Merchant of Venice

Question 1

When Shylock suggests a “merry sport” what does he refer to?

Answer 1

If Antonio is unable to pay the loan at the end of three months Shylock is allowed to take a pound of his flesh

Question 2

How does Shylock play to the Jew stereotype?

Answer 2

By suggesting such a horrible condition in the bond

Question 3

Why does Lancelot want to leave Shylock’s service?

Answer 3

He feels like he is going to turn into a Jew is he stays any longer. “My master’s a very Jew. Give him a present? Give him halter! I am famished in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs.”

Question 4

What does Bassanio ask for, from Antonio and why does he need it?

Answer 4

Bassanio asks for money to go to Belmont and court Portia “O my Antonio, had I but the means To hold a rival place with one of them, I have a mind presages me such thrift That I should be questionless be fortunate”

Question 5

Why does Bassanio want to marry Portia and how do we know this?

Answer 5

To gain access to her wealth and beauty. We know this because of Bassanio’s opening description of Portia “In Belmont is a lady richely left, and she is fair, - and fairer than that word- Of wondrous virtues”

Question 6

How does Venice compare to Belmont?

Answer 6

Venice is a harsh masculine place however Belmont is peaceful feminine place

Question 7

Explain what suitors must do to gain Portia’s hand in marriage

Answer 7

They must choose one out of three caskets. One is made out of lead, silver and gold. Each has a different clue to help the suitor. The suitor which chooses the right casket will have passed Portia’s father’s test and will gain her hand in marriage. If they don’t pick the right on they have to swear never to court another lady.

Question 8

Why does Portia follow through his dead father’s wish?

Answer 8

It was proverbially believed that a good man would be divinely inspired when close to death. To disobey or disregard such an utterance was almost sacrilege “ Your father was ever virtuous; and holy men at their death have good inspirations”

Question 9

How does Portia feel about being under her dead father’s power.

Answer 9

She is upset and angry “So is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father. Is it not hard, Nerissa, that I cannot choose one, nor refuse one?”

Question 10

How does the word “good” create tension between Bassanio and Shylock?

Answer 10

Shylock states Antonio is a “good man”. Bassanio takes this as Shylock is judging his friend where as Shylock refers to his financial position.

Question 11

Where do we start to see racial hatred?

Answer 11

When Bassanio offers Shylock to dinner. He says “I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you”

Question 12

What does Shylock say when Antonio enters and what does this imply?

Answer 12

“How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Christian” This implies there is a clear racial hatred between the Jews and Christians

Question 13

Why does Bassanio employ Lancelot?

Answer 13

Bassanio employs Lancelot because of his new found wealth but he also is quite funny when trying to speak like a gentleman

Question 14

How does Jessica describe her house?

Answer 14

“Our house is hell”

Question 15

How does Jessica feel about her father?

Answer 15

She is ashamed to be Shylocks daughter but acknowledges how bad it is to think so “Alack, what heinous sin is it in me. To be asham’d to be my father’s child!

Question 16

What is Lorenzo’s plan to steal Jessica from Shylock?

Answer 16

Have her dressed up as a torchbearer to disguise her so Shylock won’t recognise her as they escape. “Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer”

Question 17

How does Shylock feel about Lancelot leaving?

Answer 17

Shylock is glad he is leaving because it will ruin Bassanio’s wallet even more and Lancelot never did any work for him anyway. “Thou shalt not gourmandize as thou has done with me, And sleep, and snore and rend apparel out.”

Question 18

Why does Shylock eventually go to Bassanio’s party?

Answer 18

To make him poorer “To one that I would have him help to waste his borrow’d purse”

Question 19

Which casket does the Prince of Morocco choose?

Answer 19

The gold casket

Question 20

What is Shylock’s reaction when he finds out his daughter has run away?

Answer 20

He is extremely upset and angry and it quickly becomes apparent that he equally or is even more angry about Jessica stealing his money than Jessica running away at all ““My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter, Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter!”

Question 21

What do we here about Antonio’s ventures in Act 2 Scene 8?

Answer 21

One of his ships have sunk in the English Channel “there miscarried a vessel of our country richly fraught. I thought upon Antonio when he told me”

Question 22

Which casket does the Prince of Arragon choose?

Answer 22

The silver casket

Question 23

What does the “hath not a Jew” speech imply?

Answer 23

That Christians and Jews are equal and are affected by the same things. This then leads onto Shylock saying if a Christian wrongs a Jew then the Jew will revenge. Exactly what he will do to Antonio

Question 24

How does Jessica anger Shylock even more?

