The Merchant of Venice

Reader’s Notes Name Gleb Mackevich Date 01.15.22

Author William What three facts should I know?

Shakespeare 1…. wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets.
2…. Shakespeare was born 23rd April 1564 and Shakespeare died on 23 April
1616.
3…. William Shakespeare's plays have been performed all over the world for
the past 400 years.
Context; Cultural and historical facts:
historical notes 1….
2….
3….
Extract 1 Shylock: To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will
feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half
a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned
my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated
mine enemies, and what's his reason? --I am a Jew. Hath not a
Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses,
affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same
weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same
means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as
a Christian is? 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? If we are like you in the rest,
we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what
is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what
should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge.
The villany you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard
but I will better the instruction.

Unknown words Withal, disgraced, hindered, scorned, mocked, thwarted, bargains.

3 useful 1. If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If
expressions or a you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not
quote to revenge?
memorise 2. “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses,
affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same
weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and
summer as a Christian is?
3. If we are like you in the rest,
we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what
is his humility?
What do you I have learned that Shylock believes his only recourse is revenge, and he blames
learn from Christians for teaching him revenge by example. And that it’s a quite bad
Shylock’s recourse. And that People are defined by actions, not by race. It also show us
speech? collective consciousness of humanity—our unified need to be respected and
counted.
Extract 2 What if my house be troubled with a rat,
And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats
To have it baned? What, are you answered yet?
Some men there are love not a gaping pig,
Some that are mad if they behold a cat,
And others when the bagpipe sings i’th’ nose
Cannot contain their urine; for affection,
Mistress of passion, sways it to the mood
Of what it likes or loathes. . . .
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus
A losing suit against him. Are you answered?
Unknown words Bagpipe, lodged, loating.
A useful Some men there are love not a gaping pig,
expression or a Some that are mad if they behold a cat,
quote to And others when the bagpipe sings
memorise
What do you I learned when people get angry they want to revenge and will do everything to
learn from do it, they even kill sometimes.
Shylock’s
speech?
Extract 3 The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

Unknown words Droppeth, blesseth, sceptre, sceptred.

a useful The quality of mercy is not strained.It droppeth as the gentle rain from
expressions or a heavenUpon the place beneath.
quote to Usually people with crown or scepter have high level of temporal power, but in
memorise extract 3 it says that mercy is above everything, above any scepter or some king
of that, it is an attribute of God himself.
 What do you Portia’s later actions demonstrate that she is vindictive and lacking in both
learn from justice and mercy
Portia’s speech?
Extract 4 JESSICA
I am never merry when I hear sweet music.
LORENZO
The reason is, your spirits are attentive:
For do but note a wild and wanton herd,
Or race of youthful and unhandled colts,
Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud,
Which is the hot condition of their blood;
If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound,
Or any air of music touch their ears,
You shall perceive them make a mutual stand,
Their savage eyes turn'd to a modest gaze
By the sweet power of music: therefore the poet
Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones and floods;
Since nought so stockish, hard and full of rage,
But music for the time doth change his nature.
The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils;
The motions of his spirit are dull as night
And his affections dark as Erebus:
Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music.
Unknown words Nought, stockish, hath.
a useful The man that hath no music in himself,
expressions or a Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
quote to
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils
memorise
What do you There’s nothing so brutish or stubborn or angry that music won’t soften it for a
learn from while. The man who has no music in his soul, who isn’t moved by the harmony
Lorenzo’s of sweet sounds, is fit only for treasons plots and trouble-making.
speech?

The merchant of Venice

Answer the questions
1. What is Antonio concerned about?
Because he is quite busy and he always think about his money and business.
2. Why is Antonio sad?
Antonio sad, worried about his goods. Antonio was shown sad in the beginning of the play to actually
set the play in motion and to fulfill the proverb that 'coming events cast their shadows before.

3. What do you think about Antonio?

Antonio best friend was Bassanio and he can do anything for him. so signed that bond with Shylock a
very clever man before goods were ready to transport. he was very arrogant and overconfident but
this overconfidence backfired as his ship sanked and as a Result he lost the bond.

4. What does Bassanio want from life?

Bassanio tells Antonio about his financial debt. He explains how he has been living the high life,
°°spending money frivolously, but now wants to pay off his debts honorably. 

5. How does he intend to get it?

He wanted to merry Portia, because she is rich and he thought that he could get money from
that.
6. What are your thoughts about Bassanio?
Bassanio takes his risks in the realm of love and desire. Bassanio chooses shrewdly when faced with
the riddle of the caskets. So actually, I like this type of person.

7. What is the reason for Portia’s concern?

Portia is worried that her husband Brutus is out of bed and comes to find him. She has noticed a
change in his behavior and wants to know what is worrying him as it is stopping him from eating,
talking or sleeping. 

8. What are her best qualities?

Portia is beautiful, gracious, rich, intelligent, and quick-witted, with luxury lifestyle and high
standards

9. Why does Portia forgive Bassanio?

When Bassanio begs Portia for forgiveness, Antonio yet again offers his whole self to support
Bassanio. And Antonio tells Portia that he will forfeit his soul if Bassanio ever betrays her again. 

10. Do people like Portia exist in real life?

I think yes, because people like money and rich people its in their blood, so as Portia is very rich. Also,
she is quite pretty and it is also an aspect which is really important to most of the people.

11. Is Bassanio the sort of man Portia's father would have chosen?
I don’t think so, is Portia’s father will find out about his debts, problems with money and his reason
for marrying her , I think he won’t choose him.

12. What are Shylock's various reasons for hating Antonio and seeking revenge?
Shylock explains his enmity for Antonio. He has a bias against Antonio as a Christian and hates him
even more for Antonio's practice of lending money without interest, undermining Shylock's usury
business. Shylock wants revenge for years of Antonio's mistreatment.

13. Do you think that Shylock’s anger is justified? Is his bond fair?
Probably yes, first of all Antonio insulted him and called him a dog in front of everyone,
secondly, he spat on him and abused him, calling him thief too, if I were him, I would be
angry at least, maybe even tried to do revenge.
14. What would Shylock do if he could cut that pound of flesh? Would he be satisfied?
Why?/why not?
Maybe he would do it, his anger to Antonio is so huge, he even would kill him, Shylock is a
grasping but proud and somewhat tragic figure, and his role and Shakespeare's intentions
continue to be the source of much discussion. His qualities are strong as well. And he would
be satisfied as well, because it’s just his quality.
15. What do we learn from Shylock and Antonio?
I learned that we don’t need to pay attention to such people like Antonio, sometimes they are
annoying but it will pass your life and you will be satisfied with it.
16. What do we learn from Portia?
I have learned that I don’t need to trust anyone. I don’t need to give any second chances, it
can be insidious plan, like Bassanio had.
17. What do people need to stop hatred?
I think they need equality, today we have such a situation, that shows us what we need to stop
hatred, but we don’t have it so there are wars everywhere because inequality.