If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.

Question

If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.

Q1:
What does 'humility' mean above?

Q2:
Is 'Why' used as an intensifier?

Q3:
I couldn't get the part, 'it shall go hard...', especially the part 'better the instruction'.

Please help me with the problems above. Thanks.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.

Q1:

What does 'humility' mean above? How is the Jew made humble, ie punished. By revenge, ie the Christian takes revenge on the Jew.

Q2:

Is 'Why' used as an intensifier? You could say that. 'Why' is often used to introduce an exclamation.

Q3:

I couldn't get the part, 'it shall go hard...', especially the part 'better the instruction'. Shylock is saying that he will learn from the harsh way that Christians treat Jews, and will treat Christians even worse.

Best wishes, Clive

Jackson6612 · Answer

Thanks a lot, Clive.

Q1:

CliveWhat does 'humility' mean above? How is the Jew made humble, ie punished. By revenge, ie the Christian takes revenge on the Jew.

I get what you are saying and it does make sense but the problem is I couldn't find any definition of 'http://www.thefreedictionary.com/humility' which suggests such usage? Is 'humility' used in some obsolete sense?

Q2:

CliveI couldn't get the part, 'it shall go hard...', especially the part 'better the instruction'. Shylock is saying that he will learn from the harsh way that Christians treat Jews, and will treat Christians even worse.

Sorry, I still couldn't understand the part 'but I will better the instruction'. In what sense 'better' and 'instruction' are used?

Q3:
Which one of the following sentences is correct?
1: Sorry, but I still couldn't understand the point.
2: Sorry, I still couldn't understand the point.

I believe only the second is correct because it's wrong to use 'but' and 'still' in such a fashion as I have used.

Once again, thanks a lot for the help and your time.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Q1:

Clive

“
What does 'humility' mean above? How is the Jew made humble, ie punished. By revenge, ie the Christian takes revenge on the Jew.”

I get what you are saying and it does make sense but the problem is I couldn't find any definition of '' which suggests such usage? Is 'humility' used in some obsolete sense? I would say so, yes.

Q2:

Clive

“
I couldn't get the part, 'it shall go hard...', especially the part 'better the instruction'. Shylock is saying that he will learn from the harsh way that Christians treat Jews, and will treat Christians even worse.”

Sorry, I still couldn't understand the part 'but I will better the instruction'. In what sense 'better' and 'instruction' are used?

better - verb, to improve on, to surpass

instruction - lesson

Q3:

Which one of the following sentences is correct?

1: Sorry, but I still couldn't understand the point.

2: Sorry, I still couldn't understand the point.

I believe only the second is correct because it's wrong to use 'but' and 'still' in such a fashion as I have used. Both sound fine to me.

Once again, thanks a lot for the help and your time.

You're welcome. I hope you like Shakepeare.

Clive

Jackson6612 · Answer

Q1;

CliveQ2:
Clive
“
I couldn't get the part, 'it shall go hard...', especially the part 'better the instruction'. Shylock is saying that he will learn from the harsh way that Christians treat Jews, and will treat Christians even worse.”
Sorry, I still couldn't understand the part 'but I will better the instruction'. In what sense 'better' and 'instruction' are used?
better - verb, to improve on, to surpass
instruction - lesson

The villainy you teach me I will execute, it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.

What does Shylock mean by 'it shall go hard'? Perhaps he's saying that he knows it will be a difficult task but he is sure he will surpass his master's lesson.

In formal BrE 'shall' is used with 'I' and 'we', but I believe when stress/more certainty is required 'will' can also be used. Please correct me. Here 'it' is followed by 'shall', then 'I' by 'will'. What do you say on this? I hope you are getting my point.

Q2:

CliveQ3:
Which one of the following sentences is correct?
1: Sorry, but I still couldn't understand the point.
2: Sorry, I still couldn't understand the point.

I believe only the second is correct because it's wrong to use 'but' and 'still' in such a fashion as I have used. Both sound fine to me.

Perhaps, I was mixing up the usage of 'though' and 'but'. Because people like me make mistake with their use. Ex: Though I know you have helped me a lot already, but I will really appreciate if you can help me one more time.

Clive · Answer

Hi again,

Q1;

Clive

“Q2:
Clive
“
I couldn't get the part, 'it shall go hard...', especially the part 'better the instruction'. Shylock is saying that he will learn from the harsh way that Christians treat Jews, and will treat Christians even worse.”
Sorry, I still couldn't understand the part 'but I will better the instruction'. In what sense 'better' and 'instruction' are used?
better - verb, to improve on, to surpass
instruction - lesson”

The villainy you teach me I will execute, it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.

What does Shylock mean by 'it shall go hard'? Perhaps he's saying that he knows it will be a difficult task but he is sure he will surpass his master's lesson.Yes, that's my interpretation.

In formal BrE 'shall' is used with 'I' and 'we', but I believe when stress/more certainty is required 'will' can also be used. Please correct me. Here 'it' is followed by 'shall', then 'I' by 'will'. What do you say on this? I hope you are getting my point.

I'd say Shakespeare uses 'shall' here to indicate prediction.

As you probably know, 'shall' is not used as commonly today as it once was.

Possibly the 'will' indicates determination.

Q2:

Clive

“Q3:
Which one of the following sentences is correct?
1: Sorry, but I still couldn't understand the point.
2: Sorry, I still couldn't understand the point.

I believe only the second is correct because it's wrong to use 'but' and 'still' in such a fashion as I have used. Both sound fine to me.”

Perhaps, I was mixing up the usage of 'though' and 'but'. Because people like me make mistake with their use. Ex: Though I know you have helped me a lot already, but I will really appreciate if you can help me one more time. You're right, this is wrong.

Clive

Jackson6612 · Answer

CliveIn formal BrE 'shall' is used with 'I' and 'we', but I believe when stress/more certainty is required 'will' can also be used. Please correct me. Here 'it' is followed by 'shall', then 'I' by 'will'. What do you say on this? I hope you are getting my point.
I'd say Shakespeare uses 'shall' here to indicate prediction.
As you probably know, 'shall' is not used as commonly today as it once was.
Possibly the 'will' indicates determination.

Yes, Shakespeare is using 'shall' to predict something which hasn't happened yet. I was told that 'shall' was to be used with 'I' and 'we', and with everything else 'will'. But the bard has changed the ordered here. Why? I know the play was written centuries ago and a lot of things in the language have changed since then.

Yes, the use of 'shall' has declined; it has been years since the last time I used it.

Yes, 'will' shows determination as I was guessing in my previous posting. I believe a long time ago I read that 'will' can be used with 'I' and 'we' to show determination,certainty, etc.

Jackson6612 · Answer

Hi Clive

Perhaps you had missed my post; it's only to remind you that I await your reply. Thank you.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.

Sorry for not replying. I didn't see that you had a one-word question in the middle of your post.

Yes, Shakespeare is using 'shall' to predict something which hasn't happened yet. I was told that 'shall' was to be used with 'I' and 'we', and with everything else 'will'. I don't see why 'shall' can't be used with 'it'. It just means that the speaker is making a prediction about 'a thing'.

eg Our love is eternal. It shall never die.

As you can see, this can add a rather theatrical quality to what is said.

But the bard has changed the ordered here. Why? Perhaps to vary the language, or, as I suggested already, the 'will' is to express determination. I know the play was written centuries ago and a lot of things in the language have changed since then. True.

Clive

Jackson6612 · Answer

Thank you very much for all the help, and always being there to answer my rather frustrating questions!

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Not frustrating. Thoughtful.

Clive

If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions