Summary of scenes in Act 2
Scene 1
The Prince of Morocco arrives at Belmont. Portia meets him and describes the conditions of the casket test - the one who chooses rightly wins her hand, but one who chooses wrongly must agree to forswear marriage forever.
Scene 2
Launcelot Gobbo, Shylock’s servant, ponders running away from Shylock to serve another master. He encounters his father, Old Gobbo, who is nearly blind and doesn’t recognize his son. Launcelot plays a trick on his father, misdirecting him and pretending that Launcelot is dead, but soon reveals himself and asks for his father’s blessing. During their reunion, Launcelot begs Bassanio to have him as a servant. Bassanio then sees Gratiano, who asks to go to Belmont with Bassanio. Bassanio allows Gratiano to accompany him, making clear, however, that Gratiano needs to be on his best behavior, since he has a reputation for being a wild man. Gratiano agrees, but asks that his behavior not be judged on the partying they plan to do that night.
Scene 3
Launcelot Gobbo says farewell to Shylock’s daughter Jessica, who says she will miss him because of the fun he brings into an otherwise gloomy house. She then gives him a message to take to Lorenzo at Bassanio’s house. It is evident that she is in love with Lorenzo and hopes to marry him.
Scene 4
Lorenzo, Gratiano, Salerio and Solanio make plans for the masque, discussing whether or not they should arrange for torchbearers. Launcelot, on his way to invite Shylock to dine with Bassanio, arrives with Jessica’s letter detailing her plans for escape, which includes taking her father’s gold and jewels. Lorenzo tells Gratiano that Jessica will be disguised as a page and will serve as a torchbearer during the night’s festivities.
Scene 5
Shylock warns Launcelot that he will be worse off in the household of Bassanio because the latter will not let him eat and sleep as much as Shylock has done. Shylock reluctantly accepts Bassanio’s dinner invitation, arguing that he will be despoiling the hated Christians, both by eating Bassanio’s food and by sending him such a wasteful wretch as Launcelot to serve in his household. Before he goes, he warns Jessica to shut the house tight during the night’s revels, but Launcelot tells her that, if she looks out her window, she will see something worthwhile. Jessica is determined to flee with Lorenzo that very night.
Scene 6
Gratiano and Salerio meet Lorenzo outside Shylock’s house, in order to help Jessica, now dressed as a young man (a page), escape with a casket of Shylock’s gold and jewels. As Gratiano is about to leave for the revelries, Antonio catches him, saying that Bassanio’s ship is about to depart, so he’d better skip the festivities.
Scene 7
In Belmont, Morocco enters the lottery to win Portia’s hand in marriage. He reads the inscriptions on each of the caskets and selects the gold one, whose inscription reads, “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.” Since the gold casket is made of such a valuable material, he reasons, it is the only one fit to contain Portia’s image. When he opens the casket, he finds a skull with a scroll in the eye socket. When he leaves, Portia declares that she hopes that all “men of his complexion” choose the same way.
Scene 8
In one of the most racially charged scenes in the play, Solanio recounts for Salerio Shylock’s reaction to Jessica’s theft and elopement. Solanio hopes Antonio is able to pay his debt, but Salerio has heard a rumor that Antonio’s ships have capsized. Salerio remembers how hard it was for Bassanio to leave Antonio, and the two decide to tell Antonio what they’ve heard, but to try to break the news to him gently.
Scene 9
The Prince of Aragon chooses the silver casket, which contains a fool’s head (or often a mirror). He also loses his quest, again to Portia’s relief. A messenger then announces the arrival of a handsome Venetian nobleman, whom Portia and Nerissa hope is Bassanio.