Understanding Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice by Robert A. Albano - HTML preview

than is reasonable. She is becoming bigger (more) because of the baby growing within her.

3. When Lorenzo asks Lancelot to bid their guests to “prepare for dinner,” the clown responds with “they have all stomachs” (41). Lorenzo means that the guests should come to dinner, but Lancelot jokes that the only preparation needed for eating dinner is to have a stomach. Thus, the guests are already prepared for themeal.
4. Lancelot also makes a triple pun with the wordcover: (a) cover the table means to set the table; (b) cover also refers to a hat, a covering for the head; and (c) a cover also refers to a covereddish.

After Lancelot exits, the language of the dialogue becomes poetic once again. Lorenzo comments to Jessica about Lancelot’s play with words:

I do know

A many fools that stand in better place, Garnished like him, that for a tricksy word Defy the matter.(57-60)

Lorenzo is suggesting that a great many people holding positions of respect and authority also use or manipulate language to “defy the matter.” In other words such people twist language around in order to justify their actions and behavior, toact