield to swear allegiance to Malcolm.

They fight on, and exit fighting.

Malcolm, Siward, and the other Thanes enter. They have won the battle, but

Malcolm states that Macduff and Young Siward are missing. Ross reports that

Young Siward is dead, and eulogizes him by stating that "he only lived but

till he was a man, / The which no sooner had his prowess confirmed / In the

unshrinking station where he fought, / But like a man he died." Siward asks

if his son's wounds were in his front (in other words, did he fight until

the end, instead of running away), and when he learns that they were, he

declares that he will mourn no more for him then, because he died a hero's

death, and Siward could not wish for a better death for any of his sons.

Macduff enters, carrying Macbeth's severed head, and shouts "Hail, King of

Scotland!" All the men return this shout and the trumpets flourish as

Malcolm accepts the throne. He then announces that he will make the thanes

earls now ­ up until then they had only been called thanes. He will call

back all the men whom Macbeth has exiled, and will attempt to heal the

scars Macbeth has made in the country. All exit, headed toward Scone to

crown Malcolm King of Scotland.

The Merchant of Venice

Act I, Scene One

Antonio, a merchant, is in a melancholic state of mind and unable to find a

reason for his depression. His friends Salerio and Solanio attempt to cheer

him up by telling him that he is only worried about his ships returning

safely to port. Antonio, however, denies that he is worried about his ships

and remains depressed. His two friends leave after Bassanio, Graziano and

Lorenzo arrive. Graziano and Lorenzo remark that Antonio does not look well

before exiting, leaving Bassanio alone with Antonio.

Bassanio informs Antonio that he has been prodigal with his money and that

he currently has accumulated substantial debts. Bassanio reveals that he

has come up with a plan to pay off his obligations by marrying Portia, a

wealthy heiress in Belmont. However, in order to woo Portia, Bassanio needs

to borrow enough money so that he can act like a true nobleman. Antonio

tells him that all his money is invested in ships at sea, but offers to

borrow money for him.

Act I, Scene Two

Portia, the wealthy heiress, discusses her many suitors with her noblewoman

Nerissa. She points out the faults that each of them has, often

stereotyping each suitor according to the country from which he has

arrived. Nerissa, a gentlewoman who works for Portia, asks her if she

remembers a soldier who stayed at Belmont several years before. Portia

recalls the man, and says, "Yes, yes, it was Bassanio" (1.2.97). Portia's

servingman then arrives with news that four of her suitors are leaving, but

another, the Prince of Morocco, has arrived.

Act I, Scene Three

Bassanio in engaged in conversation with Shylock, a Jew who makes his

living as a moneylender. Bassanio has asked him for a loan of three

thousand ducats, a very large sum at the time, for a period of three

months. He further tells Shylock that Antonio is to "be bound," meaning

that Antonio will be responsible for repaying the loan.

Shylock knows Antonio's reputation well, and agrees to consider the

contract. He asks Bassanio if he may speak with Antonio first, and Bassanio

invites Shylock to dinner. Shylock responds that he will never eat with a

Christian.

Antonio arrives at that moment and Bassanio takes him aside. Shylock

addresses the audience and informs them that he despises Antonio. He bears

an old grudge against Antonio which is not explained, but Shylock is

further upset that Antonio lends out money without charging interest,

thereby lowering the amount he is able to charge for lending out his own

money. Shylock turns to Antonio and tells him why interest is allowed in

the Hebrew faith by quoting a biblical passage in which Jacob receives all

the striped lambs from his father-in-law. Antonio asks him if the passage

was inserted into the bible to defend interest charges. He states, "Was

this inserted to make interest good, / Or is your gold and silver ewes and

rams?" (1.3.90-91). Shylock replies that, "I cannot tell. I make it breed

as fast" (1.3.92).

Antonio is upset that Shylock is considering charging him interest on the

loan, and asks Shylock to loan the money without any interest. Shylock

tells him that, "I would be friends with you, and have your love"

(1.3.133). He offers to seal the bond, "in a merry sport" (1.3.141) without

charging interest, but as collateral for the loan demands a pound of

Antonio's flesh. Antonio thinks Shylock is only joking about the pound of

flesh, and is happy to seal the contract. He remarks that, "The Hebrew will

turn Christian; he grows kind" (1.3.174).

