mov summary Flashcards
1.1
The play opens with Antonio, a Venetian merchant, sharing with his friends Salerio and Solanio that he feels ‘sad’, but does not know why. His friends suggest that he is either worried about his ships, which are ‘tossing on the ocean’ and full of valuable goods, or that he is ‘in love’. Antonio rejects both of these ideas and Salerio and Solanio leave when Bassanio, (Antonio’s ‘noble kinsman’) arrives. Bassanio admits to Antonio that he has run out of his own money and is in need of resources so that he can go to Belmont and woo Portia, an heiress. Antonio commits to helping Bassanio and promises that he will find someone to lend him the money, which he will then give to Bassanio.
1.2
In Belmont, the heiress Portia and her waiting woman and friend Nerissa discuss the intriguing ‘lottery’ that Portia’s father devised before his death. Portia is unable to choose her own husband and instead any suitor wishing to marry Portia must pick one of three caskets. One is made of lead, one of silver and one of gold. If the suitor chooses the casket that holds a portrait of Portia, then they win her hand in marriage. Portia and Nerissa discuss the men who have recently visited Belmont on this quest and Portia wittily dismisses them all as unappealing, until Nerissa reminds her of when she once met ‘a Venetian, a scholar and a soldier’, who both ladies agree is ‘the best deserving a fair lady’.
1.3
Back in Venice, Bassanio meets Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, from whom he asks for a loan of ‘three thousand ducats for three months’. In return, Antonio shall be ‘bound’ to repay the loan. In an aside to the audience, Shylock admits that he hates Antonio for numerous reasons. When Antonio arrives, Shylock reminds him of how badly he’s been treated by Antonio in the past (‘you call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog’), although he does agree to lend Antonio the money.
However, if Antonio does not repay him by the appointed day then Shylock will cut off a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Bassanio doesn’t want his friend to agree to this, although Antonio is confident that his ships will have returned ‘a month before the day’ and so he’ll be able to repay Shylock. Antonio agrees to ‘seal unto this bond’.
2.1
In Belmont, the Prince of Morocco tries to woo Portia and asks her not to disregard him on account of his dark ‘complexion’. Portia reminds the Prince that she cannot choose her own husband, but instead she will be won by whoever succeeds in the task left by her father. The Prince asks her to lead him to the caskets immediately. Portia tells him that they will go after dinner and that before he chooses he must swear to never marry anyone at all if he chooses the wrong casket.
2.2
‘The Clown’, Lancelet Gobbo, delivers a speech in which he admits that he is considering running away from his master, Shylock. He says Shylock is a ‘fiend’ and a ‘kind of devil’. He comes to the conclusion that he ‘will run’, but is stopped by the arrival of Old Gobbo, his blind father. Old Gobbo asks Lancelet for directions towards Shylock’s house. Lancelet plays a trick on his father by pretending to be someone else, giving Gobbo the wrong directions and pretending that Lancelet is dead. When he finally reveals to his father who he is, Gobbo shares his decision to leave Shylock.
Bassanio then enters and Lancelet asks if he can serve him instead. Bassanio has already agreed to this previously, but he confirms it and also agrees to let his friend Gratiano come to Belmont on the condition that he tames his usually wild and rude behaviour.
2.3
Shylock’s daughter Jessica says goodbye to Lancelet, who she is very sorry to see leave. She asks him to deliver a letter to Lorenzo, who she knows is having supper at Bassanio’s later and gives him some money. Lancelet bids her a tearful farewell. Jessica then admits that she is ‘ashamed’ to be her father’s daughter and that she hopes her beloved Lorenzo will stick to his promise of marrying her so she can become ‘a Christian’ and his ‘loving wife’.
2.4
Lorenzo and his friends (Salerio, Solanio and Gratiano) discuss their plan to disguise themselves as masquers and help Jessica to escape from Shylock’s house. Lancelet delivers Jessica’s letter to Lorenzo, who gives Lancelet money and asks him to tell Jessica that he ‘will not fail her’. Lorenzo shares the contents of Jessica’s letter with Gratiano, which says she’ll be dressed as a page and has money and jewels that she’ll bring with her.
2.5
Shylock instructs Lancelet to use his eyes to be the ‘judge’ of the difference between himself and Bassanio before calling for Jessica. He informs her that he is going out for supper, gives her the keys to the house and tells her to ‘look to [his] house’ and ‘lock up [his] doors’. Shylock is aware that a masque will be taking place that night, but he also there is some ‘ill a-brewing’ as he dreamt ‘of money bags tonight’, which he considers to be a bad omen.
