BASSANIO’S MONOLOGUE - LINE-BY-LINE PARAPHRASE

First Section (Choosing the Casket)

Original: So may the outward shows be least themselves:
Modern: So appearances can be the complete opposite of what they really are:

Original: The world is still deceived with ornament.
Modern: The world is constantly fooled by decorations and fancy appearances.

Original: In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,
Modern: In the legal system, what argument is so flawed and dishonest

Original: But, being seasoned with a gracious voice,
Modern: That when it’s delivered with a pleasant and convincing voice,

Original: Obscures the show of evil? In religion,
Modern: It doesn’t hide the evil within it? In religion,

Original: What damned error, but some sober brow
Modern: What terrible mistake exists that some serious-looking person

Original: Will bless it and approve it with a text,
Modern: Won’t support and justify it by quoting scripture,

Original: Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?
Modern: Covering up the ugliness with beautiful decoration?

Original: There is no vice so simple but assumes
Modern: There is no sin so basic that it doesn’t put on

Original: Some mark of virtue on his outward parts:
Modern: Some appearance of goodness on its outside:

Original: How many cowards, whose hearts are all as false
Modern: How many cowards, whose courage is as unstable

Original: As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins
Modern: As steps made of sand, still grow on their faces

Original: The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars;
Modern: The impressive beards of heroes and warriors;

Original: Who, inward search’d, have livers white as milk;
Modern: Who, if you looked inside them, have cowardly hearts;

Original: And these assume but valour’s excrement
Modern: And these men only wear courage’s outer growth

Original: To render them redoubted! Look on beauty,
Modern: To make themselves seem fearsome! Look at beauty,

Original: And you shall see ‘tis purchased by the weight;
Modern: And you’ll see it’s bought by the ounce (cosmetics);

Original: Which therein works a miracle in nature,
Modern: Which creates an unnatural miracle,

Original: Making them lightest that wear most of it:
Modern: Making those who wear the most makeup the least virtuous:

Original: So are those crisped snaky golden locks
Modern: So are those curled, wavy, golden hairstyles

Original: Which make such wanton gambols with the wind,
Modern: Which playfully dance and bounce in the wind,

Original: Upon supposed fairness, often known
Modern: On supposedly beautiful people, often revealed

Original: To be the dowry of a second head,
Modern: To be wigs from another person’s head,

Original: The skull that bred them in the sepulchre.
Modern: The dead person who grew that hair in the grave.

Original: Thus ornament is but the guiled shore
Modern: Therefore, decoration is just the deceptive shoreline

Original: To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf
Modern: Of a very dangerous ocean; the beautiful veil

Original: Veiling an Indian beauty; in a word,
Modern: Covering a dark-skinned beauty; in other words,

Original: The seeming truth which cunning times put on
Modern: The false appearance that our deceptive age uses

Original: To entrap the wisest. Therefore, thou gaudy gold,
Modern: To trap even the wisest people. Therefore, you flashy gold casket,

Original: Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee;
Modern: Fatal treasure for King Midas, I want nothing to do with you;

Original: Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge
Modern: Nor you either, you pale and common servant

Original: ‘Tween man and man: but thou, thou meagre lead,
Modern: Used in transactions between people: but you, you plain lead casket,

Original: Which rather threatenest than dost promise aught,
Modern: Which threatens more than it promises anything good,

Original: Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence;
Modern: Your plainness affects me more than fancy words could;

Original: And here choose I; joy be the consequence!
Modern: And this is what I choose; may happiness be the result!

Second Section (After Opening the Casket)

Original: What find I here?
Modern: What do I find here?

Original: Fair Portia’s counterfeit! What demi-god
Modern: Beautiful Portia’s portrait! What half-god

Original: Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes?
Modern: Has come so close to creating life? Do these eyes move?

Original: Or whether, riding on the balls of mine,
Modern: Or is it because my own eyes are moving,

Original: Seem they in motion? Here are sever’d lips,
Modern: They seem to be in motion? Here are parted lips,

Original: Parted with sugar breath: so sweet a bar
Modern: Separated by sweet breath: such a sweet barrier

Original: Should sunder such sweet friends. Here in her hairs
Modern: Should separate such sweet companions. Here in her hair

Original: The painter plays the spider and hath woven
Modern: The artist acts like a spider and has woven

Original: A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men,
Modern: A golden web to capture men’s hearts,

Original: Faster than gnats in cobwebs; but her eyes,–
Modern: Quicker than gnats caught in cobwebs; but her eyes,–

Original: How could he see to do them? having made one,
Modern: How could he see to paint them? having painted one,

Original: Methinks it should have power to steal both his
Modern: I think it should have the power to steal both of his eyes

Original: And leave itself unfurnish’d. Yet look, how far
Modern: And leave the portrait incomplete. Yet look, how much

Original: The substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow
Modern: My actual praise does injustice to this portrait

Original: In underprizing it, so far this shadow
Modern: By undervaluing it, just as much as this portrait

Original: Doth limp behind the substance. Here’s the scroll,
Modern: Falls short of the real thing. Here’s the scroll,

Original: The continent and summary of my fortune.
Modern: The container and summary of my fate.

