6th primary

The Merchant of Venice

By William Shakespeare
Chapter 1
MARRIAGE

THEME
LOVE FRIENDSHIP

WEALTH SACRIFICE JUSTICE

 Characters
 Antonio: A wealthy and respected merchant.
 Bassanio: A close friend to Antonio.
 Portia: a beautiful, rich, clever woman from Venice.
 Shylock: A Jewish moneylender.
 Jessica: Shylock’s daughter.

 Summary of chapter 1

Antonio who is a very respected and wealthy merchant in Venice who had
a close friend called Bassanio, Bassanio needed money lend money from
Antonio because he wanted to go and marry the love of his life ‘Portia’.
Unfortunately, all the money that Antonio had was in ships at the sea so he
went with Bassanio to a cruel , miser and greedy moneylender called
Shylock to ask a loan from him . Shylock really despised Antonio so he
agreed but with a (Joke) he will lend Antonio 3000 coins but if he didn’t

1
6th primary

return it within the three months he will have a pound of flesh from
Antonio from any part of the body and so Antonio agreed although
Bassanio didn’t feel comfortable about this agreement. Jessica who is
Shylock’s daughter really hates her father so much because he mistreated
her and never said thank you although he made her do all the house
chores, never allowed her to go out and he made her wear her dead’s
mother clothes because he didn’t want to give her any money.

 Questions:

1. Describe Portia.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

2. Why did Shylock despise Antonio?

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

3. How did Bassanio feel about the deal between Antonio and Shylock?

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

2
6th primary

4. Compare between Shylock and Antonio

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

5. What did the contract that Antonio signed state?

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

6. ’’Don’t worry, my friend.’’ P.7 Comment.

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

7. ‘’ Don’t agree to this.’’ P.9

a) Who said these words? To whom?

b) Why did the speaker said those words?

c) what does the speaker mean by ‘this’?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

3
6th primary

8. Shylock was so cruel to his only daughter Jessica. Justify.

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

9. ’’Look. Let’s be friends.’’ P.8 Comment.

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________