The Sauk Centre herald., 1898-03-31
shakespear In school.

Inc 1olloWlng note from Superinte
dent stanton tells its own story:
The Eighth grade have been read
ing 'The Merchant of Venice. y with
an appreciation rather remarkable for
children OF their age. They have pre-
pared character sketches of the princi-
palcharacters two of which I send with
this.'
The HERALDprints these two charact-
er sketches herewith, and quite agrees
with Prof. Stanton, that they show re-
markable appreciation of the spirit of
the author:
CHARACTER OF PORTIA. ..
Portia was rich heiress living in
Belmont. She was an orphan. Be-
fore he died her father had commanded
her not to marry any man until he had ,
with one choice, chosen the casket con-
tanning Portals picture. She would
then have liberty to marry him if she
chose. There were three caskets, one
made of gold, one of silver and one of
lead. The leaden one contained
Portals portrait.
Portia was queenly, as is shown in
the way she conducts herself at home.
She has servants to wait on her but
she does not slight them but treats
them as equals. Her riches do not
make her small-natured but help to
broaden and develop her nature.
She was eloquent. The way in which
she talked with her servants:-
''If to do were as easy as to know
what were good to do, chapels had
been churches and poor mems cottages
princes palaces. 1t is a good divine
that follows his own instruction. I can
easier teach twenty that were good
to be done than to be one of the
twenty to follow mine own instruct
ions. The brain may devise laws
for the blood, but a hot temper
leaps DER a cold decree: such hare
is madness the youth, to sixty DER the
meshes of good counsel the cripple. /"
And in the court when she tries to
get the Jew to have mercy she says
''The quality of mercy is not strained.
1t droppeth as the gentle rain from
heaven upon the place beneath, it is
twice blest: 1t blesseth him that gives
and him that takes. ''Tis mightiest in
the mightiest; it becomes the throned
better than his crown. His
sceptershows the force of temporal
power the attribute to awe and majes-
ty."
When Bassanio was to choose one
of the Caskets, Portia did not give any
hint as to which one contained the
picture. She had rather lose Bas-
sanio than to be untruthfnl to her
dead father.
Portia was witty. This is shown at
the time when she talks Bassanio into
giving her the ring. He does not have
any idea towhom he is giving the ring.
1t is noticeable again when she remarks,
in the court when Bassanio says that
he would give his life, his wife Or any
thing to save his friend, that his wife
would give him little thanks if she were
there.
She shows herself generous when she
tells Bassanio to take a sum of money
equal to twice Antonios debt and go to
rescue him from the Jew, and again
when she finds out that Bassanio has
chosen she right casket she is willing
to give all she has and even wishes
herself more rich and fair so that she
may stand higher in Bassanio's re-
gard.
Portia shows her bravery when she
goes to Bellario, asks his advice and
then goes to court and wins the case
over Shylock.
At first Shylock thinks she is on his
side, but he soon finds out that she is
going to do the best she can for An
tonic. First she appeals to Shylock's
s ,nse of mercy, but finding him i'm
penetrable she uses the force of law.
The number of suitors that POrtia
has show that she is very attractive.
Portia, when she had Bassanio in a
tight place, and he could not show the
ring, does not make trouble but for
gives him at once and gives back the
ring, bidding him keep it better than
before.
Portia was always true to Bassanio.
She thus shows herself to be true
woman who can be merry and jolly Or
sad or solemn all in due time. She
is a fine character and fills all who
know of her with love and admiration.
IRVING FISHER.
CHARACTER SKETCH OF sHYLOCK.
In reading "Merchant of Venice, ;"
we find Shylock to be an interesting
character. He had many noble traits
also many unnoble ones. We first
find himto be true Jew, and patriotic,