1) Who did Bassanio love?
Bassanio loved Portia; Portia was a wealthy lady as she inherited her father.
Bassanio couldn`t propose marriage to her as he had spent his inheritance
and he became poor, he needed 3000 ducats to propose to her.
2) Why couldn`t Antonio lend Bassanio the money? What did he suggest?
what did this show about Antonio`s character?
Antonio couldn`t lend Bassanio the money because all his money were tied
in goods. He suggested borrowing money and he would be the person who
is responsible to return the money as he had a good credit in Venice. This
showed that he was a helpful person end a true friend.
3) what was Portia`s father`s wish before he died? What was the lottery
system he set?
Portia`s father`s wish was to get married soon based on the lottery
system .he got 3 caskets, he hid Portia`s picture in one of them .the suitors
should choose one, if he chose the casket the that had her picture, he
would marry her
4) Why did shylock and Antonio hate each other?
Shylock hated Antonio as shylock was a Jew, Antonio hated Jews, he
lent people with no interest, he attacked his business and treated him
badly, and he spat on his garments, called him names and kicked him as
a dirty dog.
Antonio hated shylock because he was Jew, lent people money with
high interest and used cruelty in taking back his money.
5) On what condition did shylock agree to lend Antonio the money?
Shylock agreed to lend Antonio and Bassanio the money on condition to
sign a bond which says that if Antonio couldn`t repay the money before
3 months, shylock would cut a pound of his flesh.
6) Why did Antonio agree to sign the bond?
Antonio agreed to sign the bond because he loved Bassanio and wanted
to help him marry Portia, Also was sure that his ships would come back
before 2 months (before the bond expires)
7) Why did Jessica want to escape from Shylock`s house? How did she
escape?
Jessica wanted to escape from Shylock`s house as she wanted to marry
Lorenzo. Jessica was sure that her father wouldn`t agree because
Lorenzo was not a Jew. she planned to escape by dressing up as a boy
and on the festival day, she stole her father`s ducats and jewels to
escape in a boat to marry Lorenzo.
8) What made it easy for Jessica and Lorenzo to escape on that night?
Lorenzo and Jessica chose the day of the celebration for their escape as
J. dressed as a boy, everyone was wearing painted masks, people were
singing. So no one could recognize them.
9) What was written on the three caskets
“Who choose me shall gain what all main desire “was written on the
gold casket
“Who chooses me shall get as much as he deserves “was written on the
silver casket
“Who chooses me must give and hazard all he has “was written on the
lead one.
10) Which box did the prince of Morocco choose? What did he find?
The prince of Morocco chose the gold casket as it was shinning like the
beauty of Portia. He found a scroll of paper written on it “all that glitters
is not gold “
11) What was Shylock`s reaction when he knew that his daughter had
escaped?
When Shylock knew that his daughter had escaped, he was confused as
he lost his ducats, his jewels and his daughter. he felt disgraced as well
because of Jessica`s and Lorenzo` marriage which was against his wish.
He was screaming loudly in the streets of Venice.
12) Which box did the prince of Argon chose? Why? What did he found?
The prince of argon chose the silver box because he was an arrogant man,
the silver casket was written on it “who chooses me shall gain what he
deserves “, ha thought that he deserves the best. he found a portrait of a
clown not Portia`s picture
13) What was the bad news about Antonio?
The bad news about Antonio was that his ships were wrecked and he
wouldn`t be able to repay him the money.
14) Tubal brought some news to shylock. Explain.
Tubal brought some news to shylock. He told him that all Antonio’s
ships were wrecked, he told him that he had seen his daughter in
Genoa and that she had spent 80 ducats in one night.
15) Which box did Bassanio choose? What did he find?
Bassanio chose the leaden box. he found Portia`s picture in it and a
poem congratulating him for his right choice
16) What did Antonio write in his letter to Bassanio?
Antonio wrote in his letter to Bassanio that all his ships had sank and he
had no cash which means that shylock would take a pound of his flesh
which means Antonio’s death. He wanted Bassanio to retort to Venice
to see him for the last time.
17) What did Portia suggest to help Antonio?
Portia suggested marrying Bassanio so he could take 20 times the
money Antonio needed to repay the bond.
18) What was Portia`s plan to save Antonio?
Portia sent to Dr. Bellario asking him for some notes and clothes of a
lawyer and his clerk. She planned to disguise as a lawyer and go to the
court in Venice to defend Antonio. Portia turned the case against
Shylock. Portia told shylock that he had the right to take a pound of
Antonio`s flesh but warned him not to shed ad drop of blood or cut
more or less than a pound of flesh.
19) Portia`s wisdom saved Antonio. Explain.
Portia told shylock that he had the right to take a pound of Antonio`s flesh
but warned him not to shed ad drop of blood or cut more or less than a
pound of flesh. She then turned the case against him and accused him of
planning to kill a citizen of Venice thus, by the law of Venice, shylock should
be sentenced to death and half his goods and lands should go to the state
of Venice and the other half should go to Antonio. shylock wasn`t able to
take Antonio`s pound of flesh and Antonio was saved.
20) Although shylock didn`t show mercy, he was shown mercy. Explain.
In court, the duke asked shylock to show mercy to Antonio. Shylock
refused to show mercy. Portia tried to convince Shylock to show mercy
to Antonio and to take the money Bassanio had offered him. But he
refused. Bassanio offered shylock twice the amount of the bond and
then he offered him ten times the amount of the bond but shylock had
already refused both offers and insisted on taking a pound of Antonio`s
flesh .
However, shylock was shown mercy by the Duke and by Antonio. The
Duke spared his life and gave him half of his goods and lands if he was
sorry for his cruelty. Antonio showed him mercy as he wouldn`t take
half of Shylock`s goods and lands on condition that shylock would sign a
bond giving this half to Jessica and Lorenzo upon his death.
21) What was Shylock accused of? Punishment?
He was accused of planning to kill a citizen of Venice thus, by the law of
Venice, shylock should be sentenced to death and half his goods and
lands should go to the state of Venice and the other half should go to
Antonio.
