Merchant of Venice Flashcards
Key quotes from key scenes
Act 1 Scene 3
Shylock’s feelings towards Antonio
Theme of Revenge
“I hate him for he is a Christian.”
“If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge which I bear him”
Act 1 Scene 3
Theme of Prejudice
“You call me misbeliever, cut throat dog and spit upon my Jewish Gaberdine”
“I am as like to call thee so again”
Act 1 Scene 3
Summary
Antonio and Bassanio come to Shylock to take out a loan. We learn about Antonio’s and Shylock’s history
- bond plot begins
Act 2 Scene 5
Shylock interacts with Jessica
Themes of Prejudice and Revenge
-foreshadowing
“They flatter me, but yet I’ll go in hate, to feed upon the prodigal Christian.”
“There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest,
for I did dream of money bags tonight.”
Act 3 Scene 1
Salerio and Solanio mock Shylock over his daughter running away.
Themes of Prejudice and Revenge
“If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”
“I’ll plague him, I’ll torture him. I am glad of it.”
Act 3 Scene 2
Theme of False Appearances
Casket Lottery
Bassanio guesses the correct casket. Him and Portia are engaged.
“So many the outward shows be least themselves. The world is still deceived with ornament.”
“I feel too much thy blessing, make it less, for fear I surfeit.”
Act 3 Scene 2
Portia talks about her opinion of Shylock
Theme of Revenge
“Never did I know a creature that I did bear the shape of man so keen and greedy to confound a man,”
Act 4 Scene 1
Climax
Court Scene
Theme of Revenge and Prejudice
“Do all men kill the things they do not love?”
“I pray you think you question the Jew. You may as well go stand upon the beach and bid the main flood bate his usual height.”
Act 4 Scene 1
Theme of Mercy
Antonio is ready to accept defeat and forfeit his life
“I am a tainted wether of the flock, meetest for death.”
“It is twice blest; it blesseth him that gives and him that takes.”
Antonio and Bassanio’s relationship
Act 1 Scene 1
“To you, Antonio, I owe the most in money and in love, And from your love I have a warranty
to unburden all my plots and purposes”
“My purse, my person, my extremist means
Lie all unlocked to your occasions.”
Act 1 Scene 1
Foreshadowing
Play opens with Antonio feeling down but not knowing why
“In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.
It wearies me, you say it wearies you;”
Act 1 Scene 3
Bond plot begins
- Key scene
Theme of revenge
“And if you repay me not on such a day…let the forfeit be nominated an equal pound of your fair flesh.”
Act 2 Scene 2
Theme of prejudice
Lancelot speaking
“Certainly the Jew is the very devil incarnation;”
Act 3 Scene 1
Salerno and Solanio taunt Shylock over the loss of his daughter.
Upon the discovery of the sinking of Antonio’s fleet he reminds the men of the Bond Plot (motivation revealed)
Theme of Revenge
Salerio asks Shylock why he wants Antonio’s flesh
“If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.”
Act 3 Scene 3
Approaching Climax
Antonio is pleading for mercy & Shylock drops this bar
Theme of Revenge, Theme of Mercy
“Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause;
But since I am a dog, beware of my fangs.”
