The Timeless Wisdom Of Shakespeare In The Merchant Of Venice.

True story. About ten years ago or so, I took it upon myself to study the Shakespeare play The Merchant of Venice. You see, up until then, if I studied a Shakespeare play, it was because I was "forced to" in school. Anyways, shortly after that, I got this interesting book, The Timeless Wisdom of Shakespeare, edited by Michael Macrone, MJF Books. Long-story-short, I eventually got the idea of culling lines from the Merchant of Venice, that give advice. I know people often refer to Shakespeare lines for advice. But I think I am the first to use just this one play.

Please read:

[SIZE=20pt]The Timeless Wisdom of Shakespeare in the Merchant of Venice...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"The quality of mercy is not strained;[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest;[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]--Act IV, Scene I, Portia.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"All that glitters is not gold;[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Often have you heard that told:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Many a man his life hath sold[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]But my outside to behold:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Gilded tombs do worms enfold.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Had you been as wise as bold,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Young in limbs, in judgment old,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Your answer had not been inscroll'd:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Fare you well; your suit is cold."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]--Act 2, Scene 7, Scroll.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano, A stage where every man must play a part, And mine a sad one."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]--I, i, 77-79, Antonio.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"The man that hath no music in himself,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils;[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]The motions of his spirit are dull as night[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]And his affections dark as Erebus:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Let no such man be trusted."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]--V, i, Lorenzo.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you." --I, iii, 35-39, Shylock.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?"[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]--III, i, Shylock.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]An evil soul producing holy witness[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]A goodly apple rotten at the heart:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!"[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]--Act 1, Scene 3, Antonio.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"Some men there are love not a gaping pig;[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Some, that are mad if they behold a cat;[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]And others, when the bagpipe sings i' the nose,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Cannot contain their urine."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]--Act 4, Scene 1, 47-50, Shylock.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]--Act 4, Sc. 1, Portia.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches and poor men's cottages princes' palaces."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Act I, Scene II, Portia.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"The brain may devise laws for the blood, but a hot temper leaps o'er a cold decree." --Act I, Scene 2, Portia.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"Truth will come to light...in the end, truth will out." --2.2.77-79, Lancelot.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"I never knew so young a body with so old a head." --4.1.164-65, Letter.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"The moon shines bright in such a night as this." --5.1.1, Lorenzo.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]As to thy friends; for when did friendship take[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]A breed for barren metal of his friend?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]But lend it rather to thine enemy,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Who, if he break, thou mayst with better face[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Exact the penalty."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]--Act 1, Scene 3, Antonio.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"But love is blind, and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit." 2.6.37, Jessica.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"There is no vice so simple but assumes Some mark of virtue on his outward parts." --3.2.81, Bassanio.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"He is well paid that is well satisfied." --4.1.433, Portia.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"How many things by season season'd are To their right praise and true perfection!" --5.1.107, Portia.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"The crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark When neither is attended [i.e., compared]." --V.1., Portia.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]"You have among you many a purchased slave,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]You use in abject and in slavish parts,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Because you bought them: shall I say to you,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Why sweat they under burthens? let their beds[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Be made as soft as yours and let their palates[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Be season'd with such viands? You will answer[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]'The slaves are ours'." --Act 4, Scene 1, Shylock.[/SIZE]

 

Oh, how I love Shakespeare's words so much. TIMELESS.....yes, indeed........truer words were never spoken. Thank you for putting a smile on my face tonight with these quotes. They were a joy to read. I am inspired to read Shakespeare again now.....