The Merchant of Venice Love Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line). Line numbers correspond to the Norton Shakespeare edition.

Quote #10

LORENZO
Beshrew me but I love her heartily,
For she is wise, if I can judge of her,
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true,
And true she is, as she hath proved herself.
And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,
Shall she be placèd in my constant soul. (2.6.54-59)

Lorenzo gives us a rare mention of love here that has nothing to do with money or religion.

Quote #11

SOLANIO
I never heard a passion so confused,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets.
"My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!
Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!
Justice, the law, my ducats and my daughter.
A sealèd bag, two sealed bags of ducats,
Of double ducats, stol'n from me by my daughter.
And jewels—two stones, two rich and precious
   stones—
Stol'n by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl!
She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats."
SALERIO
Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
Crying "his stones, his daughter, and his ducats." (2.8.12-23)

It seems Shylock's love is divided between his daughter and his money. (Or at least that's how Solanio is representing him.) Still, he bumbles in his speech in an uncharacteristic way (à la "O my Christian ducats"), so we have reason to believe he is in shock and irrational. 

He is stunned because Jessica has doubly betrayed him—both as her father and as a wealthy man. Shylock appears at this moment to be broken, confused, and grasping at something. He can either seem comically bumbling and preoccupied with money, or genuinely disturbed by this strange betrayal. Either way, Shylock is confusing his grief over his missing daughter with his ducats, but we don't think this is any time to be judging him. If anything, it's a pretty pivotal breaking point for him.

Quote #12

SERVANT
Madam, there is alighted at your gate
A young Venetian, one that comes before
To signify th' approaching of his lord,
From whom he bringeth sensible regreets;
To wit, besides commends and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value. Yet I have not seen
So likely an ambassador of love. (2.9.2)

The servant reports that a charming, dashing man has shown up (likely Graziano) to announce the impending arrival of another charming, dashing man (likely Bassanio). Clearly, Bassanio is going there under false pretenses, wearing the false trappings of a wealth that don't belong to him. He'll proclaim love, and may even feel it, but his main motivation is that Portia is rich.