Answer 24

She is spending the money she took from him recklessly and has traded a ring which belonged to her mum for a monkey. “One of them showed me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey”

Question 25

Which casket does Bassanio choose?

Answer 25

Bassanio chooses the lead casket and wins Portia and all her belongings “This house, these servants, and this same myself are yours, my lord’s”

Question 26

How does Portia seal the marriage?

Answer 26

With a ring that states “ I give them with this ring, Which when you part from, lose, or give away, Let it presage the ruin of your love, and be my vantage to exclaim on you”

Question 27

What happens after Bassanio and Portia become engage?

Answer 27

Nerissa and Gratianio announce their engagement

Question 28

What does Salerio give to Bassanio and what does this make him do?

Answer 28

Salerio gives Bassanio a letter from Antonio which states that he shall die because of the Jew and wishes Bassanio to be at his side before his death. ““Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried. My creditors grow cruel. My estate is very low. My bond to the Jew is forfeit. And since in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and I if I might but see you at my death. Notwithstanding, use your pleasure. If your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.”
This then makes Bassanio come clean about his lack of wealth and tells Portia about the bond

Question 29

Why can’t the duke stop the penalty from happening?

Answer 29

The law within Venice would be breached which would deter traders coming to Venice for work. “The duke cannot deny the course of law. For the commodity that strangers have With us in Venice, if it be denied, Will much impeach the justice of his state, Since that the trade and profit of the city”

Question 30

What does the Duke think of Shylock?

Answer 30

He think that Shylock is horrible and inhumane “A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch, Uncapable of pity, void and empty from any dram of mercy”

Question 31

How do we know that Shylock is adamant that he will have his bond?

Answer 31

He refuses double, triple the amount of money he would have been paid back but also he says “To have the due and forfeit of my bond”, “By my soul I swear there is no power in the tongue of man to alter me”

Question 32

What is Portia’s plan to save Antonio?

Answer 32

To dress up as a man and to take Bellario’s place in court

Question 33

When in court what is the first thing that Portia does? What does this show about Portia?

Answer 33

Portia asks who is the Jew and the merchant which shows that Portia isn’t prejudice. “Which is the merchant here and which is the Jew?”

Question 34

What does Portia then go on to do?

Answer 34

She tries to reason with Shylock but has no success “Then the Jew must be merciful” “My deeds upon my head! I crave the law, The penalty and forfeit of my bond”

Question 35

How does Shakepeare induce comedy into this scene?

Answer 35

By having Bassanio and Gratiano wishing their wives away to save Antonio with them in the room. “Antonio, I am married to a wife Which is as dear to me as life itself. But life itself, my wife, and all the world Are not with me esteemed above thy life. I would lose all—ay, sacrifice them all Here to this devil—to deliver you.”

“I have a wife, whom I protest I love. I would she were in heaven, so she could Entreat some power to change this currish Jew.

Question 36

How does Portia stop the forfeit?

Answer 36

She says that the bond doesn’t include any allowance for any drop of blood and if Shylock cut a weight of a hair more he dies. “Tarry a little. There is something else.
This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood.
The words expressly are “a pound of flesh.”
Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh,
But in the cutting it if thou dost shed
One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are by the laws of Venice confiscate
Unto the state of Venice.”

Question 37

How does things turn even worse for Shylock?

Answer 37

Portia explains a law of Venice which states “If it be proved against an alien
That by direct or indirect attempts
He seek the life of any citizen,
The party ‘gainst the which he doth contrive
Shall seize one half his goods. The other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the state,
And the offender’s life lies in the mercy
Of the Duke only ‘gainst all other voice.”

Question 38

What does the Duke do in response?

Answer 38

He pardons Shylock of death “That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit. I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it”

Question 39

What are Antonio’s conditions?

Answer 39

Shylock becomes a Christian and when he dies, all he possess goes to Lorenzo and Jessica “Two things provided more: that for this favor
He presently become a Christian;
The other, that he do record a gift
Here in the court, of all he dies possessed,
Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter”

Question 40

Bassanio offers Portia anything for her services as judge but what does Portia choose and what implications are there?

Answer 40

Portia chooses his ring which she gave him. This then causes an argument back at home however it is very funny for the audience. “Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him; give him the ring and bring him if thou canst unto Antonio’s house. Away, make haste”

Question 41

How do we see Portia’s character after she steals the ring?

Answer 41

She is quite mischievous but also very independent