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प्रश्न
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
| Portia: | ... Lorenzo, I commit into your hands The husbandry and manage of my house Until my lord's return: for mine own part, I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow To live in prayer and contemplation, Only attended by Nerissa here, Until her husband and my lord's return. |
- Who does Portia refer to as 'my lord'?
Where is her lord?
Why had he left in such haste? [3] - What does Portia ask Lorenzo to do? Why does she make this request? [3]
- Explain, in your own words, the ‘secret vow’ that Portia speaks of. [3]
- What instruction does Portia give to her servant, a little later in the scene? [3]
- What do we learn about Portia’s real intention from her conversation with Nerissa?
Which Portia do you prefer- the modest Portia of the Casket scene or the businesslike Portia we meet in this scene?
Give one reason for your response. [4]
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उत्तर
- Portia addresses her husband, Bassanio, as "my lord". Bassanio had moved to Venice from Belmont. Due to his friend Antonio's pending trial and his impending death from his debt to Shylock, he had departed quickly.
- When she and her husband Bassanio are not present, Portia gives Lorenzo control and supervision of her estate. Portia plans to leave for Venice to save Antonio from Shylock's evil plan of taking a pound of Antonio's flesh, which was forfeited when he failed to repay the three thousand ducats before the due date (three months from the date of borrowing), according to the bond.
- Portia mentions a secret vow she made to heaven, a vow to live a life of prayer and reflection until Gratiano and Bassanio return. Now that Portia is married and her husband has hurried to help his friend, she submits to help her husband in any way possible. The "secret vow" that Portia mentions is her secret plan for fighting the case, disguised as an eminent lawyer, on behalf of Antonio, her husband's dearest friend.
- Portia expresses that she intends to spend her time in contemplation and prayer at the nearby monastery alongside Nerissa until their husbands safely return. She directs the servants to acknowledge Lorenzo and Jessica as their master and mistress in the absence of Lord Bassanio and herself. Additionally, she instructs her servant, Balthazar, to visit her cousin, Doctor Bellario, in Padua to collect specific documents and clothing. From there, she guides Balthazar to take the ferry to Venice and join her at the earliest, as she anticipates arriving in Venice before him.
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Portia later confides in Nerissa, revealing her true plan. She discloses that they intend to meet their husbands in disguise, assuming the roles of a lawyer and his clerk. Portia elaborates to Nerissa on the specific mannerisms they must adopt to convincingly portray a male image while dressed in male attire. I admire the pragmatic side of Portia, as she maintains control over her circumstances, possesses a clear understanding of her objectives, envisions the future, and remains resolute in seeking justice for Antonio.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
Match the meanings with the words/expressions in italic, and write the appropriate
meaning next to the sentence.
Paralysed with fear, the boy faced his abductors.
Read the following sentences carefully to understand the meaning of the italicised
phrases. Then match the phrasal verbs in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
1. A communal war broke out when the princess was abducted by the neighbouring prince.
2. The cockpit broke off from the plane during the plane crash.
3. The car broke down on the way and we were left stranded in the jungle.
4. The dacoit broke away from the police as they took him to court.
5. The brothers broke up after the death of the father.
6. The thief broke into our house when we were away.
| A | B |
| (i) break out | (a) to come apart due to force |
| (ii) break off | (b) end a relationship |
| (iii) break down | (c) break and enter illegally; unlawful trespassing |
| (iv) break away (from someone) | (d) of start suddenly, (usually a fight, a war or a disease) |
| (v) break up | (e) to escape from someone’s grip |
| (vi) break into | (f) stop working |
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants cool shade and tender rain,
And seed and bud of days to be,
And years that fade and flush again;
He plants the glory of the plain;
He plants the forest's heritage;
The harvest of a coming age;
The joy that unborn eyes shall see___
These things he plants who plants a tree.
Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow:
Explain with reference to context.
He looked at me very blankly and tiredly, and then said, having to share his worry with someone, “The cat will be all right, I am sure. There is no need to be unquiet about the cat. But the others. Now what do you think about the others?”
“Why they’ll probably come through it all right.”
“You think so?”
“Why not,” I said, watching the far bank where now there were no carts.
“But what will they do under the artillery when I was told to leave because of the artillery?”
“Did you leave the dove cage unlocked?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Then they’ll fly.”
“Yes, certainly they’ll fly. But the others. It’s better not to think about the others,” he said.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
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What happened to the ball bearings?
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What did the other courtiers feel about Tansen?
The words helper, companion, partner and accomplice have very similar meanings, but each word is typically used in certain phrases. Can you fill in the blanks below with the most commonly used words? A dictionary may help you.
tennis / golf / bridge …………….
What is the central idea of the poem, John Brown?
