Merchant of Venice- Scene by Scene summary & analysis

Merchant of Venice - Scene by Scene summary & analysis Act I, Scene One Antonio, a merchant, is in a melancholic state of mind and unable to find a reason for his depression. His friends Salerio and Solanio attempt to cheer him up by telling him that he is only worried about his ships returning safely to port. Antonio, however, denies that he is worried about his ships and remains depressed. His two friends leave after Bassanio, Graziano and Lorenzo arrive. Graziano and Lorenzo remark that Antonio does not look well before exiting, leaving Bassanio alone with Antonio. Bassanio informs Antonio that he has been prodigal with his money and that he currently has accumulated substantial debts. Bassanio reveals that he has come up with a plan to pay off his obligations by marrying Portia, a wealthy heiress in Belmont. However, in order to woo Portia, Bassanio needs to borrow enough money so that he can act like a true nobleman. Antonio tells him that all his money is invested in ships at sea, but offers to borrow money for him. Act I, Scene Two Portia, the wealthy heiress, discusses her many suitors with her noblewoman Nerissa. She points out the faults that each of them has, often stereotyping each suitor according to the country from which he has arrived. Nerissa, a gentlewoman who works for Portia, asks her if she remembers a soldier who stayed at Belmont several years

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Explore the conflicting responses, which the character of Shylock provokes in the audience. How does Shakespeare achieve this effect? Do you think Shylock is a victim or a villain?

Explore the conflicting responses, which the character of Shylock provokes in the audience. How does Shakespeare achieve this effect? Do you think Shylock is a victim or a villain? Written sometime between 1596 and 1598, The Merchant of Venice is classified as both an early Shakespearean comedy and as a problem play; it is a work in which good triumphs over evil, but serious themes are examined and some issues remain unresolved. In the play, Shakespeare wove together two classic folk tales, one involving a vengeful, greedy creditor trying to take a pound of flesh, the other involving a fight for the hand of a rich princess with a correct choice among three chests and thereby winning his companion. Shakespeare's writing of the first tale centres on the Jewish moneylender Shylock who seeks a literal pound of flesh from his Christian opponent, the generous, faithful Antonio. In Shakespeare's A Merchant of Venice, the character Shylock provokes conflicting responses in the audience. Throughout the play, Shylock is portrayed as being a greedy, malicious and bitter man, who is hated for his religion and his money lending. However, the audience is still able to recognise an injustice in the way he is treated. Shylock is shunned from society, principally because of his Jewish background. Therefore, the audience have conflicting feelings towards the character. Shakespeare achieves

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"The Merchant of Venice" was offered to Shakespeare's audience as a comedy. What problems does presenting the play to a modern audience present in portraying the character of Shylock?

English Coursework Gerhard Ruspi 7098 The Merchant of Venice "The Merchant of Venice" was offered to Shakespeare's audience as a comedy. What problems does presenting the play to a modern audience present in portraying the character of Shylock? "The Merchant of Venice" is a story of love and hate, power, control and inequality. It evolves around Shylock, a rich Jew moneylender who lives in Venice and Venetian Christians, which have constantly abused and humiliated Shylock. The moneylender tricks Antonio, one of his abusers, to sign a bond that will entitle him to one pound of his flesh if he doesn't pay back the money he borrowed in three months. Antonio borrowed this money to lend it to his friend Bassanio who needs it to try for the hand of Portia, a rich and beautiful heiress. After Shylocks daughter, Jessica runs away with a Christian and Bassanio wins Portia's hand, news come that Antonio's ships have been destroyed and he isn't able to pay Shylock in time. The spiritually wounded Shylock wants revenge and demands a pound of Antonio's flesh but Portia turns the tables on him during the court hearing. He not only doesn't get a pound of Antonio's flesh but half his wealth is confiscated by the venetian state and he's forced to become a Christian, the very thing that humiliated and reduced him. The reason Shakespeare's work is so popular today is that he

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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'How does Shakespeare present Shylock to the audience as both a stereotype and a complex character?'

