Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

                              It is almost morning,

And yet I am sure you are not satisfied

Of these events at full. Let us go in;

And charge us there upon inter’gatories,

And we will answer all things faithfully.

 

-Portia

The Merchant of Venice                Act V, scene i, line 297

 

This is the second to last lines of the play. Gratiano is given the honor of following with the last eight lines of the play.

What’s that you say? You want those lines too? I don’t blame you.

         Let it be so: the first inter’gatory

        That Nerissa may be sworn on is,

        Whether till the next night she had rather stay,

        Or go to bed now, being two hours to day:

        But were the day come, I should wish it dark,

That I were couching with the doctor’s clerk.

Well, while I live I’ll fear no other thing,

So sore as keeping safe Nerissa’s ring.

End act, scene, play. Finito.

It’s supposed to be a light hearted play, a comedy, and this ending goes with that. No one dies, Antonio is saved in the end, and the guys get their girls. Sure, one old miserly Jew is completely ruined, but we’re not going to let that spoil the mood, are we?

Are we?

I think I’ve mentioned before that the only time I’ve seen this play performed live, the final person on stage was Shylock. Gratiano still got the final lines, but after he spoke the stage lights faded and then a spotlight shown on Shylock, sitting in the dark. I remember his face as he looked out at the audience. He wasn’t mad or ruined; it seemed more to be a look that said, ‘Are you happy now? Are you okay feeling good about the play even though I got completely destroyed?’ It was very thought provoking and, in my opinion, a very good way to end the play, maintaining some respect for modern sensibilities. I’m sure there are those who would disagree; but aren’t there always.

'Holy crow, what does that picture got to do with anything?' I can hear you say. Well, a little maybe.

Here's me and my oldest nephew Matt. Good guy, that Matt. And Matt's brother Michael did the lighting work for the live production of Merchant that I was just talking about. In fact, I guess it was Michael who came up with the spotlight on Shylock in the dark? So I guess your next question is 'Why not a pic of Michael?' Another good question. The answer is that yesterday was Matt's birthday. 

Happy one-day-late birthday, Matt!