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The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 17.0198  Wednesday, 22 March 2006

[1] 	From: 	Todd Pettigrew <pettigogy@hotmail.com>
	Date: 	Tuesday, 21 Mar 2006 16:25:52 -0400
	Subj: 	RE: SHK 17.0193 "hindered me a million"

[2] 	From: 	John Drakakis <john.drakakis@stir.ac.uk>
	Date: 	Wednesday, 22 Mar 2006 12:42:55 -0000
	Subj: 	RE: SHK 17.0193 "hindered me a million"

[3] 	From: 	David Basch <entropy@ziplink.net>
	Date: 	Tuesday, 21 Mar 2006 21:05:32 -0500
	Subj: 	Re: SHK 17.0193 "hindered me a million"

[4] 	From: 	Florence Amit <florence_amit@hotmail.com>
	Date: 	Wednesday, 22 Mar 2006 10:34:26 +0300
	Subj: 	"hindered me a million"


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		Todd Pettigrew <pettigogy@hotmail.com>
Date: 		Tuesday, 21 Mar 2006 16:25:52 -0400
Subject: 17.0193 "hindered me a million"
Comment: 	RE: SHK 17.0193 "hindered me a million"

Perng Ching-Hsi asks,

"When Shylock says Antonio "has hindered me half a million" (3.1.46), is 
he referring to money/profit) or to frequency?"

I like to imagine that Shylock is referring to profit and that he means 
"half a million" literally. That is, by his reckoning, Antonio's 
practice of lending money for free, together with Antonio's practice of 
publicly insulting Shylock has cost Shylock 500,000 ducats. But recall 
that Antonio's entire net worth is something like 27,000 ducats. So if 
Shylock would have been half a million richer without Antonio, his 
actual wealth must be astronomical.

In other words, Shakespeare is pointing out that Shylock's complaint 
about his losses are ridiculous since he is absurdly wealthy.

But then why does Shylock have to borrow money from Tubal to lend to 
Antonio? Because his funds are tied up somehow? Because he would rather 
risk someone else's money than his own?

Todd Pettigrew
Cape Breton University

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		John Drakakis <john.drakakis@stir.ac.uk>
Date: 		Wednesday, 22 Mar 2006 12:42:55 -0000
Subject: 17.0193 "hindered me a million"
Comment: 	RE: SHK 17.0193 "hindered me a million"

I think he means money, though I agree it isn't clear.  Not 'half a 
million times' though, I think.

Hope this helps,
John Drakakis

[3]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		David Basch <entropy@ziplink.net>
Date: 		Tuesday, 21 Mar 2006 21:05:32 -0500
Subject: 17.0193 "hindered me a million"
Comment: 	Re: SHK 17.0193 "hindered me a million"

Dear Ching-Hsi Perng:

I would think that the term refers to currency, money. It refers to how 
much money he failed to make because of Antonio. It could not possibly 
refer to the number of instances in which he was hindered, too many to 
fit into the time allowed.

Stay well,
David Basch

[4]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		Florence Amit <florence_amit@hotmail.com>
Date: 		Wednesday, 22 Mar 2006 10:34:26 +0300
Subject: 	"hindered me a million"

Dear Mr. Ching -His  Perng,

Knowing as I do that there are frequent and indisputable displays of 
Hebrew in "The Merchant of Venice" and having archived an understanding 
as to what the characters are about and their natures, I have attempted 
to read the text for Hebrew. I may not have gotten it right yet, but 
this is my initial result:

has hindered me half a million

ha-sh'hi neder ed m'halef  emi l'elion

Translation: Let the vow remain until there is an exchange with me to a 
higher plane.

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