Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 Questions and Answers

1. Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 Questions and Answers With Summary Download Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 Questions and Answers with summary for ICSE Board Examinations. We have provided you all the ICSE Solutions for Class 10 English in PDF format. You can also download the ICSE Textbook Solutions for all classes with Free PDF on ICSEboards.com. All these ICSE Solutions for all questions are solved and explained by our expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines. Merchant of Venice Act 1 Scene 1 Questions and Answers 1, Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows: Salarino: My wind, cooling my broth, Would blow me to an ague, when I thought What harm a wind too great at sea might do I should not see the sandy hourglass run, But I should think of shallows and of flats, And see my wealthy Andrew docked in sand, Vailing her high top lower than her ribs To kiss her burial Ques. Where does this scene take place? Name the people present there. In what mood is Salarino in this scene? Ans. This scene takes place in a street of Venice. Antonio, Salanio and the speaker are present there. Salarino is in a serious and pensive mood, sympathising with Antonio. Ques. What would the wind cooling the broth remind Salarino?

2. Ans. The wind which is cooling the broth reminds him of strong winds which may harm his ships. When a small wind can cool the hot soup, what the strong winds could do to his ships. Ques. Give the meaning of broth, ague and sandy hourglass. Ans.• Broth means meat soup. • Ague means shivering because of fever. • Sandy hourglass indicates time, a device before clocks and watches were invented. Ques. What is referred to as Wealthy Andrew? Why is it so referred? Ans. Wealthy Andrew is a reference to the Ships of Antonio. It is so referred to because Antonio is sad and the speaker thinks that he is worried about his ships which are laden with precious cargo and may be in danger. ‘Wealthy Andrew’ refers to a Spanish ship Andrea, which was captured by the British. Ques. What is the speaker trying to do by referring to these things? Ans. The speaker is showing his concern for Antonio and tries to sympathise with him so that he may be a little cheerful and his sadness may lessen. 2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: Salarino: Now, by two headed Janus, Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time, some that will evermore peep through their eyes, And laugh like parrots at a bag-piper, And others of such vinegar aspect, And they will not show their teeth in way of smile Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable Ques. What had the speaker said just before these lines? Ans. Just before these lines, the speaker had said that Antonio’s unhappiness is not because of love but it is because he is not in love. Ques. What is meant by two headed Janus? Ans. Janus is the Roman God of exits and entrances with one face merry and another sad. Actually, Salarino has been trying to cheer up Antonio and not been successful. That is why he comments on nature having created strange creatures.

3. Ques. Describe in your own words the two type of strange fellows who have been framed by nature. Ans. In this world we see different kinds of people. It is truly said that it takes all kinds of people to make the world. There are normal people and there are extremes. Some people are never happy and some are never sad. Some people are of cheerful disposition, they can laugh, even in the saddest of circumstances and there are others of such serious nature that they cannot laugh even at something most humorous. Ques. Who is Nester? Why is he referred to in the extract? Ans. Nester was the oldest, most grave and venerable of the Greek leaders of Troy. Such a person would not have easily called a thing funny. Here he is referred to, in the context of such people who cannot smile or laugh at the funniest or most humorous things, even if Nester agreed that it was funny. Ques. Who comes at the end of Salarino’s speech? Why does Salarino leave them? Ans. Bassanio comes at the end of Salarino’s speech. Salarino leaves them saying that he will go now because Antonio has a better company. He means to say that Bassanio is closer to Antonio than he is.

4. We have all the ICSE Solutions for Class 6 to 10 in pdf format .You can easily access them for free.Also, ICSE Books Free Download PDF Class 6 to 10 are available.Download them at icseboards.com and make your preparation to score higher marks in ICSE Boards Exam.