Act II, Scene One

The Prince of Morocco meets with Portia and tells her that he is often

considered very handsome on account of his black skin. She tells him that

unfortunately she does not have the right to choose the man who will marry

her. Instead, her father created three caskets from among which each suitor

must choose. Portia warns the Prince that if he chooses the wrong casket,

he must swear to never propose marriage to a woman afterwards. The Prince

of Morocco agrees to this condition and joins Portia for dinner before

attempting to choose.

Act II, Scene Two

Lancelot, referred to as a clown, is the servant to Shylock. He tells the

audience that he is thinking about running away from his master, whom he

describes as a devil. However, he cannot make up his mind about whether to

run away or not because his conscience makes him guilty when he thinks

about leaving Shylock.

Lancelot's father, and old man named Gobbo, arrives with a basket. He is

nearly completely blind and cannot see Lancelot clearly. Gobbo asks his son

which way leads to the Jew's house, meaning Shylock's house. He mentions

that he is searching for his son Lancelot. Lancelot decides to have some

fun with his father, and so he pretends to know a "Master Lancelot" (a term

for a gentleman's son, not a servant). He informs Gobbo that "Master

Lancelot" is deceased.

Gobbo is clearly upset by this, and Lancelot kneels down in front of him

and asks his father for his blessing. Gobbo at first does not believe that

Lancelot is really his son, but then he feels his head and recognizes him.

Lancelot tells his father that he is wasting away serving Shylock and that

he will turn into a Jew himself if he stays there much longer. Gobbo has

brought a present for Shylock, but Lancelot instead convinces his father to

give it to Bassanio, whom Lancelot hopes to have as his new master.

Bassanio, coming onto stage at that moment, accepts the gift of doves and

tells Lancelot that he may leave Shylock and join his service. He then

orders one of the men to get Lancelot a new uniform to wear, and sends

Lancelot away.

Graziano arrives and tells Bassanio that he wants to join him on the trip

to Belmont, where Bassanio plans to go and woo Portia. Bassanio feels that

Graziano is too loud and rude and asks him if he will be able to act more

appropriately. Graziano says that he can, and that he will "put on a sober

habit" (2.2.171). Bassanio then agrees to take him to Belmont.

Act II, Scene Three

Jessica, the daughter of Shylock, meets with Lancelot and tells him that

she will miss him after he leaves to go work for Bassanio. She hands him a

letter to take to Lorenzo, who is supposed to be a guest of Bassanio's that

night. After Lancelot leaves, Jessica remarks,

"Alack, what heinous sin is it in me

To be ashamed to be my father's child!

But though I am a daughter to his blood,

I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,

If thou keep promise I shall end this strife,

Become a Christian and thy loving wife.

Jessica thus informs the audience that she is in love with Lorenzo, a

Christian. She intends to meet him soon and run away from her father's

house in order to marry Lorenzo.

Act II, Scene Four

Lorenzo, Graziano, Salerio and Solanio are preparing for a masque that

night. Lancelot arrives with the letter from Jessica and hands it to

Lorenzo. Lorenzo reads it and tells Lancelot to inform Jessica that he will

not fail her. Lancelot leaves to bring the news to Jessica, and also to

invite Shylock to Bassanio's house for dinner.

After the other two men leave, Lorenzo shows Graziano the letter from

Jessica. He tells his friend that he and Jessica plan to steal away from

her father's house that night, along with a great deal of her father's gold

and jewels.

Act II, Scene Five

Shylock informs Lancelot that he will have to judge for himself whether

Bassanio is a better master. He then calls Jessica, hands her the keys to

the house, and tells her that he must leave for dinner that evening.

Lancelot tells Shylock that there will likely be a masque that night. At

this news, Shylock orders Jessica to lock up the house and not look out the

windows. He says, "Let not the sound of shallow fopp'ry enter / My sober

house" (2.5.34-35).

As Shylock gets ready to depart, Lancelot privately tells Jessica that

Lorenzo will come for her that night. She is grateful for the message, and

after Shylock leaves she comments that, "I have a father, you a daughter

lost" (2.5.55).

Act II, Scene Six

Salerio and Graziano are part of the masquers partying through the street

of Venice. They stop and wait for Lorenzo, who has asked them to meet him

at a certain spot. Lorenzo arrives and thanks them for their patience. He

then calls out to Jessica, who appears in the window of Shylock's house

dressed as a man. She throws out a casket to Lorenzo filled with much of

her father's gold and jewels. Jessica then goes back inside and steals even

more ducats (golden coins) before joining the men on the street.

Everyone departs except for Bassanio, who unexpectedly meets Antonio.

Antonio tells him to get to the ship heading for Belmont, because the wind

has started blowing the right way and the ship is ready to depart.

Act II, Scene Seven

The Prince of Morocco is brought into a room containing three caskets,

gold, silver and lead. Portia tells him to make his choice. The Prince

reads the inscriptions on all the caskets. Gold reads: "Who chooseth me

shall gain what many men desire" (2.7.5). The silver casket has, "Who

chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves" (2.7.7). Finally, the dull

lead casket bears the inscription, "Who chooseth me must give and hazard

all he hath" (2.7.9).

Portia tells the Prince that the correct casket, or the one that will allow

him to marry her, contains a miniature picture of her likeness. The Prince

looks over all the inscriptions a second time, and decides that lead is too

threatening and not worth risking anything for. He also spurns the silver,

which he feels is too base a metal to hold such a beautiful woman as

Portia. The Prince therefore chooses gold.

Portia hands him the key, and he opens the casket to reveal a golden skull.

The skull holds a written scroll that poetically indicates that he chose

superficially. The Prince departs after a hasty farewell. Portia watches

him go, and remarks, "A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains, go. / Let all

of his complexion choose me so" (2.7.78-79).

Act II, Scene Eight

Salerio and Solanio meet in the street and discuss the hasty departure of

Bassanio and Graziano for Belmont. They further tell the audience that

Shylock returned home and discovered his daughter had run away with

Lorenzo. Shylock then woke up the Duke of Venice and tried to stop

Bassanio's ship, which had already set sail. Antonio assured Shylock that

Jessica was not on board the ship, but rather had been seen in a gondola

with Lorenzo. However, Shylock continues to blame Antonio for the loss of

his daughter and his money.

Solanio informs Salerio that Shylock was later seen in the streets crying,

"My daughter! O, my ducats! O, my daughter!

Fled with a Christian! O, my Christian ducats!

Justice! The law! My ducats and my daughter!

A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats,"

Solanio is worried about Antonio, whom he says had better repay his bond

with Shylock on time, because Shylock is furious about losing his daughter

and his money and blames Antonio for it. Salerio indicates that a Frenchman

mentioned a Venetian vessel had sunk in the English Channel the day before.

Both men hope that it is not Antonio's ship.

Act II, Scene Nine

The Prince of Aragon arrives in Belmont and decides to choose from among

the three caskets. Portia takes him into the room and makes him recite the

oath never to reveal which casket he chooses, and further to promise never

to marry should he choose the incorrect casket. The Prince of Aragon agrees

and starts to read the inscriptions.

He rejects lead because of the ominous warning, and thinks that gold refers

to the foolish populace. Instead he chooses silver which indicates he will

receive what he deserves. The Prince takes the key and opens the casket to

reveal a "blinking idiot" (2.9.53). The scroll indicates that those who are

self-loving deserve to be called idiots, and would not make good husbands

for Portia. The Prince is upset by his choice, but is forced to leave.

Portia is happy that the Prince has chosen the wrong casket. Her messenger

comes into the room at that moment and informs her that a young Venetian

has just arrived. Portia goes to see who it is, while Nerissa secretly

wishes that it might be Bassanio.

Act III, Scene One

Solanio and Salerio discuss the rumor that Antonio has lost yet a second

ship. Shylock enters and complains that both Solanio and Salerio had

something to do with his daughter's flight. They do not deny it, but

instead ask Shylock if he has heard about Antonio's losses.

Shylock tells them that Antonio should "look to his bond" and make sure he

repays the money, or else Shylock is planning on taking his pound of flesh.

