The Merchant of Venice威尼斯商人剧本法庭辩论

The Merchant of Venice（II）

Characters

Shylock: a moneylender.

Antonio: a young man who borrowed money from Shylock and couldn’t pay back.

Bassanio: Antonio's best friend

Portia: Bassanio’s girlfriend

Duke: 公爵PART 1

D: Have mercy on Antonio, Shylock. Do not be so bitter(尖刻的).

S: I've promised to take my pound of flesh(肉). If you do not let me have it, that will be a sign of weakness and no one will trust your laws any more. The greatness of Venice will soon be lost. Antonio is my enemy, and I hate him.

B: Do all men kill the things they do not love?A: It is useless trying to argue with Shylock. Don't wait any longer. Pass judgement on me and give Shylock what he wants.

B: I'll pay you six thousand ducats (达科特,欧洲的古币)for the three thousand ducats that Antonio borrowed.

S: If you offered me six times what you have just offered, I would still take my pound of flesh. Give me my pound of flesh!

D: Let us be calm, gentlemen. Shylock, how can you hope for mercy yourself when you show none?

S: I have done nothing wrong and I fear no judgement. I desire my pound of flesh.

As the Duke is wondering what to do, Nerissa, dressed like a lawyer's clerk, arrives with a letter from the famous lawyer whom Portia has visited. While the Duke is talking to Nerissa, Shylock gets ready to cut his pound of flesh from Antonio.

Then the letter is read out for all in the court to hear. "I am very ill. When your letter reached me, I had with me a learned young doctor from Rome. I told him about the quarrel between Shylock and Antonio. We studied many lawbooks and he knows what I would say. I ask you to let him stand in my place and give judgement. He is young, but I never knew so young a body with so wise a head."

After the letter has been read out to the court, Portia, in lawyer's clothes, enters the room and takes her seat as judge. PART 2

D: Greetings, learned judge! I do not envy you your job. This is a most troublesome case.

P: Greetings! Please be seated. Are you Antonio, and is this your agreement with Shylock?

A: It is.

P: Then Shylock must be merciful(仁慈的). He must have mercy on Antonio.

S: Why must I have mercy on him? Tell me that!

P: Mercy brings good. Mercy falls like the gentle rain from the sky upon the earth. It blesses(保佑) those who give it, and those who receive it. We should learn to show mercy to others. Do you still ask for this pound of flesh?

S: I ask for what is mine by law!

B: I offer ten times the money that Antonio has borrowed. Please change the law a little so that we may save Antonio.

P: Use your head a little, sir! We cannot change a law. If one law is changed, then people will later want to change other laws.