Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice Act IV Reading Questions

1. The duke opinionated what he thinks of Shylock by referring to him as “inhuman” and “uncapable of pity, void, and empty.” The Duke is not happy about Shylock wanting a pound of Antonio’s flesh and the Duke feels that Shylock will not feel bad for Antonio. 2. Antonio wants to “make no offers and use no farther means.” Antonio is grateful for what everyone has done for him, but he wants to move on with the trial so he can “have judgement” and so Shylock may get “his will”, Antonio’s flesh. 3. The Duke thinks that Shylock is doing this just to be cruel, so he thinks that regardless of anything, Shylock will accept nothing but “a pound of this poor merchant’s flesh.” 4. Shylock says “he’ll not answer” why he prefers Antonio’s flesh over three thousand ducats except that he has sworn on having “the due and the forfeit of his bond.” 5. When Bassanio tried to argue with Shylock, he says that shylock is being cruel and that even though he hates him, there is no reason to kill him. Antonio tells Bassanio that his efforts are useless, saying, “You may as well do anything almost as hard as to seek to soften that- than what’s harder?- His jewish heart: so, I beg you, make no more offers, use no farther means.” 6. Shylock uses the analogy of having slaves to make a point because he points that once you buy a slave, its property. Same case with Shylock he gave Antonio three thousand ducats so the pound of flesh is his. He says, “The slaves are ous: --- so do I answer you. The pound of flesh, which I deman if him, is dearly bought; ‘til mine, and I will have it.” He will refuse to set human property free. 7. Antonio responds to Bassanio’s words that he will not shed a drop of blood for his sakes by saying, “I am a poisoned, castrated ram of the flock, most ready for death; the weakest kind of fruit.” Antonio means that he is a weak man that’s probably not worth saving. 8. As Shylock resists the remarks and bargains they try to make with him, Gratiano says its impossible to get with him due to his cruel self, also that a “hangman’s axe, bear half the keenness of thy sharp envy.” 9. Portia starts to say that “The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as a gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath.” She is basically saying that things happen sometimes like rain falling, it just happens. She says that mercy looks better on a king, and its placed higher up on a scale. “It is attribute to god himself;” and “it is enthroned in the hearts of kings;” Praying for mercy teaches to show mercy itself. 10. Shylock responds to Portia’s request of showing mercy to Antonio by going against it. He doesn’t want to show mercy to Antonio since he has never been shown mercy himself. He sees it as an opportunity to get his revenge. 11. The first condition Portia gives Shylock that he must fulfill in taking a pound of Antonio’s flesh is that he cannot shed any of his blood when he is taking the flesh. If there is blood shed, Shylock will be killed. 12. Shylock’s response to this condition is that he decides that he just wants to take the money instead but Portia says he has to take the pound of flesh since he made such a big deal about having his bond. He can’t back down because of the condition. 13. The second condition that Shylock has to obey from the bond is that he has to get exactly a pound of flesh from Antonio. He can’t get any more or less than a pound, and if the balance becomes the slightest bit uneven, even by a hair, Portia tells Shylock that he will die. 14. ‘ 15. ‘ 16. Portia asks Bassanio to give her his ring. Bassanio is reluctant to give it up because Portia made him sear to never part with it so long as he lives and loves her. She does this to him as a test to see how much he really loves her over Antonio. 17.