2.6
Gratiano and Salerio arrive at Shylock’s house, as instructed by Lorenzo. They are concerned that he is late since they think lovers are usually particularly punctual as they are keen to ‘seal love’s bonds’. When Lorenzo eventually arrives he calls up for Jessica, who appears disguised as a boy. She is embarrassed about her clothes, but Lorenzo reassures her that it doesn’t matter and she needs to come straight away. She throws down a casket of money, before going to fetch more ducats and then exits with Lorenzo and Salerio. Antonio arrives and finds Gratiano. Antonio tells Gratiano that he must sail to Belmont with Bassanio tonight as ‘the wind is come about’.
2.7
In Belmont Portia shows the three caskets to the Prince of Morocco. He must choose either the gold one (which bears the inscription ‘who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire’), the silver (with the inscription ‘who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserve’) or the lead (‘who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath’). He deliberates and then picks the gold. When he unlocks the casket the Prince discovers a skull and a scroll with the warning ‘all that glisters is not gold.’ He is so ‘grieved’ that he leaves immediately.
2.8
Salerio tells Solanio that Bassanio and Gratiano have left on a ship and that he is sure that Lorenzo is not on it. Solanio describes how Shylock and the Duke of Venice went to search Bassanio’s ship, but arrived too late. He also scathingly reports Shylock’s response to the discovery of Jessica’s elopement, who he says cried ‘My daughter! O, my ducats! O, my daughter!’ in the streets. Solanio expresses his hope that Antonio returns Shylock’s money on time as he’s worried that ‘he shall pay’ if not. Salerio’s concern stems from the news that a ship possibly holding some of Antonio’s goods has been lost at sea.
2.9
The Prince of Aragon is in Belmont to try and win Portia’s hand in marriage. She shows him the three caskets and reminds him of the terms of the challenge. The Prince considers the options and picks the silver one. When he opens the casket he discovers ‘the portrait of a blinking idiot’ and swiftly takes his leave.
A messenger arrives and tells Portia that ‘a young Venetian’ is at the gate and that he has brought ‘gifts of rich value’. Both Portia and Nerissa are curious to see who it is and Nerissa hopes that it is Bassanio.
3.1
Solanio and Salerio discuss the news that another of Antonio’s ships has been lost. Shylock arrives and accuses them of being complicit in Jessica’s elopement. They insult him and ask if he has heard the news about Antonio’s ‘loss at sea’. Shylock cares only that Antonio will ‘look to his bond’. Salerio doubts that Shylock will go through with taking Antonio’s flesh and asks what it would be ‘good for?’
Shylock replies with ‘to bait fish’ and once again explains how terribly Antonio has treated him in the past, which leads him to ask ‘what’s his reason?’ and point out that although he is of a different religion to Antonio, he also has ‘hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions’ and is just as much of a human being as a Christian; ‘if you prick us do we not bleed?’ One of Antonio’s messengers then arrives to summon Solanio and Salerio. Shylock and Tubal discuss the ring Jessica now has, which belonged to her late mother. Shylock tells Tubal how valuable it is to him.
3.2
Back in Belmont, Bassanio is about to choose one of the caskets, but Portia asks him to ‘pause a day or two’ so that she won’t ‘lose [his] company’ if he chooses wrong. She admits that she could teach him how to pick the correct casket, but is reluctant to do so as then she would be ‘forsworn’. Bassanio is desperate to make his choice immediately since the present state of uncertainty is as torturous as being ‘upon the rack’. Portia calls for music to play whilst Bassanio makes his decision. Bassanio deliberates and then opts for the lead casket, in which he discovers Portia’s portrait. Both Portia and Bassanio are overjoyed that he chose correctly. Portia kisses him and gives him a ring, which if he loses will ‘presage the ruin of [his] love’. Gratiano then asks Bassanio if he is allowed to marry as he has fallen in love with Nerissa. Bassanio agrees to the match.
Lorenzo, Jessica and Salerio then arrive and give Bassanio a letter. In the letter Bassanio discovers that all of Antonio’s ‘ventures failed’ and he explains to Portia that he had no wealth of his own, but borrowed money from Antonio, his ‘dearest friend’. Salerio and Jessica explain that Shylock is now determined to ‘have Antonio’s flesh’. Portia offers to pay Shylock double what Antonio owed and after hearing Antonio’s letter, urges Bassanio to travel swiftly to his friend.
3.3
Antonio is in jail and Shylock obsessively repeats that he will have his bond. Solanio doubts that the Duke will let Shylock go ahead with claiming the pound of flesh, but Antonio is convinced that ‘the Duke cannot deny the course of law’. He sends Solanio away and prays that Bassanio will come and visit him.
