Speeches (Lines) for Jessica
in "Merchant of Venice"
Total: 26

1

II,3,776

I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so:
Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,
Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness.
But fare thee well, there is a ducat for thee:
And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see
Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest:
Give him this letter; do it secretly;
And so farewell: I would not have my father
See me in talk with thee.

2

II,3,790

Farewell, good Launcelot.
[Exit Launcelot]
Alack, what heinous sin is it in me
To be ashamed to be my father's child!
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife,
Become a Christian and thy loving wife.

3

II,5,858

Call you? what is your will?

4

II,5,893

His words were 'Farewell mistress;' nothing else.

5

II,5,905

Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost,
I have a father, you a daughter, lost.

6

II,6,937

Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty,
Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue.

7

II,6,940

Lorenzo, certain, and my love indeed,
For who love I so much? And now who knows
But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?

8

II,6,944

Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains.
I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me,
For I am much ashamed of my exchange:
But love is blind and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit;
For if they could, Cupid himself would blush
To see me thus transformed to a boy.

9

II,6,952

What, must I hold a candle to my shames?
They in themselves, good-sooth, are too too light.
Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love;
And I should be obscured.

10

II,6,961

I will make fast the doors, and gild myself
With some more ducats, and be with you straight.

11

III,2,1661

When I was with him I have heard him swear
To Tubal and to Chus, his countrymen,
That he would rather have Antonio's flesh
Than twenty times the value of the sum
That he did owe him: and I know, my lord,
If law, authority and power deny not,
It will go hard with poor Antonio.

12

III,4,1792

I wish your ladyship all heart's content.

13

III,5,1849

And what hope is that, I pray thee?

14

III,5,1852

That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed: so the
sins of my mother should be visited upon me.

15

III,5,1858

I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a
Christian.

16

III,5,1866

I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say: here he comes.

17

III,5,1869

Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo: Launcelot and I
are out. He tells me flatly, there is no mercy for
me in heaven, because I am a Jew's daughter: and he
says, you are no good member of the commonwealth,
for in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the
price of pork.

18

III,5,1909

Past all expressing. It is very meet
The Lord Bassanio live an upright life;
For, having such a blessing in his lady,
He finds the joys of heaven here on earth;
And if on earth he do not mean it, then
In reason he should never come to heaven
Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match
And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And Portia one, there must be something else
Pawn'd with the other, for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow.

19

III,5,1922

Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.

20

III,5,1924

Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach.

21

III,5,1928

Well, I'll set you forth.

22

V,1,2450

In such a night
Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew
And saw the lion's shadow ere himself
And ran dismay'd away.

23

V,1,2458

In such a night
Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs
That did renew old AEson.

24

V,1,2465

In such a night
Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well,
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith
And ne'er a true one.

25

V,1,2472

I would out-night you, did no body come;
But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.

26

V,1,2525

I am never merry when I hear sweet music.