"Not on thy sole but on thy soul, harsh Jew, / Thou mak'st thy knife keen."
— Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Date
1600
Metaphor
"Not on thy sole but on thy soul, harsh Jew, / Thou mak'st thy knife keen."
Metaphor in Context
BASSANIO
Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?
SHYLOCK
To cut the forfeit from that bankrupt there.
GRAZIANO
Not on thy sole but on thy soul, harsh Jew,
Thou mak'st thy knife keen. But no metal can,
No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness
Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?
(IV.i.120-5)
Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?
SHYLOCK
To cut the forfeit from that bankrupt there.
GRAZIANO
Not on thy sole but on thy soul, harsh Jew,
Thou mak'st thy knife keen. But no metal can,
No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness
Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?
(IV.i.120-5)
Categories
Provenance
HDIS
Citation
Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works. Oxford Shakespeare. Electronic Edition for the IBM PC. Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor, Editor.
Date of Entry
08/11/2003
