Antonio is the merchant of Venice, he’s waiting for his boats to arrive home, and until then he’s not got any money.

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Merchant of Venice assignment

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  Antonio is the merchant of Venice, he’s waiting for his boats to arrive home, and until then he’s not got any money.

  Antonio has got a friend called Bassanio who wants to get married to Portia; who lives at Belmont and is a rich heiress. Unfortunately Bassanio hasn’t got enough money to look good enough for Portia so goes to Antonio asking for a loan, but Antonio ahs no money because al of his money is tied up at sea at the moment. Antonio agrees to lend some money off another merchant named Shylock, Shylock agrees to lend the money on one condition, there was a bond saying that if the money is not paid back within a certain date a pound of Antonio’s flesh will be taken from him by Shylock. Bassanio marries Portia, but during the wedding celebrations news comes in the Antonio’s ships have gone missing at sea and he is now in prison waiting for the courtroom to declare if the pound of flesh will be taken. Secretly Portia is going to be Antonio’s advocate in court, but she has to dress up as a man because women were not allowed to go to be advocates in Shakespearian times. Portia argues that to get his pound of flesh he will also get blood, and blood was not stated in the bond. The judge agrees with Portia, the punishment of Shylock will be to share all of his wealth with Antonio and become a Christian and for his daughter to be put back into his will. At the end of the story Portia does not reveal her true identity and Antonio hears news that his ships have not been lost at sea and are arriving home soon.

The merchant of Venice was based on another play that was written by Phillip Marlow and was called The Jew of Malta. In William Shakespeare time, Jews was hated by all Christians, and what made it worst for the hatred of the Jews, was a Jewish doctor called Rodrigo Lopez that served Queen Elizabeth 1st tried to kill the queen by poison, but failed. When the play the merchant of Venice came out, in 1597, the height of the hatred for the Jews, all the Christians wanted to go and see it, because it beholds a Jewish merchant that gets what’s coming to him.

    In Act one Scene one, we meet Antonio one of the Merchant of Venice, but he appears to be unhappy for which is not made clear to the reader or the audience, we think it is about the ships which he put his entire money into. He has a friend called Bassanio, who has fallen in love with a rich heiress called Portia who he thinks the world of as stated near the end of this scene But Bassanio needs to borrow some money from Antonio because he doesn’t want to ask her to marry him if he is poor. Although Antonio is a merchant, all of his riches is tied up in trade, and has none to lend to Bassanio. Antonio has to borrow the money himself to lend to Bassanio which shows true friendship as he seals his fate. “Antonio: To raise a present sum, therefore go fourth try what my credit can in Venice do.” “Solanio: Here comes Bassanio you’re most noble kinsmen, Gratiano, Lorenzo. Fare ye well, we leave you now with better company.” These words of Solanio and Solerio where they stress the dangers and worries of being in Antonio’s position and very prophetic. Although these two characters, Solanio and Solerio are not important to the play, they are a great use for the audience; they tell what can happen in the play, helping some of he audience to understand what is happening, and assist the play to develop. In this case they let the audience know that Antonio is rich, and a successful merchant, but that all his wealth is at risk at sea, “Antonio: Thou know’st that all my fortunes are at sea, neither have I money nor commodity.”

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  Antonio is the Merchant of Venice; the opening seen shows him to be sad. The audience will think why is he sad? “Antonio: In sooth I know not why I am sad.” It is a dramatic device used by Shakespeare to set the initial mood of the play. Most likely he is sad because he knows the relationship he has with Bassanio is about to be upset because of his plans to marry Portia. Despite the fact the play is named after him, he plays a very small but important part. He illustrates or shows his love or friendship ...

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