Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain straight.
The Prince of Arragon hath ta’en his oath,
And comes to his election presently.
Quick, quick, I'm asking you, open the curtain right now. The Prince of Arragon has taken his oath, and he's coming to make his choice immediately.
Hurry up and open that curtain! The Prince of Arragon is on his way to make his choice any second now.
open the curtain NOW prince arragon is coming hurry!!
Portia.
Portia.
Portia.
portia
Behold, there stand the caskets, noble Prince,
If you choose that wherein I am contain’d,
Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz’d.
But if you fail, without more speech, my lord,
You must be gone from hence immediately.
Look, here are the caskets, noble Prince. If you choose the one that contains me, we'll be married right away. But if you fail, my lord, without any more discussion, you must leave this place immediately.
There are your three caskets, Prince. Pick the one with me in it, and we get married today. But if you choose wrong, that's it—you have to leave right now.
three caskets here pick me = we marry pick wrong = you go no second chances
I am enjoin’d by oath to observe three things:
First, never to unfold to anyone
Which casket ’twas I chose; next, if I fail
Of the right casket, never in my life
To woo a maid in way of marriage;
Lastly,
If I do fail in fortune of my choice,
Immediately to leave you and be gone.
I've sworn an oath to follow three rules: First, never to reveal to anyone which casket I chose. Next, if I fail to pick the right one, I can never court a woman for marriage as long as I live. Finally, if my choice turns out wrong, I must immediately leave you and depart.
I've made three promises. First, I'll never tell which casket I picked. Second, if I get it wrong, I'm done dating—forever. Third, if I fail, I'm out of here right away.
3 promises: keep it secret no dating ever if i fail leave immediately
To these injunctions everyone doth swear
That comes to hazard for my worthless self.
Everyone who comes to risk their fortune for my unworthy self swears to obey these rules.
Everyone who wants to try for me has to swear to follow these rules.
gotta swear to the rules if u wanna win me
And so have I address’d me. Fortune now
To my heart’s hope! Gold, silver, and base lead.
“Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.”
You shall look fairer ere I give or hazard.
What says the golden chest? Ha! let me see:
“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 th’ interior, but like the martlet
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
Even in the force and road of casualty.
I will not choose what many men desire,
Because I will not jump with common spirits
And rank me with the barbarous multitudes.
Why, then to thee, thou silver treasure-house,
Tell me once more what title thou dost bear.
“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? Let none presume
To wear an undeserved dignity.
O that estates, degrees, and offices
Were not deriv’d corruptly, and that clear honour
Were purchas’d by the merit of the wearer!
How many then should cover that stand bare?
How many be commanded that command?
How much low peasantry would then be gleaned
From the true seed of honour? And how much honour
Pick’d from the chaff and ruin of the times,
To be new varnish’d? Well, but to my choice.
“Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.”
I will assume desert. Give me a key for this,
And instantly unlock my fortunes here.
So I'm ready. Good fortune to me! Gold, silver, and base lead. The first says 'Whoever picks me must give and risk everything he has.' But you'll look more appealing before I give or risk anything. What does the golden chest say? Let me see: 'Whoever picks me will get what many men want.' What many men want! That 'many' must mean the foolish multitude who choose by appearance, learning nothing more than what their foolish eye teaches them, which doesn't look inside but like the martlet bird builds in the weather on the outer wall, even in the force and path of chance. I will not pick what many men desire, because I will not join with ordinary people and rank myself with barbarous masses. So, then to you, silver treasure-house, tell me once more what words you bear. 'Whoever picks me will get as much as he deserves.' That's well said too, for who should go about tricking fortune and being honorable without the stamp of merit? Let no one assume an undeserved dignity. If only estates, ranks, and offices were not obtained corruptly, and true honor were bought by the merit of the wearer! How many then should be covered who now stand bare? How many should be commanded who now command? How much low peasantry would then be removed from the true seed of honor? And how much honor picked from the chaff and ruin of these times, to be made new? Well, but to my choice. 'Whoever picks me will get as much as he deserves.' I will assume I deserve it. Give me a key for this, and instantly unlock my fortunes here.
