The Prince of Morocco is first to choose. After some reasoning about what he deserves and the promises held by each casket, he makes the following observation:
One of these three contains her heavenly picture.
Is't like that lead contains her? 'Twere damnation
To think so base a thought: it were too gross
To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave.
Or shall I think in silver she's immured,
Being ten times undervalued to tried gold?
O sinful thought! Never so rich a gem
Was set in worse than gold. They have in England
A coin that bears the figure of an angel
Stamped in gold, but that's insculp'd upon;
But here an angel in a golden bed
Lies all within. Deliver me the key:
Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may!
He firstly reasons that thinking that the lead casket contains Portia's picture would condemn him to the everlasting fires of hell for it is such a despicable thought. The idea of her body being wrapped in a cloth made of lead in her burial chamber (the casket) is too detestable to even consider.
He then rhetorically asks if he should rather consider her enveloped in silver, which is ten times less valuable than gold. He believes that such reasoning is sinful and should not be considered since she is a priceless gem which could never be set in an element less valuable than gold.
The prince recalls that they have a coin of gold in England which has the figure of an angel stamped on its face, it is sculpted into the coin but here he is confronted by a casket in which an angel (Portia) lies on a bed of gold. The Prince has no qualms that the gold casket is most definitely the right one, for it is not a gross element and, of the three, is the most valuable and is therefore the right choice for it adequately reflects Portia's value.
His choice is the wrong one and the inscription he finds on the scroll within reads:
All that glitters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms enfold.
Had you been as wise as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgment old,
Your answer had not been inscroll'd:
Fare you well; your suit is cold.
The Prince learns that he has been fooled by gold's false glitter for what appears valuable and good from the outside is not always so. He then graciously takes leave.
The Prince of Arragon considers the three caskets and when he reads the inscription for the one of lead, responds:
'Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.'
You shall look fairer, ere I give or hazard.
He rejects the lead casket since he is not prepared to risk and give all that he has for a metal that is so dull. The word 'fairer' is ambiguous since it could refer to the dullness of lead or to the fact that Portia is not beautiful enough for him to risk all, or both.
He then peruses the gold casket and says:
'Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.'
What many men desire! that 'many' may be meant
By the fool multitude, that choose by show,
Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pries not to the interior, ...... I will not choose what many men desire,
Because I will not jump with common spirits
And rank me with the barbarous multitudes.
The Prince displays some wisdom in rejecting the gold casket since he believes that the gold casket is chosen 'by show' i.e. what it represents and not what it really is. He reasons that the 'multitude' will make such an unwise choice for it is in the nature of common people to choose that which shows the most promise but may have nothing. He will not choose 'what many men desire' because he is different and will not associate with the savage mass of ordinary people.
When he looks at the silver casket he exclaims:
'Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves:'
And well said too; for who shall go about
To cozen fortune and be honourable
Without the stamp of merit?
The Prince goes into a speech describing the dishonour of cheating fortune and obtaining an advantage which one does not deserve, either through corruption or some other underhanded means. He believes that there is greater honour to receive that which one has worked for and acquired through hard work and dedication (what one deserves). For this reason he asks that he be deemed to have abandoned everything - 'I will assume desert' and in this, will claim what he deserves. He therefore chooses the silver casket, believing that he deserves Portia.
He has also chosen wrongly for he procures the image of a fool's head from the casket, stating that he has been foolish in making this choice. The Prince and his entourage leave immediately, with not so much as a word.
No comments:
Post a Comment