No Fear Shakespeare
The Merchant of Venice
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 3, Scene 5, Page 2
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JESSICA
I’ll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say. Here he
comes.
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JESSICA
I’ll tell my husband what you’ve said, Launcelot. Here he
comes.
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LORENZO
I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if you thus
get my wife into corners.
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LORENZO
You’re going to make me jealous, Launcelot, if you keep taking my wife into
dark corners like this!
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JESSICA
Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo. Launcelot and I are
out. He tells me flatly there is no mercy for me in heaven
because I am a Jew’s daughter, and he says you are no
good member of the commonwealth, for in converting
Jews to Christians you raise the price of pork.
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JESSICA
No, you don’t need to worry about us, Lorenzo. Launcelot and I can’t
agree on anything. He says I won’t get into heaven because I’m a
Jew’s daughter, and he says you’re irresponsible because by converting
Jews to Christianity you’re raising the price of pork.
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LORENZO
I shall answer that better to the commonwealth than you
can the getting up of the Negro’s belly. The Moor is with
child by you, Launcelot.
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LORENZO
I can justify that better than you can justify sleeping with Portia’s African
servant. The Moor is pregnant with your child, Launcelot.
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LAUNCELOT
It is much that the Moor should be more than reason. But
if she be less than an honest woman, she is indeed more
than I took her for.
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LAUNCELOT
It’s too bad there’s more of the Moor than there ought to be. Well,
even if she’s a less than honest woman, she’s still a lot
more respectable than I thought at first.
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LORENZO
How every fool can play upon the word! I think the best
grace of wit will shortly turn into silence, and discourse
grow commendable in none only but parrots. Go in,
sirrah. Bid them prepare for dinner.
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LORENZO
Any fool can make puns! I think the best sign of intelligence will soon be silence, and
talking will only be a good thing for parrots to do. Go in and tell the servants to get
ready for dinner.
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LAUNCELOT
That is done, sir. They have all stomachs.
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LAUNCELOT
That’s already been done, sir. They’re all ready to eat
dinner.
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