- While the setting seems idyllic and full of love, if you read
between the lines the references actually suggest the perils of
love: things end badly for each of the couples named.
- The rush of messengers begins the reconciliation and conclusion
scene that will end with the marriages of the major characters.
Lorenzo's commentary on the stars and the music of the
spheres indicates that he believes that the universe is
beautiful and ordered by a divine law, and suggests that the
dark forces of anger and brutality, which Shylock
represents, have been tamed.
- Portia's comment about the beauty of her estate in the moonlight
seems to be the exact opposite of Lorenzo's. While Lorenzo
sees the world as naturally good, Portia sees it as naturally
"naughty." Once she reaches the castle, Portia begins to
coordinate the last stages of her dramatic trick involving the
rings, reminiscent of how she coordinated the casket-picking
scene and the scene in the courtroom.
- Now that Antonio's trial is over, Portia's hospitality renews the
bonds of friendship between the Christian Venetians. Portia word
play regarding the word "bound" references the theme of reading
and interpretation that dominated the casket and courtroom
scenes.
- This final trick draws attention to the dimension of exchanging
gifts, a kind of economy that lies beneath supposedly
spontaneous love (of the kind that Jessica and Lorenzo were
between the lines the references actually suggest the perils of
love: things end badly for each of the couples named.
- The rush of messengers begins the reconciliation and conclusion
scene that will end with the marriages of the major characters.
Lorenzo's commentary on the stars and the music of the
spheres indicates that he believes that the universe is
beautiful and ordered by a divine law, and suggests that the
dark forces of anger and brutality, which Shylock
represents, have been tamed.
- Portia's comment about the beauty of her estate in the moonlight
seems to be the exact opposite of Lorenzo's. While Lorenzo
sees the world as naturally good, Portia sees it as naturally
"naughty." Once she reaches the castle, Portia begins to
coordinate the last stages of her dramatic trick involving the
rings, reminiscent of how she coordinated the casket-picking
scene and the scene in the courtroom.
- Now that Antonio's trial is over, Portia's hospitality renews the
bonds of friendship between the Christian Venetians. Portia word
play regarding the word "bound" references the theme of reading
and interpretation that dominated the casket and courtroom
scenes.
- This final trick draws attention to the dimension of exchanging
gifts, a kind of economy that lies beneath supposedly
spontaneous love (of the kind that Jessica and Lorenzo were
