Merchant of Venice
According to Shylock, why does he hate Antonio? Give at least three reasons.
1. He has not paid him back for his loans. 2. He puts him down for being a Jew. (he spit on him) 3. He is a Christian.
What are the plots in the Merchant of Venice?
1.) Loan Plot 2.) Lottery Plot 3.) Elopement Plot 4.) Ring Plot
The Prince of Aragon takes his chance at the casket choosing. There are three things he must swear before choosing. What are they?
1.) Never to reveal the casket he chose (silver) 2.) never to marry anyone else 3) If he chooses wrong, he must leave immediately.
How many times does Shylock use the word "revenge" in his "I am a Jew" speech?
4
Iambic Pentameter
5 beats of alternated stressed and unstressed syllables. 10 syllables per line.
What is a blinking idiot?
A clown or a fool's head.
What is in the gold casket?
A scroll explaining why it was a foolish choice and a skull.
The Duke asks Antonio to give a reward to Balthazar for the positive outcome of the courtroom. What does Bassanio offer? What does he actually want?
Antonio and Bassanio offer the wealth that they just inherited. He actually wants Bassanio's ring.
Why doesn't Antonio think that the Duke can change the bond?
Antonio has already been bound to it.
What is the name of the Kingdom?
Belmont
What was the difference in bonds of Christians and bonds of Jews in the time of Shakespeare?
Christians couldn't lend money with interest, whereas Jews earned good livings as usurers.
What reason does Shylock give for wanting the pound of Antonio flesh?
For his own humor. Antonio swore to have the due and forfeit of his bond.
Once Shylock can no longer have the penalty of his bond, what does he ask for?
He asks Antonio to pay the bond thrice and to let him go.
What request does Antonio make in his letter to Bassanio?
He asks for all of his debts to Bassanio to be cleared.
Why does Antonio advise his friends to give up attempting to dissuade Shylock?
He couldn't pay him back and he agreed to this bond. He is going to die.
The Duke tells Shylock that he will show him the difference between a Christian and a Jew. What does he do to show Christian mercy?
He gives half his wealth to Antonio and the other half to the state.
How does Lorenzo feel about Jessica?
He loves her and sees her as wise, fair, gentle, and true.
How does Lorenzo plan to disguise Jessica in order for her to escape from her father?
He plans on dressing her up like a man, making her unrecognizable. Specifically, she'd be a torch bearer.
What news does Tubal the messenger bring?
He said that Antonio's ships have wrecked and that Jessica is carelessly spending her father's money.
Before going to dine with Antonio and Bassanio, what advice does Shylock give to his daughter?
He tells her that he doesn't want Christians in their house or lives. He doesn't want her to look outside and he is concerned about his money.
How does Lancelet treat his father "Gobbo?"
He treats him with disrespect and strictly lays with him for laughs. He takes advantage of his father's blindness.
Why is Portia angry with her deceased father?
He wants her to marry and pick from men that she does not like
What is Antonio's final curt challenge to Shylock?
He wants him to lend him the money if not as a friend, then as an enemy. This way he would have to face the consequences if he couldn't pay it back.
Why does Bassanio want Antonio to lend him more money?
He wants to woo Portia and he needs money to do so.
Salarino asks Shylock what he would do with a pound of Antonio's flesh if Antonio was forced to pay the forfeit of the bond. What does Shylock first say he would use Antonio's flesh for?
He would use it for fish bait.
Why does The Prince of Morocco fear he will be rejected before he has a chance to choose a casket?
He's scared that Portia will not like his skin color.
Why doesn't Portia want Bassanio to pick the correct casket right away?
If he chose incorrectly, he would have to leave her.
How does Portia prevent Shylock from taking Antonio's flesh?
If he took less or more than a pound, he would be in trouble. If he shed blood, he'd be in trouble. He was already in trouble for plotting the death of another man.
What happens if Gratiano and Bassanio lose their wedding rings?
If they lose their rings, the woman in the marriage is superior to the male. Bassanio would rather die than lose his ring.
Why does Bassanio pick the lead casket?
Lead moves him more than eloquence.
What is Jessica and Lorenzo's plan?
Lorenzo will go to Jessica's house, where she will be disguised as a page and steal Shylock's fortune. Then, they will run away and elope.
Why does the Prince of Morocco pick the gold casket?
Many men desire to have gold just as many men desire to have Portia.
How do Portia and Nerissa disguise themselves in Venice?
Portia-Balthazar the lawyer Nerissa-another man
Usury
Practice of lending money and charging high interest. Unethical for Christians.
How is Jessica using the money she stole from her father? What does she do that hurts him the most?
She bought a monkey with his turquoise and spent four score ducats in one night. Shylock said he would rather have her dead with his wealth in her coffin.
What does Portia say as the Prince of Morocco leaves?
She essentially said that people of his skin color are typically wrong in their decisions.
How does Jessica view her father, Shylock?
She is ashamed to be Shylock's daughter and says that her house is hell, implying that Shylock is a devil to society.
How does Jessica feel about Lorenzo?
She is deeply in love with Lorenzo and her love is blind. Her love is worth all the pain (she's a Jew, he's a Christian)
What is the meaning of Portia's song to Bassanio?
She is not only hinting that she loves him but she is also hinting that it is the lead casket by trying to rhyme it with the word "bread."
After marrying Bassanio, what does Portia suggest that she will do to help Antonio?
She says that she will pay double the bond.
After the agreement has been made, Shylock moves quickly to get the money. Why?
Shylock wants the three months to begin as soon as possible because he really wants to hurt Antonio.
What does Solanio tell Salarino he hears about Shylock once he knows his daughter has eloped with a Christian and a good deal of his money?
Shylock wants to find her so he can serve her justice for marrying a Christian and stealing his wealth.
State Shylock's terms for the bond. How does he explain Bassanio's reluctance to let Antonio sign such an agreement on his behalf?
Shylock will lend Antonio 3000 ducats and must be paid back within three months. If he cannot, he can take one pound of flesh off of Antonia. Bassanio doesn't want Antonio signing this because he is risking his own life if he can't pay him back.
Why does Bassanio not pick the silver casket?
Silver is too pale and common.
Why does Shylock believe the Duke must enforce the terms of the bond?
The Duke is of the state.
Who does Portia as Balthazar initially conclude that Shylock's bond must be adhered to?
The devil of his will [Shylock]
What was in the silver casket?
The portrait of the blinking idiot.
The terms of choosing the correct casket are made more challenging. What is another specific issue with choosing incorrectly?
The prince will never be allowed to speak to Portia or any woman in terms of marriage again. He also must leave the kingdom immediately.
What do Portia and Nerissa think of Bassanio?
They like him but they think that he is poor.
What causes do Salerio and Solanio suggest for Antonio's melancholy at the beginning?
They suggest that it is because Bassanio longs to be married and that he is in great debt from his ships being at sea.
Why does Nerissa tell Portia she "need not fear" her unwelcome suitors?
They want to marry her. Nerissa is her lady in waiting and poor from that and would much rather be in Portia's place than her own.
What does the Duke request of Shylock?
To lower the debt and let Antonio go
What was the penalty that Antonio asked for against Shylock?
To stand indebted in love and sevice
Blank verse
Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter.
To make way for their plan, where do Nerissa and Portia say they will go? Who is left in charge of Belmont?
Venice. Lorenzo.
Why does Bassanio not pick the gold casket?
gold is too frivolous and only fools would pick it (hard food for Midas)
Argosy
large fleet of ships
Bond
obligation made binding by giving of money
Ducat
standard gold coin (Pre WWI Europe, introduced in 1284)
