A 'preposition' is a word which comes first in position. What comes next? Ans: The preposition's object.
A preposition's object should, by and large, be a noun.
'To' indicates direction. The direction may be towards a place/person/situation/time.
E.g. : to madness.
to Portia.
to church.
How about 'to infinitive'?
The preposition 'to' + a verb's basic form (also called bare infinitive) gives us the 'to infinitive'.
E.g. : to determine.
to discharge.
to undertake.
A preposition should actually have a noun/noun phrase/noun clause as its object. How is it that verbs are following the 'to'?
E.g. : That comes to hazard for my worthless self.
Here hazard is the situation. 'To' is directing towards a situation of 'hazard'. In a way, thus to is followed by the noun hazard. Some interpretors say that 'to infinitive' indicates purpose. Purpose = 'for what?'. The preposition 'for' also gets a noun after it. We, thus, find that a verb gets the force of a noun, when following a preposition.
Gerunds and 'to infinitives' have some similarities. Both can be used as verbal nouns.
E.g. : To err is human.
Erring is human.
She likes to sing.
She likes singing.
I guess, an explanation here. The words 'determine, discharge, undertake' prima facie appear as verbs here, but they have a connotation of a noun.
Classify the following " 'to' + phrases " into 'to infinitives' and others.
To infinitives : E.g.: to change, to render, to determine etc.
Others : E.g. : to dinner, to my heaven, to myself, to himself etc.
Let us now STUDY THE FOLLOWING " 'to' prepositional phrases" from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.
| 20-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 19-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 18-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 17-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 16-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 15-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 14-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 13-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 12-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 11-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 10-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 9-LETTERED-WORDS/PHRASES |
| 1 NERISSA. What say you then ______________ , the young baron of England. |
| 1 But there the Duke was given ______________ That in a gondola were seen together Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica. |
| 2 and he says you are no good member of the commonwealth , for in converting Jews ______________ you raise the price of pork. |
| 1 And , when your honours mean ______________ The bargain of your faith , I do beseech you Even at that time I may be married too. |
| 2 Besides , it should appear that , if he had The present money ______________ the Jew , He would not take it. Never did I know A creature that did bear the shape of man So keen and greedy to confound a man. |
| 3 DUKE OF VENICE. Upon my power I may dismiss this court , Unless Bellario , a learned doctor , Whom I have sent for ______________ this , Come here to-day. |
| 1 yet his means are in supposition: he hath an argosy bound ______________ , another to the Indies. |
| 2 such it is As are those dulcet sounds in break of day That creep into the dreaming bridegroom's ear And summon him ______________. Now he goes , With no less presence , but with much more love , Than young Alcides when he did redeem The virgin tribute paid by howling Troy To the sea-monster. I stand for sacrifice. |
| 3 SHYLOCK. A Daniel come ______________! Yea , a Daniel. |
| 4 I charge you by the law , Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar , Proceed ______________. By my soul I swear There is no power in the tongue of man To alter me. I stay here on my bond. |
| 5 LORENZO. In such a night Stood Dido with a willow in her hand Upon the wild sea-banks , and waft her love To come again ______________. |
| 1 for if he love me ______________ , I shall never requite him. |
| 2 GRATIANO. You must not deny me: I must go with you ______________. |
| 3 GRATIANO. And I must ______________ and the rest. |
| 4 ARRAGON. I am enjoin'd by oath ______________ three things: First , never to unfold to any one Which casket 'twas I chose. |
| 5 A SONG the whilst BASSANIO comments on the caskets ______________ Tell me where is fancy bred , Or in the heart or in the head , How begot , how nourished. |
| 6 and even now , but now , This house , these servants , and this same myself , Are yours- my lord's. I give them with this ring , Which when you part from , lose , or give away , Let it presage the ruin of your love , And be my vantage ______________ on you. |
| 7 ANTONIO. I have heard Your Grace hath ta'en great pains ______________ His rigorous course. |
| 8 This deed will be well welcome ______________. |
| 9 PORTIA. If you had known the virtue of the ring , Or half her worthiness that gave the ring , Or your own honour ______________ the ring , You would not then have parted with the ring. |
