footnotes+a2s4


 * Footnotes, Act 2 Scene 4 **

2 **Disguise us**- dress ourselves; Lorenzo is telling his friends to sneak away in suppertime and then dress up for a masquerade in front of Shylock's house. TM

4 **We have not made good preparation**- We are not ready; Gratiano is saying that Solanio, Salarino, and him are not ready for the masquerade even if Lorenzo is ready. TM

5**Spoke us-** discussed, or talked about; Salarino is saying that they are not ready for the masquerade and they also need a torch-bearer. TM

6 **'Tis vile**- It's disgusting; Solanio is saying that he would rather not take part in the masque because it is disgusting. TM **Quaintly Undertook**- Done with style; Solanio is saying that if he is going to take place in the masquerade, then it will have to be "done with style." TM

8 **Furnish us**- to get ourselves ready/ to get dressed; Lorenzo is telling his companions to get dressed up in costumes within two hours so they can steal Jessica away from Shylock. TM

10 **And**- if; Lancelot is wondering if Lorenzo wants to open the letter sent from Jessica. TM **Break up-** open the seal (on the letter); Lancelot is asking Lorenzo if he wants to open the letter from Jessica. TM **It shall seem** **to signify**- probably, most likely; Lancelot is assuming that Lorenzo wants to open the letter he received from Jessica. TM

11 **Hand**- handwriting; Lorenzo says that he recognizes the handwriting of the person who wrote the letter (Jessica) and goes on to describe her as very beautiful. TM

12 **Whiter than the paper**- Lighter than the paper (Simile, Hyperbole); Lorenzo is saying that Jessica's hand is fairer and lighter than the paper she wrote the letter. The lighter your skin was in Shakespearean days, the more beautiful you were. This is different from today's society which associates beauty with having a darker tan. TM

15 **By your leave**- With your permission can I leave; Lancelot is asking Lorenzo if he can leave. TM

16 **Whither goest thou?-** Where are you going?; Lorenzo is asking Lancelot where he is going after such a short conversation. TM

17 **To sup**- to eat dinner with; Lancelot is leaving because he has to go invite Shylock, his old master, to have dinner with Bassanio, his new master. This is an unpleasant task at best that requires the utmost diplomacy that Lancelot probably does not have. TM

22 **You**- yourselves; Lorenzo is asking Solanio and Salarino if they will dress up for the masquerade that night. TM

23 **Provided of**- given; Lorenzo is telling his friends he already has a torch-bearer (Jessica) for the masquerade, so they do not need to supply him with one. TM

28 **'Tis good we do so**- We better leave now; Solanio and Salarino want to leave right away to get ready for the masquerade in one hour and then meet with Gratiano and Lorenzo in one hour at Gratiano's house. TM

29 **I must needs tell thee all**-I better tell you everything now; Lorenzo is fessing up to his love for Jessica and explaining everything about his love for Jessica to Lorenzo. TM

32 **Page's suit**- Boys clothes; Lorenzo says he plans on taking Jessica from Shylock's house by disguising her as a page (young boy). TM

34 **Gentle daughter**- Kind daughter, (Pun) but Lorenzo makes a pun on the word gentle and Gentile (a non-Jewish person) because Jessica will become a Christian when she marries Lorenzo according to tradition; Lorenzo says that if Shylock, by some miracle, reaches heaven, then it will be because of his daughter's good deeds and her being converted to Christianity. TM

36 **Unless she do it under this excuse**- Unless misfortune crosses Jessica's path with this excuse (her evil father Shylock); According to Lorenzo, no misfortune should ever come in Jessica's path unless it is a direct result of her father's evil heart. If that is the case, then there is nothing he can do about it. TM

37 **Issue to a faithless Jew**- the daughter of a Jew who lacks any kind of faith (faithless Jew); Lorenzo says that the only way Jessica will face misfortune is the fact that her father is a Jew who lacks faith of any kind. It is because of Shylock's evil heart that Jessica, his daughter, might even come close to being harmed. TM

39 **Torch-bearer**- A person who is necessary for a masquerade to be successful; Jessica will be Lorenzo's torch-bearer in the masquerade when she is dressed in a page's suit (clothes for boys). TM