The Merchant of Venice - Write about the four main characters in act 1.

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Kerry Ogden        English Coursework-

        Merchant of Venice

The merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays because Shylock is a famous character in Shakespeare’s plays. This play has got themes like racism and religion. These were popular themes when Shakespeare wrote the play, and people like to hear about them. The merchant in this play is called Antonio. He imports and exports so all of his money went into trading. This play was set hundreds of years ago, 1596.

My task is to write about the four main characters in this act 1.

Antonio is the merchant in this play. He is first introduced when he is sad, “ in sooth, I know not why I am sad.” His means that he s sad but doesn’t know why he is sad. His friends try to comfort him by saying, “your mind is tossing on the ocean.” This means that all Antonio is thinking about is his ships that are in the ocean. Solanio and Salerio give Antonio a lot of reasons for being unhappy but they decide “he is unhappy because he is unhappy.” This tells you that his friends are concerned about him. Solanio tells him, “If worthier friends had not prevented me.” This means Salerio thinks highly of Antonio. Bassanio and Gratiano enter and Salerio, Solanio and Bassanio arrange to meet at dinner. Gratiano speaks non-sense to try to cheer up Antonio. Antonio and Bassanio begin to speak, Bassanio tells Antonio his problems. Bassanio starts to go into great detail about his financial situation when Antonio only wanted to hear about the woman that Bassanio briefly mentioned. Bassanio wants Antonio to do him a favour and lend him some money. Antonio has lent him money before. “ To you, Antonio, I owe the most, in love and in money.” Bassanio told Antonio the reason for him needing the money. This shows how much trust that he has for Antonio. Antonio says that he has, “No doubt that you will be able to borrow money either formally, on my credit, or for friendship sake.”

        They go to Venice to see a moneylender called Shylock. Antonio and Shylock were not friends. Bassanio wanted to lend “3000 ducats” for three months. Shylock sounds like he is not sure. Shylock feels the power he has over Antonio. By delaying giving his financial agreement Shylock says, “Antonio will be bound.” As soon as Antonio enters the room Shylock says, “How like a frowning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Christian.” Antonio doesn’t like shylock, but shylock doesn’t like Antonio because he lends money for free. “ He lends money out gratis.” Shylock is debating whether or not he will lend them the money. Shylock doesn’t have the money to lend Antonio right away. “I cannot instantly raise up the gross of the full 3000 ducats.” Shylock says he will have to go to Tubal, a wealthy Herbal tribe. Shylock says, “ Antonio is a good man.” This means that Antonio is financially secure. Shylock knows a lot about Antonio and his business. We know this because Shylock starts to talk about Antonio’s ships that are out of sea and all of the hazards at sea such as pirates, water hazards, winds and rocks, although he admits that the man Antonio is still sufficient.

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Antonio clearly does not like Shylock. “An evil soul. Is like a villain. This is unlike Antonio’s unusual attitude. We know this because of the way he treats the other characters that we have met. Shylock tells us some of the things that Antonio has done to him in the past. He called him a “Misbeliever a cut-throat dog” and Antonio has “Spat upon my Jewish gabardine. Antonio appears to be a racist. Shylock then says, that “the inverse kindness.” Then Shylock replies, “ this kindness I show.” Shylock will lend the money to Antonio.

        This positive feel is ...

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