[00:05.59]Lessons 41-42
[00:09.95]1 Reading comprehension
[00:14.11]THE MERCHANT OF VENICE(1)
[00:18.16]Antonio(A),a merchant of the city of Venice,
[00:23.33]was liked by everyone because he was always ready to help others.
[00:29.07]He had many merchant ships which traded with other countries.
[00:34.35]At the time of this story,they were all at sea.
[00:39.71]Bassanio(B),Antonio's best friend was in love with Portia (P),
[00:46.79]a rich and beautiful lady who also loved him.
[00:52.43]Sadly,he could not ask Portia to marry him because he himself had no money.
[00:59.79]So he asked Antonio to lend him three thousand ducats.
[01:05.67]As Antonio did not have any mouey just then,he went to Shylock(S),a moneylender.
[01:13.53]Now,Shylock hated Antonio.
[01:17.79]The reason for this was that Antonio had many times scolded Shylock publicly
[01:26.15]for being greedy and cruel.
[01:30.51]However,Shylock agreed to lend Antonio the money on one condition.
[01:38.17]In the agreement,Antonio made a promise to allow Shylock
[01:44.41]to take a pound of his flesh from whatever part of his body
[01:51.07]if he did not pay the money back at the end of three months.
[01:56.64]Antonio agreed to this,took the money and gave it to Basssanio.
[02:03.90]At the time when Bassanio and Portia were getting married,
[02:09.54]a letter arrived from Antonio saying that all his ships had been lost at sea
[02:16.67]and that he would have to give Shylock a pound of his flesh.
[02:22.45]He wished to see Basanio before he died.
[02:27.20]After wedding,Portia told Bassanio to go to his friend at once.
[02:34.04]Then she thought of a clever plan to save Antonio.
[02:39.50]She had a good friend who was a doctor of law.
[02:44.78]She asked him to lend her some of his lawyer's clothes and books.
[02:50.84]She preteneded to be a lawyer,and her maid,Nerissa(N),
[02:56.40]dressed herself as a lawyer's clerk.
[03:00.48]Thus they arrived at the court of the Duke(D),
[03:04.61]where Antonio's trial was taking place.
[03:09.26]PART 1
[03:12.21]D:Have mercy on Antonio,Shylock.Do not te so bitter.
[03:18.16]S:I've promised to take my pound of flesh.
[03:22.11]If you do not let me have it,that will be a sign of weakness
[03:27.86]and no one will trust your laws any more.
[03:32.22]The greatness of Venice will soon be lost. Antonio is my enemy,and I hate him.
[03:39.66]B:Do all men kill the things they do not love?
[03:44.50]A:It is useless trying to argue with Shylock.Don't wait any longer.
[03:51.73]Pass judgement on me and give Shylock what he wants.
[03:57.19]B:I'll pay you six thousand ducats
[04:01.63]for the three thousand ducats that antonio borrowed.
[04:07.20]S:If you offered me six times what you have just offered,
[04:12.66]I would still take my pound of flesh.Give me my pound of flesh!
[04:18.90]D:Let us be calm,gentlemen.
[04:22.53]Shylock,how can you hope for mercy yourself when you show none?
[04:29.58]S:I have done nothing wrong and I fear no judgement.I desire my pound of flesh.
[04:38.36]As the Duke is wondering what to do,Nerissa,dressed like a lawyer's clerk,
[04:46.30]arrives with a letter from the famous lawyer whom Portia has visited.
[04:51.94]While the Duke is talking to Nerissa,
[04:55.81]Shylock gets ready to cut his pound of flesh from Antonio.
[05:01.45]Then the letter is read out for all in the court to hear.I am very ill.
[05:09.39]When your letter reached me,I had with me a learned young doctor from Rome.
[05:16.37]I told him about the quarrel between Shylock and Antonio.
[05:22.22]We studied many lawbooks and he knows what I would say.
[05:28.10]I ask you to let him stand in my place and give judgement.
[05:34.16]He is young,but I never knew so young a body with so wise a head.
[05:41.00]After the letter has been read out to the court,Portia,
[05:46.64]in lawyer's clothes,enters the room and takes her seat as judge.
[05:52.99]PART 2
[05:56.15]D:Greetings,learned judge!I do not envy you your job
[06:02.40]This is a most troublesome case.
[06:06.55]P:Greetings!Please be seated.Antonio,and is this your agreement with Shylock?
[06:16.11]A:It is.
