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Shylock: “What, Jessica!” “What, Jessica!” “Why, Jessica”
Lancelot: “Why, Jessica” then [Enter Jessica]
Shylock calls for Jessica three times and Lancelot only calls for Jessica once, however Jessica only comes when Lancelot calls which is a small act of rebellion, showing how desperate she is to break away from her father’s control. Furthermore, her lack of filial piety would have been shocking at the time, making it somewhat comedic.
“Hear you me, Jessica”
This is an imperative which shows how controlling Shylock is of her.
“Clamber not you up to the casements then Nor thrust your head into the public street”
Clamber and thrust have childlike connotations, which makes it seem as though Shylock is talking to Jessica in a patronising, belittling, pejorative way, which makes it understandable that Jessica is driven away from him.
“Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter my sober house”
The words shallow foppery mean hollow nonsense which implies that Shylock thinks Christian fun is a complete waste of time, so is scornful and mocking of it, and does not want his house to be corrupted and ruined by Christians. The description of the house as ‘sober’ reinforces the controlling atmosphere, however the personification of the house shows how much he cares for his home and Jessica as a part of that, so his protectiveness of Jessica does have good motives.
“I’ll go in hate to feed upon the prodigal Christian”
Shylock is only going so he can waste the Christians’ money by eating their food, which shows he is doing it for the wrong reasons and makes him unsympathetic.
“What says that fool of Hagar’s offspring, ha?”
The derogatory language ‘that fool’ and Shylock’s treatment of Lancelot mirrors society’s treatment of Shylock, which shows how Shylock relishes in small moments of power such as this, as society tries to take all power from him.
“That patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder”
Shylock does show some care for Lancelot, saying he is kind but just eats too much. As well as this, the words fool and patch have softer connotations which shows a slightly more human side of Shylock and implies he is not as unkind as he may seem.
“Farewell and if my fortune not be crossed, I have a father, you a daughter lost”
The word fortune shows how Jessica considers herself lucky if she is able to escape, and the use of the rhyme of ‘lost’ and ‘crossed’ emphasises Jessica’s enjoyment and happiness to be leaving Shylock, and how she has no remorse for him. Her lack of emotive language in this statement further reinforces this.
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