| 10 Nerissa teaches me what ______________: I'll die for't but some woman had the ring. |
| 11 There you shall find three of your argosies Are richly come ______________ suddenly. |
| 1 Vailing her high top lower than her ribs To kiss her burial. Should I go ______________ And see the holy edifice of stone , And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks , Which , touching but my gentle vessel's side , Would scatter all her spices on the stream , Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks , And , in a word , but even now worth this , And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought To think on this , and shall I lack the thought That such a thing bechanc'd would make me sad. |
| 2 I take it your own business calls on you , And you embrace th' occasion ______________. |
| 3 SALERIO. We'll make our leisures ______________ on yours. |
| 4 NERISSA. If he should offer ______________ , and choose the right casket , you should refuse to perform your father's will , if you should refuse to accept him. PORTIA. Therefore , for fear of the worst , I pray thee set a deep glass of Rhenish wine on the contrary casket. |
| 5 they have acquainted me with their determinations , which is indeed ______________ to their home , and to trouble you with no more suit , unless you may be won by some other sort than your father's imposition , depending on the caskets. |
| 6 ANTONIO. Shylock , albeit I neither lend nor borrow By taking nor by giving of excess , Yet , ______________ the ripe wants of my friend , I'll break a custom. [To BASSANIO] Is he yet possessed How much ye would. |
| 7 This was a way ______________ , and he was blest. |
| 8 PORTIA. You must take your chance , And either not attempt ______________ at all , Or swear before you choose , if you choose wrong , Never to speak to lady afterward In way of marriage. |
| 9 or , as you would say in plain terms , gone ______________. |
| 10 but let it be so hasted that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock. See these letters delivered , put the liveries ______________ , and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. Exit a SERVANT LAUNCELOT. To him , father. |
| 11 and my suit is- LAUNCELOT. In very brief , the suit is impertinent ______________ , as your worship shall know by this honest old man. |
| 12 Shylock thy master spoke with me this day , And hath preferr'd thee , if it be preferment To leave a rich Jew's service ______________ The follower of so poor a gentleman. |
| 13 If ever the Jew her father come ______________ , It will be for his gentle daughter's sake. |
| 14 SHYLOCK. I am bid forth ______________ , Jessica. |
| 15 Many a man his life hath sold But my outside ______________. |
| 16 SOLANIO. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the Duke , Who went with him ______________ Bassanio's ship. |
| 17 PORTIA. To these injunctions every one doth swear That comes ______________ for my worthless self. |
| 18 How much unlike art thou ______________. |
| 19 But lest you should not understand me well- And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought- I would detain you here some month or two Before you venture for me. I could teach you How ______________ right , but then I am forsworn. |
| 20 First go with me ______________ and call me wife , And then away to Venice to your friend. |
| 21 for your coming in ______________ , sir , why , let it be as humours and conceits shall govern. |
| 22 And if on earth he do not merit it , In reason he should never come ______________. |
| 23 first let us go ______________. |
| 24 thou art come ______________ A stony adversary , an inhuman wretch , Uncapable of pity , void and empty From any dram of mercy. |
| 25 SHYLOCK. I am not bound ______________ thee with my answers. |
| 26 You may as well do anything most hard As seek ______________ that- than which what's harder?- His jewish heart. Therefore , I do beseech you , Make no moe offers , use no farther means , But with all brief and plain conveniency Let me have judgment , and the Jew his will. |
| 27 we do pray for mercy , And that same prayer doth teach us all ______________ The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much To mitigate the justice of thy plea , Which if thou follow , this strict court of Venice Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there. |
| 28 I would she were in heaven , so she could Entreat some power ______________ this currish Jew. |
| 29 I am content , so he will let me have The other half in use , ______________ it Upon his death unto the gentleman That lately stole his daughter- Two things provided more. |
| 30 Exit SHYLOCK DUKE OF VENICE. Sir , I entreat you home with me ______________. |
| 31 NERISSA. Sir , I would speak with you. [Aside ______________] I'll See if I can get my husband's ring , Which I did make him swear to keep for ever. |
