Question

read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of julius caesar.
portia. brutus is wise, and, were he not in health,
he would embrace the means to come by it. . . .
you have some sick offence within your mind
which by the right and virtue of my place,
i ought to know of. and upon my knees,
i charm you by my once - commended beauty,
by all your vows of love, and that great vow
which did incorporate and make us one,
that you unfold to me, your self, your half,
why you are heavy, and what men tonight
have had resort to you—for here have been
some six or seven, who did hide their faces
even from darkness.
what is the best summary of this monologue?

• portia says that if brutus were simply sick, he would do something to get better. as his wife, he has made a promise to her, and she pleads with him to tell her what is on his mind. she also inquires about the men who were sneaking around their house.
• portia pleads with brutus and says that she deserves to know what is wrong.
• portia reminds brutus that she owes it to him to be honest when she is worried and to treat him like his other half.
• portia tells brutus that his body is healthy. she reminds him that, as his wife and other half, she will stick by him, no matter what happens.

Explanation:

To determine the best summary, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The excerpt doesn't have Portia inquiring about the men sneaking around as a main plea; her focus is on Brutus' mind. Eliminate.
• Option 2: Portia pleads with Brutus, stating she (as his wife/rightful partner) deserves to know his troubles (the "sick offence" in his mind) and about the men who came to him. This matches the excerpt's content (mentioning his mental state, her place to know, and the men).
• Option 3: The excerpt is Portia asking Brutus to be honest, not her owing honesty to him. Misinterprets the direction. Eliminate.
• Option 4: The excerpt's focus is on her wanting to know his thoughts/troubles, not just sticking by him. Eliminate.

Answer:

The correct option is the second one: Portia pleads with Brutus and says that she deserves to know what is wrong.