ðə bˈoːɹz ɑːɹ fˈoːɹ mˈɜːtʃənts ʌv vˈɛnɪs, hˌuː ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛnt ðɪ ˈoʊld kənsˈɜːvətˌɪv, pjˌʊɹɹɪtˈænɪkəl tɹɐdˈɪʃən ʌvðə vᵻnˈiːʃən mˈɪdəl klˈæsᵻz, hˌuː ɑːɹ pˈɪɾᵻd ɐɡˈɛnst vˈɛnɪsᵻz "nˈuː fɹɪvˈɑːlᵻɾi".
The 'boors' are four merchants of Venice, who represent the old conservative, puritanical tradition of the Venetian middle classes, who are pitted against Venice's "new frivolity".