The Merchant of Venice Study Guide Name: ______________________________ Hour ____ Shakespeare gets contract story from Italian novel collection by Ser Giovanni Fiorentino circa 1558. “Pound of flesh” story occurs as early as 1378. Casket plot appeared in Greek romances—is used as a means of a test. Act I 1. What important background information is established in the first scene? 2. Does Shakespeare intend the audience to view Bassanio as a spendthrift and a “gold digger”? 3. Why‚ in
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The Merchant of Venice Essay Throughout The Merchant of Venice‚ there are a variety of ways in which the characters view wealth. Their views on wealth shape the play. Different characters view wealth in extremely different ways. Shylock’s life is centered around wealth‚ Bassanio views wealth as extreme power‚ while Antonio balances wealth and love greatly. Shylock’s view on wealth is rather extreme. He values only money‚ and not family. After Jessica runs away Shylock states‚ “I would my daughter
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in the play? The play ‘Merchant of Venice’ is about a man called Bassanio who needs another loan of his good friend Antonio. He guarantees a loan of the Jew‚ Shylock. Shylock is both the villain and the victim in this play. He is the villain when he sees the opportunity to take revenge on Antonio for the way he has treated him and makes a bond to take a pound of his flesh. His anger is fuelled even more when his daughter runs away and steals his money to go marry a Christian. In the end Shylock is
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In the Shakespeare’s play‚ The Merchant of Venice‚ these two inextricably bound terms are portrayed unequivocally. There are three main reasons why hatred was such a focal ingredient to the play: the Anti-Semitism‚ the unacceptability of usury and the personal altercations between the focal characters First and foremost‚ the tensions between the play’s protagonist and antagonist take place primarily due to the cultural notion of Anti-Semitism. In spite of Venice being the multicultural and hence
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Women in "Merchant of Venice" In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice‚ there are many controversies over religion and friendship‚ but the idea of the play that interested me the most was the role of women. The two women that are in this play take on the role of the saviors of the men who seem helpless and hopeless compared to them. Influences of the Radical Feminist Perspective in The Merchant of Venice Angela Caravella 2006 The role that women play within many Shakespearian plays often highlights
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that will not suffice‚ it must appear that malice bears down truth. I beseech thee‚ wrest once the law to your authority: To do a great right‚ do a little wrong‚ and curb this cruel devil of his will. Portia: It must not be. There is no power in Venice can alter decree established. Shylock: A Daniel has come to judgement! O‚ wise young judge‚ how I do honour thee. Portia: I pray you to let me look upon the bond. Shylock‚ there’s thrice thy money offered. Shylock: An oath‚ and oath‚ I have an
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The Merchant of Venice Speech It has been almost four hundred years since Shakespeare completed the last of his plays. His work however continues to be played to sell out audiences still captivating people. His plays are still taught in schools with eager passion. Many people question the relevance of his work and lingering popularity. So what could a playwright from the seventeenth century have absolutely anything to do with a world full of advancing technology‚ fast food and materialistic views
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The Merchant of Venice In The Merchant of Venice‚ William Shakespeare portrays Shylock as a covetous Jew. Shylock charges interest to those who borrow money from him when they are in need. Shylock is mercenary. Shylock’s love for objects overweighs his love for his own daughter. This character trait shows that in Venetian times‚ it was a time of greed and selfishness. In The Merchant of Venice‚ Antonio discriminates against Shylock because he is a Jew. Shylock shows us his human moments –this embodies
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The play Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare has two major themes running through its story. Even though it was written in the late 1500s these themes still have significance today. The main characters of this play are Shylock‚ the Jew‚ who is a money lender charging interest to make living. Antonio is another character of this play and he is a fairly rich merchant. Antonio has a very good friend Bassanio‚ who wants to marry Portia‚ a wealthy woman who is Shakespeare’s heroine. Prejudice
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is “The Merchant of Venice” In William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice‚" there are many themes‚ symbols and words alike which take on a complex and dual nature. Not only can lines in the play be interpreted by the audience in multiple ways‚ they are meant to have multiple meanings. This duality can be seen in the characters as well. Shylock is portrayed as both a victim and a villain and our sense of him evolves as his character is revealed to us as “The Merchant of Venice.”
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