'How does Shakespeare present Shylock to the audience as both a stereotype and a complex character?' The merchant of Venice is about a Christian merchant called Antonio; he is well respected and highly thought of. His friend Bassanio needs some ducats and Antonio being the caring friend that he is, lends money from Shylock, a Jewish usurer. Antonio makes it clear to Bassanio that if he can't afford to pay him back, then he doesn't have to. Shylock has had abuse from Antonio and the other Christians, just because he was a Jewish usurer. Shylock is abused throughout the play for example he was spat on and called names, both examples of physical and verbal abuse. So, when Antonio is in need of money he goes to Shylock, we would've thought Shylock would be reluctant to help Antonio, but Shylock has an ulterior motive. He knew that Antonio had ships at sea and that if those ships sunk, Antonio would have no matter to pay back the loan. Shylock decides that if Antonio doesn't pay back the 3,000 ducats that he lends him in three months, and then he is entitled to one pound for Antonio's flesh. This will obviously kill Antonio. Antonio hates having to lend this money, but he is desperate to help his friend and Shylock knows that he is in a strong position. An audience of the time would at this point perceive Shylock as a callous Jew. However, an audience of today would understand

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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The Merchant of Venice.

This is a play that, in spite of the change of manners and prejudices, still holds undisputed possession of the stage. Shakespeare's malignant has outlived Mr. Cumberland's benevolent Jew. In proportion, as Shylock has ceased to be a popular bugbear, "baited with the rabble's curse," he becomes a half-favourite with the philosophical part of the audience, who are disposed to think that Jewish revenge is at least as good as Christian injuries. Shylock is a good hater; "a man no less sinned against than sinning." If he carries his revenge too far, yet he has strong grounds for "the lodged hate he bears Antonio," which he explains with equal force of eloquence and reason. He seems the depositary of the vengeance of his race; and though the long habit of brooding over daily insults and injuries has crusted over his temper with inveterate misanthropy, and hardened him against the contempt of mankind, this adds little to the triumphant pretensions of his enemies. There is a strong, quick, and deep sense of justice mixed up with the gall and bitterness of his resentment. The constant apprehension of being burnt alive, plundered, banished, reviled, and trampled on, might be supposed to sour the most forbearing nature, and to take something from that "milk of human kindness," with which his persecutors contemplated his indignities. In all his answers and retorts upon his

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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English - Merchant of Vencice

English coursework on the Merchant of Venice The Merchant of Venice is renowned for having a great amount of conflict between the two main characters, Shylock and Antonio. This famous conflict is shown in the very early scenes of the play, through language, actions and reactions towards other characters. The first character we are introduced to is Antonio. He seems sad and lost. "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad: It wearies me; you say it wearies you." The audience has immediate sympathy for Antonio's character, for if the first character the audience meets is miserable, the audience has no previous knowledge of why he is gloomy nor if he deserves to be in this state of mind. Thus resulting in the audience already picking a side within the first two lines of the play. The second line of this speech shows how close Antonio is to his friends. He does not care why he is sad, only that it is affecting his friends. These are qualities of a hero. We must also take into account that the play was written in the 16th century. At this point in time it was thought, by the general public, that the faith of Christianity was the 'correct' belief. The religion of Britain at this time was mainly Christian, and the audience of the play would be Christian as these were the people who could attend a play. The audience would already know that Antonio was a Christian thus giving them a

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Should I Feel Sympathy For Shylock Carstens denied doggiejoy's structuration idea.

Should I Feel Sympathy For Shylock Carstens denied doggiejoy's structuration idea. This question could be answered in many different ways; Shylock is indubitably the most complex character in 'The Merchant of Venice' in my opinion. The name of the play 'The Merchant of Venice' is derived from the character of Antonio, (a merchant from Venice), who many consider to be the lead part in the play; I however do not think that the play has a lead role, but rather there are many large parts including Antonio and Shylock. b1AP Visit coursework dd in dd fo dd for dd more hypothesis dd Do dd not dd redistribute b1AP 'The Merchant of Venice' is split into four separate parts: the bond between Shylock and Antonio (the pound of flesh), the winning of Portia by Bassanio, the elopement between Jessica and Lorenzo and the rings (the love test). These last two, however, are not exactly large parts of the story. Shylock is only a part of the bond section with references and small appearances in the elopement section. Carstens enveloped doggiejoy's marxism idea. As I mentioned earlier, Shylock is a complex character, at some points it is difficult to feel any sympathy at all for him, but at other times you cannot help but feel at least a little sorry for him. The main theme of 'The Merchant of Venice' appears to be the prejudice that the Christian religion had on the Jews. The Elizabethan

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shylock: Victim or Villain?

