ICSE Class 9 Answered

Shylock refers to himself as Jacob and Antonia as Uncle Labon. When Jacob and Laban entered into an agreement, it was decided that Jacob would receive lambs born with spots or stripes as his wages. Being the cleverer one, Jacob, during the breeding season, arranged the wooden rods in such a way that the shadows of the rods should fall on the sheep. He did this because he was of the opinion that newborns look like whatever their mother sees during mating. Consequently, most of the lambs were born spotted or stripped, and thus, they became Jacob’s property. Thus, by referring himself as Jacob, Shylock thinks he can outsmart Antonia in business.