The Merchant of Venice Group

Question:

chank
chank
Student
High School - 11th Grade

Gratiano swears "by his hood she is a gentile, and no Jew" (51). Why does he swear by his hood, that is, his foreskin, what joke is this?

Jessica presents another subplot in which a nefarious deed (running away, eloping, and theft) is couched in the terms of conversion.

Rate question:

Posted by chank on Wednesday November 19, 2008 at 12:43 PM and tagged with act ii scene 6, analysis, characters, detail, merchant of venice, plot, the merchant of venice.

Answers:


  1. ladyvols1 Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    This quote is not meant as a joke, or a reference to circumcision.  According to the dictionary a “hood” can mean the “state, condition, quality, character, totality, as in manhood, childhood, knighthood, brotherhood.  Thus, Gratiano, in Act 2 Scene 6 is saying that he swears by his manhood, or his good name that Jessica is a gentile, and no Jew.  This is because she stole from her father.  He is basically saying that the "Christians" are less honest than the Jewish money changers and have less overall integrity.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/merchant/act-ii-scenes-1-9-summary-...
    http://www.enotes.com/merchant/other-characters-descriptions

    Rate answer:

    Posted by ladyvols1 on Wednesday November 19, 2008 at 8:22 PM