Brooke Martin
In Shakespeare's *The Merchant of Venice*, Act 5, Scene 1, Lorenzo and Jessica are sitting outside, admiring the beauty of the moonlight. Lorenzo reflects on how the moonlight makes even ordinary objects appear magical, and Jessica joins him in contemplating the transformative power of the moon. Nerissa, Portia's waiting-woman, then utters the line, When the moon shone we did not see the candle, comparing the moon's radiance to a candle's meek glow.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Play | The Merchant of Venice |
| Act | V |
| Scene | I |
| Speaker | Nerissa |
| Comparison | The moon vs a candle |
| Imagery | Moonlight, music, harmony |
| Theme | Glory, honour, shame |
| Context | Nighttime, moonlight sleep, silence |
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What You'll Learn
The moon is shining bright
In William Shakespeare's *The Merchant of Venice*, Act 5, Scene 1, Lorenzo utters the line, "The moon shines bright". The moon, a celestial body that reflects the light of the sun, is described as shining brightly, illuminating the night sky and casting a soft glow upon the earth below. This luminous presence of the moon sets the tone and atmosphere for the ensuing scene.
The moon's radiance holds a symbolic significance in this scene. Lorenzo's admiration of the moon's brilliance leads him to reminisce about a similar night when the gentle breeze caressed the trees silently. He evokes the image of Troilus, climbing the walls of Troy and sighing longingly towards the Greek tents where his beloved Cressida lay sleeping. The moonlight, in this instance, symbolises love, desire and romantic longing.
The moon's shine also serves as a backdrop for the character Jessica's recollection of her own escape from Venice with Lorenzo. She narrates how, under the cloak of such moonlight, she fled from the wealthy Jew and embarked on a journey driven by love. The moon, in this context, becomes a symbol of freedom, new beginnings and the pursuit of love.
However, in the same scene, Nerissa delivers the line, "When the moon shone we did not see the candle". This statement introduces a contrasting perspective on the moon's radiance. While the moon's light can be romantic and liberating, it can also obscure other sources of light, such as the candle. This metaphor highlights how a greater power or presence can diminish the significance of something smaller or less prominent.
The interplay between the moon's shine and the candle's flame creates a dynamic of illumination and obscurity. The moon, in its grandeur, becomes a symbol of grandeur and prominence, while the candle represents the smaller, more intimate deeds and gestures that may go unnoticed in the shadow of greater glory. This juxtaposition invites the audience to contemplate the interplay between the majestic and the mundane, and how their perception shifts when placed in contrast.
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The candle's light is not visible
In Act 5, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's *The Merchant of Venice*, Lorenzo and Jessica sit outside on a moonlit night, awaiting the arrival of Portia and Nerissa. Lorenzo remarks on the beauty of the night, comparing it to the night Troilus mounted the Trojan walls and sighed towards the Grecian tents where Cressida lay. He also mentions other lovers from mythology and literature, such as Thisbe, Dido, and Medea, whose stories are similarly set on such a night.
The moonlight is described as sleeping upon the bank, creating a peaceful and enchanting atmosphere. Lorenzo and Jessica decide to sit and enjoy the music and the soft stillness of the night. The moonlight is so bright that it dims the light of the candle, as Nerissa later observes: "When the moon shone we did not see the candle".
The candle, in this context, can be seen as a metaphor for a good deed, as Portia says, "How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world". The moon's radiant light represents greater glory, which overshadows the lesser glory of the candle's beam. This interpretation is reinforced by Lorenzo's earlier exclamation, "How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!"
The scene captures the interplay between the natural beauty of the moonlit night and the human experience of love, loss, and honour. The invisible candlelight adds a layer of symbolism, suggesting that even small acts of goodness can shine brightly, despite being overshadowed by the grandeur of the moon.
Thus, the invisible candlelight serves as a reminder that goodness can exist even in the darkest of times, just as the candle's beam penetrates the darkness of the night.
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The glory of the greater light
The moon, a celestial body that orbits Earth, has long been a source of fascination and inspiration for humans. In William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," Act 5 Scene 1, the character Lorenzo describes a bright moonlit night: "The moon shines bright." He poetically compares this moonlit night to others in literature and mythology, including the nights when Troilus sighed towards the Greek tents, when Thisbe fled from the lion's shadow, and when Dido beckoned her lover to return to Carthage. Lorenzo's appreciation of the moonlight sets the tone for a romantic and dramatic scene.
As the scene unfolds, the moon continues to play a significant role. Lorenzo and Jessica, the young lovers, sit on a bank bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, listening to the music of the night. Lorenzo describes the beauty of the moonlight and the harmony it brings to their surroundings: "How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! Here will we sit and let the sounds of music / Creep in our ears. Soft stillness and the night / Become the touches of sweet harmony." The moonlight creates a tranquil atmosphere, enhancing the experience of the music and emphasizing the intimacy of the moment.