Original: You that choose not by the view,
Modern: You who don’t choose based on appearance,

Original: Chance as fair and choose as true!
Modern: Your luck is as good and your choice as honest!

Original: Since this fortune falls to you,
Modern: Since this good fortune comes to you,

Original: Be content and seek no new,
Modern: Be satisfied and don’t look for anything else,

Original: If you be well pleased with this
Modern: If you are happy with this

Original: And hold your fortune for your bliss,
Modern: And consider your luck to be your happiness,

Original: Turn you where your lady is
Modern: Turn to where your lady is

Original: And claim her with a loving kiss.
Modern: And claim her with a loving kiss.

Original: A gentle scroll. Fair lady, by your leave;
Modern: A kind message. Beautiful lady, with your permission;

Original: I come by note, to give and to receive.
Modern: I come according to these instructions, to give and to receive.

Original: Like one of two contending in a prize,
Modern: Like someone competing in a contest,

Original: That thinks he hath done well in people’s eyes,
Modern: Who thinks he has performed well in front of the audience,

Original: Hearing applause and universal shout,
Modern: Hearing applause and everyone cheering,

Original: Giddy in spirit, still gazing in a doubt
Modern: Dizzy with excitement, still looking around uncertain

Original: Whether these pearls of praise be his or no;
Modern: Whether these precious words of praise are really for him or not;

Original: So, thrice fair lady, stand I, even so;
Modern: So, three times beautiful lady, I stand just like that;

Original: As doubtful whether what I see be true,
Modern: Just as uncertain whether what I’m seeing is real,

Original: Until confirm’d, sign’d, ratified by you.
Modern: Until it’s confirmed, agreed to, and approved by you.

In Act III, Scene 2 of “The Merchant of Venice,” Bassanio arrives at Belmont to attempt the casket test that will determine whether he can marry Portia. Portia, who has fallen in love with Bassanio, expresses her anxiety about the trial, fearing that if he chooses incorrectly, she will lose him forever. She asks him to wait a month or two before making his choice, but Bassanio insists he cannot bear the suspense and must proceed immediately. Portia then calls for music to accompany his selection, comparing the moment to a swan’s song or a fanfare before battle.

Bassanio contemplates the three caskets—gold, silver, and lead—and delivers a lengthy soliloquy about the deceptive nature of outward appearances. He reasons that ornament often conceals corruption, citing examples such as false hair, cosmetics that hide pale complexions, and legal arguments that mask injustice. Rejecting both the golden casket (which he associates with gaudy decoration) and the silver casket, Bassanio chooses the lead casket for its plain appearance. Upon opening it, he discovers Portia’s portrait and a scroll declaring his success. Portia joyfully gives herself and her fortune to Bassanio, presenting him with a ring as a token of their bond. Gratiano then reveals that he has won the love of Portia’s waiting-woman Nerissa, and the two couples celebrate their engagements together.

The Merchant of Venice centers on Bassanio, a young Venetian gentleman who needs money to court the wealthy heiress Portia in Belmont. His friend Antonio, a merchant, agrees to help but has no ready cash since his ships are at sea. Antonio borrows 3,000 ducats from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, with the unusual condition that if the loan isn’t repaid within three months, Shylock may take a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Meanwhile, Shylock’s daughter Jessica elopes with the Christian Lorenzo, taking her father’s money and jewels.

In Belmont, Portia’s deceased father has decreed that her suitors must choose correctly among three caskets—gold, silver, and lead—to win her hand. The Prince of Morocco and the Prince of Arragon both choose incorrectly and depart. When Bassanio arrives and selects the lead casket, he wins Portia, while his friend Gratiano wins her maid Nerissa. Their celebrations are interrupted by news that Antonio’s ships have been lost and Shylock demands his pound of flesh.

Portia and Nerissa disguise themselves as a lawyer and clerk and travel to Venice for Antonio’s trial. In court, Portia grants Shylock his legal right to the flesh but warns he may take no blood and must cut exactly one pound—an impossible task. Defeated, Shylock loses his bond and, under Venetian law, must forfeit half his wealth and convert to Christianity. The disguised Portia requests Bassanio’s wedding ring as payment, which he reluctantly gives. Back in Belmont, Portia playfully scolds her husband for giving away his ring before revealing her disguise. The play concludes with news that Antonio’s ships have safely returned, restoring his fortune.