Wednesday, September 19 Merchant of Venice 1.1 and 1.2

Coming up: vocabulary quiz Merchant of Venice 3 on Thursday, September 27
  In class: Please take out your notebooks.




Merchant of Venice digital text
You tube link to the play:   today's time for Act 1. Scene 2 and 3., act 1, scenes 1 and 2 
Act 1, scene 2 begins at 12:15; Act 1, scene 3 begins at 18:25.

Act 1, scene 1 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Antonio seems to have it all. Why, then, is Antonio so sad? Why doesn’t he know
the cause of his sadness? What guesses do Solanio and Salerio have about the
causes of his depression? What lifts his depression?
2. What has Bassanio come to tell Antonio?
3. Why does Bassanio set his sights on Portia? What stands in his way? How does
he plan to overcome those barriers?
4. Bassanio lives well beyond his means. Why, then, does Antonio continue to lend
him money willingly, even though Bassanio has yet to pay him back? Would
you lend money to him?
5. What plan does Bassanio have to pay Antonio back?
6. Although he has condemned usury in the past, Antonio doesn’t need much
convincing to go into debt for Bassanio. Why? What would he get out of
granting him the loan?


ACT I, II.
SCENE SUMMARY
In Belmont, Portia complains to her servant Nerissa, that she cannot choose her own
husband; her dead father has stipulated in his will that Portia’s suitors must pass a test in which they must choose among three caskets—one lead, one silver, and one gold—to find which one contains her portrait.

 The one who chooses correctly will
become Portia’s husband and inherit her fortune, but if suitors fail, they may never marry. Portia and Nerissa discuss the faults of suitors who have come and gone, and remember Bassanio as one who might be worthy to be her husband.

ACT I, III.
SCENE SUMMARY
Shylock agrees to lend Bassanio three thousand ducats for three months based on Antonio’s credit but is skeptical, since all of Antonio’s assets are tied up at sea. 

He confesses in an aside that he hates Antonio because he is a Christian who lends money without interest, which makes Shylock’s profession as a moneylender difficult.

 Shylock has also been offended by Antonio’s public physical and verbal assaults against him for usury, which is considered a sin by Christians. When Shylock points out Antonio’s
hypocrisy, Antonio points out he makes the exception for Bassanio, not for himself.

Name _____________________________Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare  

Plot Strand development: As you read the play, you will note the development of the four main plot lines. We will pause and work on these in class. This will help you develop the textual evidence you will need for your final essay on the play.

Directions: for each plot line, (1) begin by identifying the act, scene and relevant text. This must be formatted as follows: (2.2.345-8), as an example. This would your evidence is from act 2, scene 2, lines 345 to 348).  Here’s another example: (3.4.34-36). This means your evidence is from Act 3,scene 4, lines 34-36). NEVER USE PAGE NUMBERS! (2) Once you cite the text, write down the quote.  (3) Next paraphrase the quote. That means put text into your own words. (4) Finally, explain how the plot has progressed through these lines.

pound of flesh plotline	casket plotline	elopement plotline	ring plotline

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Name___________________________________  The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare  character growth graphic organizer

From the following list of characters, choose two whose growth over the play you would like to follow: Antonio, Bassanio, Shylock, Portia, Nerissa, Jessica

For each entry, give the Act, Scene and lines which you are referencing. This is the same format as the plot development organizer. NEVER USE PAGE NUMBERS! Here is a model: (3.5.29-50)  This organizer is bring an understanding to the conflicts and complexities that challenge the individual. Each time there is a development, respond to the following: 1. What conflict is the character facing? What choices must he or she make? Consider whether the conflicts are internal or external? What factors are influencing the character’s actions? Consider historical, social, biological, personal identity. Who will be impacted by this character’s decisions?  End your response with an analysis statement. Make a connection between the character’s actions and how in similar circumstances someone may respond similarly or differently in contemporary society.

Character:	Character:
What is the character’s relationship to the others in the play?	What is the character’s relationship to the others in the play?
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Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

Vocabulary List 2

1)     abridge (verb): to shorten by omission while retaining the basic content.

2)     appropriation (noun): the act of appropriating – to take for oneself (often without permission) 

3)     forfeit: 

a.     (verb): to lose or be deprived of 

b.     (noun): a penalty for learning

4)     imposition(noun): an overly burdensome demand or command.

5)     imputation (noun): the act of imputing – to attribute or ascribe.

6)     melancholy (noun): a gloomy state of mind, depression.

7)     prodigal (adjective): Wastefully or recklessly extravagant, spending unnecessarily 

8)     profound (adjective): very great/important, when a person or statement has great knowledge/insight.

9)     squander (verb): to waste something in a reckless/foolish manner

10)  supposition (noun): an uncertain belief, hypothesis, something supposed