Alright, I'm ready. Good luck to me! Gold, silver, and cheap lead. The first one says 'Pick me and you risk everything.' But before I commit, let me check the golden box: 'Pick me and you get what tons of people want.' Tons of people want it? That means the stupid crowd that only looks at the outside, never thinking deeper, just like a bird building its nest on a wall where it gets destroyed. I'm not picking what everyone else wants because I'm not going to be part of the common mass. So let me try the silver one instead. What does it say? 'Pick me and you get what you deserve.' That makes sense! You can't trick fortune and still be honorable unless you actually deserve it. Nobody should claim a position they didn't earn. If only ranks and honors actually went to people who deserved them instead of being handed out unfairly! Think about it—if honor really went to the worthy, how many poor people would rise up, and how many rich people would fall? Anyway, that's my choice. 'Pick me and you get what you deserve.' I think I deserve this. Open this chest for me and unlock my fortune.
ready for this gold silver lead everyone wants gold but crowds are dumb silver says u get what u deserve that's real talk i deserve it open it up
The three suitor scenes form a triptych, each demonstrating a different kind of wrong thinking. Morocco chooses by appetite — gold is beautiful, Portia is beautiful, gold must contain her. Arragon chooses by self-regard — silver promises what he deserves, and he considers himself worthy. Both errors are versions of the same mistake: using the caskets as mirrors for the self rather than as tests of the self. The lead casket requires the chooser to give and hazard all — to approach love not as something owed or earned but as something risked. Bassanio (in 3-2) passes not because he's smarter but because he already understands that ornament lies, and he distrusts his own impulse toward the beautiful surface.
Too long a pause for that which you find there.
You're taking too long to read what's inside that casket.
You're pausing way too much over whatever you found in there.
that pause is way too long
What’s here? The portrait of a blinking idiot
Presenting me a schedule! I will read it.
How much unlike art thou to Portia!
How much unlike my hopes and my deservings!
“Who chooseth me shall have as much as he deserves.”
Did I deserve no more than a fool’s head?
Is that my prize? Are my deserts no better?
What's this? A portrait of a stupid idiot showing me a message! I'll read it. You're nothing like Portia! Nothing like my hopes and what I deserve! 'Whoever picks me will have as much as he deserves.' Did I deserve only a fool's head? Is that my reward? Am I worth nothing better?
What is this? A picture of a complete idiot giving me a note? Seriously? This is nothing like Portia. Nothing like what I hoped for or what I actually deserve. 'You get what you deserve.' So I deserve a dummy's head? That's my prize? That's it?
what the hell a picture of an idiot this isn't portia i don't deserve this
To offend and judge are distinct offices,
And of opposed natures.
To insult someone and to judge someone are two different roles, and they're opposites.
Insulting someone and judging someone are totally different things. They're basically opposites.
insulting ≠ judging they're opposites
What is here?
_The fire seven times tried this;
Seven times tried that judgment is
That did never choose amiss.
Some there be that shadows kiss;
Such have but a shadow’s bliss.
There be fools alive, I wis,
Silver’d o’er, and so was this.
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:
So be gone; you are sped._
Still more fool I shall appear
By the time I linger here.
With one fool’s head I came to woo,
But I go away with two.
Sweet, adieu! I’ll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wroth.
What's written here? 'Fire has tested this seven times. Seven times confirmed this judgment: it never chooses wrong. Some people kiss shadows. They have only a shadow's happiness. There are living fools, I know, covered with silver, and this was too. Take whatever wife you want to bed. I will always be your master. So leave; you're finished.' The longer I stand here, the more foolish I look. I came to court a woman with a fool's head, but now I'm leaving with two. Sweet, goodbye! I'll keep my oath and patiently bear my anger.
What's written here? 'Fire has tested this seven times. This judgment has been tested seven times—it never picks wrong. Some people chase illusions and only get fake happiness. There are fools alive, trust me, covered in silver—and this casket was too. Take any wife you want to bed. I'll always be your master. So go—you're done.' The longer I stand here looking at this, the more foolish I become. I arrived as a fool trying to win a bride, and now I'm leaving twice as foolish. Goodbye, Portia! I'll stick to my promise and bear my anger with patience.
fire tested this 7 times judgment never wrong fools chase shadows silver on the outside go take any wife i'm your master get out you're done stupid me i came as a fool now i leave as two
Thus hath the candle sing’d the moth.
O, these deliberate fools! When they do choose,
They have the wisdom by their wit to lose.
