In this scene in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice", Portia is reciting why she has refused a variety of suitors. Her comments are meant primarily to show off her wit and education. Interestingly, many of her comments are not focused on the men as individuals but instead on various stereotypes concerning their nationalities. Her actual lines concerning the Scottish lord are:
PORTIA. That he hath a neighbourly charity in him, for he borrowed a box...
In this scene in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice", Portia is reciting why she has refused a variety of suitors. Her comments are meant primarily to show off her wit and education. Interestingly, many of her comments are not focused on the men as individuals but instead on various stereotypes concerning their nationalities. Her actual lines concerning the Scottish lord are:
PORTIA. That he hath a neighbourly charity in him, for he borrowed a box of the ear of the Englishman, and swore he would pay him again when he was able; I think the Frenchman became his surety, and sealed under for another.
First, this comes directly after insulting an English baron for being insular and monolingual. Thus we get a sense that the Scots have the bad qualities of the English made worse by lack of courage and military prowess. The Scot here is being condemned for not standing up to the English and avenging insults to himself/his country.
Secondly, though, the sense of borrowing but not repaying suggests a second stereotype, namely that the Scots are famously thrifty, and thus do not pay their debts.
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