The Merchant of Venice

Gratiano refers to giving Shylock "a halter gratis," meaning a free noose to hang himself. This occurs after Shylock's legal claim is defeated, and Antonio must decide Shylock's punishment....

In The Merchant of Venice, Nerissa is Portia's lady-in-waiting, and she marries Gratiano.

Gratiano describes lovers as being more eager and energetic when pursuing a relationship than when maintaining it. He uses metaphors such as a rich meal, a horse race, and a ship's journey to...

Gratiano humorously advises Antonio to embrace optimism and laughter instead of dwelling on his unexplained melancholy. He compares himself to a jester, suggesting Antonio should age "with mirth and...

Bassanio's speech paints Gratiano as a verbose and often nonsensical speaker. He notes that Gratiano's conversations are filled with "an infinite deal of nothing," suggesting that his points are...

In The Merchant of Venice, Gratiano references Pythagoras during Antonio's trial to criticize Shylock's insistence on claiming a pound of Antonio's flesh. Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher, proposed...

Gratiano suggests that Lorenzo's delay is unusual for a new lover, who typically arrives early. He uses metaphors to explain the delay, comparing it to a person who loses appetite after a feast, a...

In The Merchant of Venice, Gratiano's words are often belittled by his friends. Lorenzo humorously suggests Gratiano talks excessively, while Bassanio explicitly criticizes him for speaking "an...

The Gratiano-Nerissa episode in The Merchant of Venice adds humor to the action of the play at a time of great distress among the major characters. The type of humor Shakespeare utilizes is not comic...