Shylock: Victim or Villain? How Would an Elizabethan Audience's Response to Shylock Differ from that of a Modern Day Audience? Discuss how a Modern Day Actor could portray his Role and Character in Order to Show the Audience how you understand his Role and Personality. `The Merchant of Venice' was written by William Shakespeare in around 1596. Many things have changed since this time, and I look at many of these things in my essay. The story has, from what I can see, four main strands: The bond between Shylock and Antonio: The caskets to aid Portia's chance husband: Jessica and Lorenzo's fairy tale love story: The love test of the rings. Antonio, a merchant from Venice with much of his money out at sea, helps out his good friend Bassanio with a loan from the vicious Jewish moneylender, Shylock. This way, Bassanio can get to Belmont and woo the well sort after Portia for her fortune. Shylock being the evil, bloodthirsty man that he appears to be, puts together a bond stating that if Antonio doesn't have his money in time, a pound of flesh will be Shylocks. Meanwhile the selection of Portia's future husband lies in the hands of fate as two men select a casket to open to try and discover Portia's portrait. Both fail. Bassanio however, does not; he has won Portia. But Portia hears about Antonio's financial trouble, as he has not the money to pay off the

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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The Merchant of Venice is a racist play - Discuss

7th October 2002 Sophia Morris11JPL/D1 The Merchant of Venice is a racist play - Discuss Introduction Racism is the belief in the innate superiority of one race over another, this is shown numerous time in Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice. In this play the racism is mainly said about Shylock or is from Shylock's mouth, the audience is made to see two sides Shylock, the villain and the victim. In this essay I will try to show both sides of the argument. Shakespeare has generally made this a racist play, but does include a famous speech on Shylock's part, which contradicts the belief that, in the end the Christians were superior. I think that the audience is made to feel that Shylock got what he deserved in the end, as he is just a selfish money-lender who delights in the prospect of cutting a pound of flesh from someone who has, in the past mistreated him. He is shown to be a bloodthirsty fiend armed with a knife who cares more for money and revenge than his own daughter. But when looking closely at Shylock's language we see a fair, more sensitive side to Shylock, Shakespeare uses this to show reasons for Shylock's inhumane behaviour. Shylock is likely to be torn to shreds, emotionally by the society around him, which clouds his view on what's right and what's wrong. Shylock is both tragic and comic, and in some

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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In detail explain how Shakespeare creates and draws out the character of Shylock as ‘The Merchant of Venice’ progresses.

In detail explain how Shakespeare creates and draws out the character of Shylock as 'The Merchant of Venice' progresses. By Kate Graham It is a sad fact that people are scared of anything that seems 'abnormal', anything that they can't or refuse to comprehend. In Elizabethan times this was especially true, different skin colour, language, habits and religious beliefs were disliked by the majority of people. In fact, anything seen as different at all raised suspicion among the people. Jewish people, for having a different religion, were also persecuted. The Jewish were stereotyped as caring only for money, and as they were not allowed to do many different types of work by the establishment, one of the few routes that remained for them to choose was 'usury' or money lending. This the Christians particularly despised because they believed it was a sin to lend money for profit. They also hated the Jews for the belief that it was a Jew who was responsible for Jesus' death. Jews were banned from many countries, and were only readmitted into England if they renounced their faith and joined Christianity. The Jews in Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice' are no exception. They are also hated, despised and persecuted. For this reason, you have to ask the question, is Shakespeare anti-Semitic? Or does he simply pity Shylock? Why, if he is anti-Semitic, did he make Shylock such a

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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