In this moonlit setting, the characters' emotions and actions take on a heightened significance. Lorenzo and Jessica are not alone in their appreciation of the moon's glory; Portia, another character in the scene, also notices the moonlight and uses it as a metaphor. She compares the moon to a candle, suggesting that just as the moon's light can be obscured by its brightness, so can a good deed shine in a dark world: "That light we see is burning in my hall. How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world."
Nerissa, Portia's waiting-woman, adds to this metaphor, saying, "When the moon shone we did not see the candle." This line highlights the relative nature of perception and value; in the presence of the greater light of the moon, the candle's light goes unnoticed. The candle, like a good deed, may shine brightly on its own, but when compared to the glory of the moon, its radiance is diminished.
The moon, in all its celestial glory, serves as a powerful symbol of the interplay between light and darkness, revelation and obscurity. It illuminates the scene, both literally and metaphorically, and provides a backdrop against which the characters' emotions, conflicts, and resolutions play out. In this scene, the moon is more than just a celestial body; it becomes a character in its own right, influencing the mood, actions, and themes of the play.
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The music of the spheres
In Shakespeare's *The Merchant of Venice*, Act 5 Scene 1, Lorenzo and Jessica are outside on a moonlit night, awaiting the arrival of Portia and Nerissa. Lorenzo remarks on the beauty of the night, comparing it to the night Troilus mounted the Trojan walls and sighed towards the Grecian tents where Cressida lay. He also mentions other lovers from mythology and literature who were active on such nights, including Dido, Medea, and Troilus and Cressida.
Lorenzo and Jessica decide to sit on the bank and let the music creep into their ears. Lorenzo observes that the moonlight sleeps upon the bank, and that the floor of heaven is thickly inlaid with patens of bright gold. He says that even the smallest orb they behold sings like an angel, still choiring to the young-eyed cherubim. This harmony, he suggests, exists in immortal souls, but our mortal bodies prevent us from hearing it—this is the music of the spheres.
In this scene, the music of the spheres serves as a metaphor for the harmony and beauty that exists beyond human perception. It is a reminder that there is more to the world than what we can see and hear, and that there is a divine order and harmony to the universe, even if it is hidden from us.
The phrase "music of the spheres" also appears in Shakespeare's *The Tempest*, where it is used to describe the harmonious sounds created by the movement of the planets and stars. This concept was not unique to Shakespeare, but he utilised it to great effect in his plays, adding depth and beauty to his descriptions of the night sky.
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The nightingale's song
In William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice", Act 5, Scene 1, Lorenzo and Jessica are outside, sitting in the moonlight. Lorenzo waxes lyrical about the beauty of the night and the moon, comparing it to various scenes from mythology and literature. He says:
> "The moon shines bright: in such a night as this, When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees, And they did make no noise, in such a night Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls, And sighed his soul toward the Grecian tents, Where Cressid lay that night."
Jessica then adds to the scene, mentioning Thisbe, who "fearfully o'ertrip[ped] the dew/And saw the lion's shadow ere himself/And ran dismay'd away." Lorenzo continues, bringing Dido and Medea into the picture, and then Jessica adds her own twist to the story, saying:
> "In such a night/Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew,/And with an unthrift love did run from Venice/As far as Belmont."
The couple then hears music approaching and Lorenzo recognises the voice of Portia. He says:
> "Peace, ho! the moon sleeps with Endymion/And would not be awaked."
Portia, upon seeing the moonlight, says:
> "How far that little candle throws his beams!/So shines a good deed in a naughty world./When the moon shone we did not see the candle."
Nerissa responds to Portia's observation, saying:
> "How many things by season seasoned are/To their right praise and true perfection!"
The scene continues with Portia and Nerissa discussing the nature of music and song, with Portia making a comparison between the crow and the lark, and then the nightingale and the wren. She says:
> "The crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark/When neither is attended, and I think/The nightingale, if she should sing by day/When every goose is cackling, would be thought/No better a musician than the wren."
Thus, in this scene, the nightingale's song is likened to that of a crow or lark, and it is suggested that the context in which a bird sings (i.e., the time of day and the presence of other birds) affects how its song is perceived. The nightingale's song is used as a metaphor for the idea that true value or beauty is often overlooked or undervalued when compared to more showy or attention-grabbing things.
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Frequently asked questions
The phrase is from Act 5, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice".
Nerissa said this in Act 5, Scene 1 of "The Merchant of Venice".
This phrase is used to compare a good deed in a cruel world to a candle shining in the darkness, suggesting that the impact of a good deed can be diminished by more prominent forms of glory.
In the play, Portia and Nerissa are waiting outside for their husbands to return. They are sitting in the moonlight and listening to music. Nerissa then says, "When the moon shone we did not see the candle," referring to the candle's light being obscured by the moon's brilliance.
After Nerissa's remark, the music stops, and Portia and Nerissa hear the voice of Lorenzo, who announces the arrival of Portia's husband.
