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zakruti.com » Knowledge, science, education » BBC Learning English
A pound of flesh - Learn English vocabulary & idioms with 'Shakespeare Speaks'

A pound of flesh - Learn English vocabulary & idioms with 'Shakespeare Speaks'

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Narrator It was late in the evening. William Shakespeare is at the palace of King James I. King James Mr Shakespeare! Welcome, welcome. Will Your majesty, it is a great honour to perform The Merchant of Venice for you a second time. King James The Queen and I enjoyed it so much we just had to see it again. The Queen You fell asleep halfway through dear, that's why you want to see it again. King James Nonsense. Mr Shakespeare, I particularly enjoyed your character Shylock. But what was all that about a pound of flesh? Will Well, Shylock lent some money to the businessman Antonio. And Antonio promised that if he didn't pay the money back, Shylock could cut a pound of flesh from his body. King James That's right, that's right. I remember it well now. What did he say? If you repay me not on such a day Shylock If you repay me not on such a day, In such a place, such sum or sums as are Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body pleaseth me. Narrator We'll leave them there for now. A pound of flesh? That's nearly half a kilogram! Modern English speakers use the phrase a pound of flesh when someone says they want justice, but the punishment they're asking for is so severe that it seems more like revenge. In the terrible case of US cinema gunman James Holmes, former prosecutor Bob Grant said: Clip 1 The district attorney will argue that although the defendant is mentally ill, he is not insane under the law, and society deserves its pound of flesh from him. Clip 2 I apologised and paid for the repairs after I crashed his car, but it isn't enough for him. He wants his pound of flesh. I think he's going to call the police The Queen Mr Shakespeare, please tell the King what happens in the end, just in case he falls asleep again. King James I did not fall asleep! But yes, do tell me. Will Well, Antonio didn't pay the money back. The court agreed that Shylock could have his pound of flesh, but the court also said that he could not take even a single drop of blood. King James Aha! So Antonio was saved. Will Yes, your majesty. The Queen Ooh, the play is starting. Now do stay awake this time, dear King James To sleep, or not to sleep: that is the question
Date: 2020-09-18

Comments and reviews: 4


In the Vincent Price film Theatre of Blood, Vincent Price's character gets revenge on the critics that ruined his career by killing them in accordance to Shakespearian murder scenes in the order that the plays were shown in a particular roster, as there was no murder in The Merchant of Venice, he rewrote the pound of flesh moment and cut out the heart of one of the critics and had it delivered to the Head Critic in a decoritve box.
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BBC Learning English. are all of these phrases used by Shakespeare for the first time or it was there in English before Shakespeare. what i mean to ask in simplest form, are these idiom invented :D by Shakespeare or it was already in use before him and he used it too in his witting and you present it as an example only.
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Ohohohoo! Nay Antonio you foolish merchant, I only ask for a pound of fresh meat, perhaps some beef or mutton. See that it is the freshest meat you can find close to the animals heart, and that it is butchered with skill.
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King James had a short attn span, he would watch plays in 2 sittings. The trial scene is rather long so anyone could fall asleep than. Not to mention a tongue only weighs 2 oz, so why a pound?
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