Describe and discuss the significance of the Story of Caskets in the

Describe and discuss the significance of the Story of Caskets in the drama, ‘The Marchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare.

Ans.

Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Merchant of Venice‘, has four stories. Of these two are major and two minor. The two major stories are: The Bond Story and The Caskets Story; and two minor stories are: The Lorenzo-Jessica Story and Rings Story.

Thus The Caskets Story is an integral part of the plot of ‘The Marchant of Venice’, Portia is a young, exquisitely beautiful, wise virtuous and talented rich maiden heiress living in Belmont. Her dead father had devised a lottery of caskets to select a suitable husband for Portia and had incorporated this provision in his will. According to the terms of this lottery there are three caskets made of gold, silver and lead. The suitors desirous of marrying Portia should take oath the if unsuccessful they would never talk to any woman with the purpose of marriage, they would not divulge the casket they choose and, lastly, they would leave immediately. The three caskets had inscriptions over them to help them (the suitors) in the correct choice of the casket. The right casket contained Portia’s portrait.

The correct choice did not depend on chance, as is commonly thought and not very unjustifiably also. But in fact the choice depended on the correct of the inscriptions on the three caskets together with the attitude of the suitor towards the metals of which the caskets were made. Portia’s father was very wise and virtuous person and he must have devised the lottery after considerable thought.

The fame of Portia’s exquisite charms, wit, wisdom, virtue and talents spread through out the world like wild fire with the result that royal suitors flocked to Belmont from the four corners of the world. They came over desert and sea without caring for the difficulties and obstacles in their journey to Belmont.

Of the many suitors only three have been eminent- the prince of Morocco, the Prince of Arragon and Bassanio. Of these three two are royal suitors-the two princes. They proceed the analysis of the inscriptions on the three caskets. The Prince of Morocco proceeds very systematically and makes a thorough survey and decided in favour of gold because the inscription on the golden promises to give “what many men desire”..te interpreted that gold is a noble metal and only it is suitable to keep Portia’s portrait and the inscription also seems to help him in his choice because he thought that Portia is coveted and desired by all the world. He is shocked to learn that he is unsuccessful in his choice. As a matter of fact he is deceived by the outward show. He finds a skull in the golden casket and in the eye hole he finds a scroll which upbraids him for his wrongs and comments adversely on his love for Portia. Similarly, the Prince of Arragon chooses the casket of silver and is verified to find that he was failed to achieve his purpose. The inscription on the silver casket promises to give as much as the chooser deserves and the Prince is convinced that he deserves Portia. Both these suitors discarded and derided the casket of lead because instead of promising any thing as reward the inscription on the lead casket threatens-the chooser should be prepared to risk and lose all he has. Bassanio, unlike the two princes was impressed by the casket of lead and the inscription on it. He chooses it and succeeds.

The choosers interpret the inscriptions according to their wisdom, culture and moral worth. Bassanio rightly wins Portia.

The casket story is an integral part of the Main Plot of the play. It seeks to contribute to the development of the Bond Story. It also helps to fill the time between the signing of the bond and the expiry of the time limit i.e. three months.

The Caskets Story is also significant as it reveals the characters of Portia and Bassanio in particular. Portia is wise, virtuous and very vigilant about her honour. She loves Bassanio, confesses her love but does not become blind to her sense of honour. She knows the right casket but gives no hint to Bassanio to help him in his choosing.

Bassanio, on his part, even after knowing her feelings towards him does not make any unjust demand on her. So this story has a great dramatic significance.