So the candle has burned the moth. Oh, these fools who think carefully! When they make their choice, they have the wisdom to lose through their supposed cleverness.
And that's how the flame catches the moth. These are the kind of fools who really think they're smart. When they actually make a choice, their smarts just end up working against them.
moths fly into flames these 'smart' fools choose badly anyway
The ancient saying is no heresy:
Hanging and wiving goes by destiny.
That old saying isn't wrong: both hanging and marrying are determined by fate.
You know that old saying? It's true—both who you marry and who hangs are decided by fate.
hanging & marrying = fate old wisdom
Arragon's complaint about undeserved titles — 'O that estates, degrees, and offices / Were not derived corruptly, and that clear honour / Were purchased by the merit of the wearer' — is not obviously wrong as social criticism. The Elizabethan court audience would have recognised it as a real tension in their own world: aristocratic birth versus earned distinction. But Shakespeare puts this speech in the mouth of a man who is about to be humiliated, which subtly implicates the speaker's motives. Arragon believes in merit — but his version of merit puts himself at the top. His meritocracy is self-serving. The fool's portrait in the silver casket is the play's verdict: the man who thinks he deserves the prize above all others has told you something important about himself.
Come, draw the curtain, Nerissa.
Come on, close the curtain, Nerissa.
Close it up, Nerissa.
close the curtain
Where is my lady?
Where can I find my lady?
Where is she?
where's the lady?
Here. What would my lord?
I'm here. What does my lord want?
I'm here. What do you need?
here. what u need?
Madam, there is alighted at your gate
A young Venetian, one that comes before
To signify th’ approaching of his lord,
From whom he bringeth sensible regreets;
To wit (besides commends and courteous breath)
Gifts of rich value; yet I have not seen
So likely an ambassador of love.
A day in April never came so sweet,
To show how costly summer was at hand,
As this fore-spurrer comes before his lord.
Madam, a young Venetian has arrived at your gate. He comes first to announce the approach of his lord, from whom he brings sincere greetings—that is, besides compliments and courteous words, gifts of great value. Yet I've never seen such a likely ambassador of love. An April day never came so sweetly to show how precious the approaching summer was as this forerunner comes before his lord.
My lady, a young man from Venice has just arrived at your gate. He's come early to tell you his master is on the way, and he brings genuine greetings from him—compliments, courteous words, and some expensive gifts too. I've never seen anyone quite like him as a messenger of love. It's like he's an April day announcing that summer is coming.
venetian guy here at your gate announcing his master coming bringing gifts & compliments like spring saying summer's arriving
No more, I pray thee. I am half afeard
Thou wilt say anon he is some kin to thee,
Thou spend’st such high-day wit in praising him.
Come, come, Nerissa, for I long to see
Quick Cupid’s post that comes so mannerly.
No more, I'm asking you. I'm half afraid you'll soon say he's some relative of yours, the way you're using such fancy language in praising him. Come on, Nerissa, because I want to see this swift messenger of Cupid who comes so politely.
Stop, please. I'm kind of worried you're about to tell me he's related to you, the way you're going on about him. Come on, Nerissa, I'm dying to see this lovely messenger of love for myself.
stop praising him i'm suspicious he's ur cousin lol let me see this messenger myself
Bassanio, Lord Love, if thy will it be!
Bassanio, Lord of Love, if you're willing!
Bassanio, may Love's lord be willing, my wish is with you!
bassanio hoping love favors u
The Reckoning
Where Morocco was undone by external appetite (choosing what the world values), Arragon is undone by internal arrogance (choosing what he thinks he deserves). His long speech about meritocracy is not stupid — he makes a genuinely interesting case about how titles should be earned rather than inherited. But the test catches him on the self-regard, not the principle. He thinks he deserves Portia: a fundamentally transactional view of love. The fool's portrait he finds is perfect justice. And then the scene pivots to anticipation: Bassanio is coming.
If this happened today…
A second contestant at the door — older, more polished than the last one, openly contemptuous of 'the crowd' and the popular choice. He picks the silver door because he thinks he deserves the prize. Inside: a mirror with 'FOOL' written on it, and a card that says: 'You got exactly what you deserved.' He tries to be dignified about it but can't resist going out with a little speech. Then the producers text the host: the real guy just arrived at the gate, and he's come with gifts.