The scene serves to highlight the dual nature of Lancelot Gobbo, the play’s clown. Lancelot opens the scene by declaring his mischievous nature: “the fiend gives me more friendly counsel [than my conscience]” (Shakespeare 24). Having resolved to leave Shylock, he then encounters his father, whom he proceeds to tease after realizing Old Gobbo does not recognize him. Relentless in his desire to make fun of people, Lancelot keeps pressing his own father, ultimately telling the old man that “the young gentleman […] is indeed deceased” (Shakespeare 25). However, Gobbo still does not recognize or disbelieve him, lamenting that Lancelot was his sole support. At this point, Lancelot shows his more positive side, deciding to drop the act and reveal himself to his father. While he feels no remorse for his actions, he knows when to stop and shows genuine respect and love, taking a knee to receive Old Gobbo’s blessing. Through this demonstration of familial loyalty, Shakespeare makes Lancelot more likable and helps the audience sympathize with his later misadventures.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. Edited by A. R. Braunmuller, Penguin Publishing Group, 2017.