merchant of venice content Flashcards
what is antonio’s ocupation
merchant of venice
what is antonio’s mood as the play begins
lugubrious, sorrowful, somber
how do antonio’s friends, Salarino and Salanio, account for antonio’s somber mood at the beginning of the play
they say that he is either worried about his ships, lovesick, or just his nature
bassanio owes antonio money. why does he seek him out to talk to him in Act 1?
to borrow more money so he can court portia
who is portia?
princess of belmont
Fate determined by 3 caskets
what type of play is this
tragic comedy
what are “argosies with portly sail”
huge ships with big sails
what are the two settings of act 1 and what do each represent
rialto - trade bridge in venice- business
Belmont= romance
describe the four suitors that portia mocks and how does she mock him?
German- drinks a lot
english- clothes are from different countries
italian- talks about horse
spanish- has too many personalities
what are the three conditions that the suitors of portia must agree to
never to unfold to anyone= don’t marry
leave immediatly
don’t tell which casket they picked
whom does launcelot leave, and whom does he go to work for
leaves- shylock
goes to-bassanio
what promise does gratiano make to bassanio
Gratiano promises to not go wild/ crazy in belmont
what does jessica compare her house to
hell
who is shylock’s daughter
jessica
how will jessica disguise herself
dresses up like a boy
torch-bearer
who is jessica eloping with
lorenzo
why doesn’t bassanio have his party
he decides to go off and court portia instead because the wind is right for sailing at the moment
which casket does the prince of morroco chose? what is inside?
gold, a skull with a scroll
which casket does arragon choose? what is inside
silver
portrait fo the head of a jester
what is the rialto, and where is it?
trade bridge in venice
two characters are idealized as perfect and pure
antonio and portia
which character is a foil to antonio and portia
shylock- evil, corrupt, concerned with materialistic items and revenge
how is the love of gratiano for nerissa different from teh love of bassanio for portia
physical vs. spiritual
what does belmont represent
beauty, romance, state-of-mind
what “fate” occurs in act 3 that motivates the remaining plot in the play –technical climax
Antonio’s ships sink
bassanio chooses lead casket
give two examples in act 3 that illustrate the theme of appearance vs. reality
Portia and Nerissa tell lorenzo they are going to a monastery to pray
bassanio makes himself appear richer than he is to portia as he chooses a casket
what pound of antonio’s flesh does shylock plan to take
heart
why does shakespeare spend time developing the character of portia
powerful woman figure
wit, speaks well, heroine
when are rhetorical questions used in act 3
when shylocks says his speech of jews, if they are pricked, do they not bleed
what is shylock doing during the court proceeding
sharpening his knife
who is bellario
learned doctor from padua/ lawyer
who is balthasar
the person that portia acts as
what is the duke’s opinion of shylock
he believes that shylock will give mercy at the last minute
why will the duke follow the law
he must not set a precedence for not following the law in the future
what happens to shylock’s money
one half goes to antonio
the other half he keeps but it is in a trust for jessica and lorenzo
what is the subject of portia’s famous speech
mercy
what has a brassy bosom, a heart of flint, and is a stormy adversary
shylock
“you may as well go stand on the beach and bid the main flood bate his usual height” is spoken by Antonio about the futility of trying to stop shylock’s vengeance. Give two other examples t make his point.
Not expect the trees at the top of the mountain to sway in the wind
can’t stop a wolf from attacking a lamb
what is an example that I discussed about a type of castration as a theme
jessice leaving shylock and becoming a Christian renders shylock unable to have Jewish Children
what is the pyhtagorian theory that applies to Shylock
gratiano bleived that the soul of animals infused into men. wolf-shylock
what good news does antonio receive at the end of the play
3 of his ships have arrived
what good news does lorenzo receive
shylock’s inheritance
who is argus and who referred to him in the play
100 eyed person- portia
what is a cuckold
man who has been cheated on