[06:18.75]P:Then Shylock must be merciful.He must have mercy on Antonio.
[06:26.90]S:Why must I have mercy on him?Tell me that!
[06:31.55]P:Mercy brings good.Mercy falls like the gentle rain from the sky upon the earth.
[06:41.21]It blesses those who give it,and those who receive it.
[06:47.69]We should learn to show mercy to others.Do you still ask for this pound of flesh?
[06:56.05]S:I ask for what is mine by law!
[07:00.41]B:I offer ten times the money that Antonio has borrowed.
[07:06.16]Please change the law a little so that we may save Antonio.
[07:13.01]P:Use your head a little,sir!We cannot change a law.
[07:20.06]If one law is changed,then people will later want to change other laws.
[07:27.71]S:Oh,wise young judge!
[07:31.37]P:Let me see this agreement,this promise of Antonio to you.
[07:38.14]S:Here it is. P:I see.According to the law,
[07:44.69]Shylock may have a pound of flesh to be cut off by him nearest to Antonio's heart.
[07:54.36]Be merciful!Let me destroy this paper. No?Then,Antonio,be rearndy.
[08:05.54]And Shylock,take your knife and prepare to do the deed.
[08:12.20]S:Oh,learned judge!Oh,wise young man!
[08:17.55]P:Have you brought anything to weigh the flesh?
[08:22.20]S:Yes.I have everything ready here.
[08:27.06]P:Do you have a doctor,Shylock,to stop Antonio's blood?
[08:33.02]S:That is not in the agreement.
[08:37.49]B:That fox!
[08:41.01]P:Do you wish to say anything,Antonio?
[08:45.45]A:Only a little.Goodbye,Bassanio.Don't be sad for me.
[08:52.61]Tell your wife about me and how much I loved you.
[08:57.16]If Shylock cuts deep enough,I'll pay him back with all my heart.
[09:04.81]B:Let me take you in my arms and say goodbye.
[09:09.17]I love you more than my own life,more than my wife,and more than all the world.
[09:18.03]P:Your wife would not be pleased to hear you say that.
[09:23.38]S:We are wasting time.
[09:27.33]P:Take your pound of flesh!
[09:32.00]I declare the court allows it and the law gives it to you.
[09:38.25]Lesson 43
[09:47.10]1 Reading comprehension
[09:51.54]THE MERCHANT OF VENICE(2)
[09:55.51]Shylock advances towards Antonio and prepares to use his knife.
[10:02.64]P:Wait!There is something else.
[10:08.21]Antonio has promised to give you a pound of his flesh.
[10:14.45]But he has not promised to give you any of his blood.
[10:19.62]If you let one drop of his blood fall,
[10:24.67]you will lose all your land and all your money.
[10:30.91]S:Is that the law?
[10:34.17]P:That is the law.You wanted justice,so you shall get justice,more than you wanted.
[10:45.33]S:I will take the money.Give me three times more than Antonio borrowd from me.
[10:52.41]B:Here it is.
[10:55.36]P:Wait!Shylock would not take the money earlier.
[11:03.72]All he wanted was right to be done.
[11:08.37]That is all he can have now.You must cut off one pound of flesh,no more,no less.
[11:18.11]And not one drop of blood must fall .
[11:23.26]Shylock turns and starts to leave the court.
[11:28.40]P:Wait,Shylock.The law of Venice says that if anyone tries to kill
[11:34.65]or murder any citizen of Venice,
[11:39.30]everything that he owns shall be taken away from him.
[11:44.94]One half of his money and his goods shall be given to the city of Venice
[11:52.02]and the other half shall be givev to the person he has tried to kill.
[11:59.57]His life shall be at the mercy of the Duke.
[12:04.53]Therefore,go down on your knees and beg the Duke for mercy.
[12:11.61]S:Good sir,I beg for mercy and beg your pardon.
[12:18.17]D:I shall not have you killed.
[12:22.01]But as your punishment,half of your money is now Antonio's.
[12:28.07]You must give the other half to the city of Venice.
[12:33.03]S:Take my life too!My money and goods are as dear to me as life itself.
[12:40.19]They are my only comfort.
[12:44.34]When you take those away from me,you also take my life.
[12:50.22]A:I shall be happy to give up my part of Shylock's money.
[12:56.07]Shyock must promise to leave the money upom his death
[13:01.92]to his daughter and her husband.
[13:06.08]S:I promise.Let me go home now.I am not well |