Shylock is furious with Antonio, whom he blames for the loss of Jessica,

and also bears an older grudge against the man. He then delivers his famous

soliloquy, "Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions,

senses, affections, passions..." (3.1.49-50). The speech concludes with

Shylock saying that he will be revenged for all the times he has been

treated badly by Christians.

One of Antonio's servants arrives and bids Solanio and Salerio to go to

Antonio's house. They leave, and Tubal, another Jew, arrives to speak with

Shylock. Tubal has been in Genoa, where he tried to locate Jessica. He

tells Shylock that Jessica had been in the city, and had spent over eighty

ducats while there. She had also traded a turquoise ring for a monkey, a

ring which Shylock regrets losing because he had received it from his wife

Leah. However, Tubal also brings Shylock news that Antonio has lost yet a

third ship, and is almost certain to go bankrupt in the near future.

Shylock is excited by this news, since he has decided that he would rather

exact revenge on Antonio than receive his three thousand ducats back.

Act III, Scene Two

Portia tells Bassanio that she wants him to wait a month or two before

choosing from the caskets so that she may be guaranteed his company for a

while longer. Bassanio tells her that he is desperate to choose, and feels

like he is being tortured the longer he waits. Portia finally agrees to

take him into the room with the caskets.

Portia orders music to be played for Bassanio, and one of her servants

starts to sing a song in which the rhymes all rhyme with lead. Bassanio

speaks directly to the audience and tells them that too many things are

gilded and coated with ornaments. He therefore decides to do away with

gold, comparing it to Midas' greed. The silver casket he also ignores,

saying it resembles money and is therefore too common. He thus chooses the

lead casket and finds Portia's picture inside.

Bassanio is overjoyed by the picture and remarks that it is a beautiful

"counterfeit". He then takes the scroll and reads it: "You that choose not

by the view / Chance as fair and choose as true" (3.2.131-132). Bassanio

goes over to Portia with the note, and she offers him everything she owns,

including herself. Portia then hands Bassanio a ring as a token of her love

and commitment and tells him never to lose it. He promises, telling her

that if he ever stops wearing the ring it will be because he is dead.

Graziano then informs them that he would like to be married as well. He

tells Bassanio and Portia that he and Nerissa (the chambermaid to Portia)

are in love. Bassanio is thrilled for his friend and agrees to let them get

married as well.

Jessica, Lorenzo and Salerio arrive at Belmont. Bassanio is happy to see

all of them, but Salerio then hands him a letter from Antonio. Bassanio

turns pale at the news that Antonio has lost his fortune and his ships, and

he asks Salerio if it is true that all of Antonio's ventures have failed.

Salerio tells him it is true, and that Shylock is so excited about getting

his pound of flesh that even if Antonio could repay him he would likely

refuse it.

Portia asks what amount of money Antonio owes to Shylock, and then orders

Bassanio to return to Venice and offer Shylock six thousand ducats to

destroy the contract. She informs Bassanio and Graziano that she and

Nerissa will live like widows in their absence. They all agree to get

married first and then go straight to Venice to rescue Antonio.

Act III, Scene Three

Shylock has come to watch Antonio be taken away by a jailer. Antonio pleads

with Shylock to listen to him, but Shylock says, "I have sworn an oath that

I will have my bond," (3.3.4) and refuses to listen to any of the pleas for

mercy. After Shylock departs, Antonio tells Solanio that Shylock hates him

because he used to loan money to men who were in debt to Shylock, thus

preventing Shylock from collecting the forfeiture. Antonio is prepared to

pay his "bloody creditor" the next day in court, but prays that Bassanio

will arrive in time to watch him die.

Act III, Scene Four

Portia and Nerissa, worried about their new husbands, tell Lorenzo that

they are going to stay at a local monastery for a few days in order to

pray. After Lorenzo and Jessica leave, Portia sends her servant Balthasar

to her cousin Doctor Bellario with instructions that Balthasar should bring

anything Bellario gives him to Venice. Portia then informs Nerissa that

they are going to dress up as men and go to Venice in order to help their

husbands.

Act III, Scene Five

Lancelot and Jessica are in an argument over whether she can be saved by

God since she was born a Jew. Lancelot tells her that since both her

parents are Jews, she is damned. She protests that she can be saved once

she becomes a Christian because her husband Lorenzo is a Christian.

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