"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 villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. "
- Shylock
jewish
lends money with interest
Angry
Hates Christians
Nota:
"I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. "
- Shylock
" I hate him for he is a Christian;"
- Shylock
"But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon
The prodigal Christian. "
- Shylock
Antonio
Nota:
"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 shall 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 villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. "
- Shylock
pound of flesh
secure the bond
lends money free of interest
wants revenge
Daughter
Jessica
More interested in money than her
Nota:
" I never felt it till now: two thousand ducats in that, and other precious, precious jewels. I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! "
- Shylock
Villain
Antonio
Merchant of Venice
v. wealthy
sad/depressed
Nota:
"In sooth, I know not why I am so sad, It wearies me; you say it wearies you."
- Antonio
accepts this
Nota:
"I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; A stage where every man must play a part, And mine a sad one. "
- Antonio
generous
Portia
v. beautiful
rich
Portia
suitors for husband
bassanio
prefers him to all other suitors
Nota:
" I pray you, tarry, pause a day or two
Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong,
I lose your company: therefore, forbear a while "
- Portia
" I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praise "
- Portia
Bassanio
fortune hunter
Nota:
"In Belmont is a lady richly left,
And she is fair, and, fairer than her word, "
- Bassanio
portia
loves portia
Nota:
" Let me choose; For as I am, I live upon the rack. "
- Bassanio
Other Characters
Gratiano
Salerio
Solanio
Nerissa
Jessica
Shylock's daughter
Lorenzo
In love with Jessica
Act 1
Scene 1
Introduction
characters
Antonio
sad/depressed
Nota:
"I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; A stage where every man must play a part, And mine a sad one. "
- Antonio
unknown
Nota:
"In sooth, I know not why I am so sad, It wearies me; you say it wearies you."
- Antonio
Bassanio
needs money
Portia
Salerio
Solanio
Lorenzo
Gratiano
Antonio's Mysterious Sadness
Scene 2
Characters
Portia
Pampered but Unspoiled
Nerissa
Confidential Companion
A husband for Portia
thinking about suitors
sad/angry
Bassanio
happy
Belmont
Scene 3
Characters
Shylock
villain introduced
hates christians
Nota:
"I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. "
- Shylock
" I hate him for he is a Christian;"
- Shylock
Villain or Victim?
Antonio
Inconsistencies
treats shylock terribly
Nota:
" You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine, "
- Shylock
" To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friends, for when did friendship take
A breed for barren metal of his friend? "
- Antonio
Bassanio
Shylock the Moneylender
Setting/Time Period
Venice
Belmont
1590s/1600s
Themes
Discrimination
Shylock
Love
Bassanio and Portia
Lorenzo and Jessica
Antonio and
Bassanio
Appearance vs. Reality
Caskets
Act 2
Scene 1
characters
morocco
Nota:
"Mislike me not for my complexion"
- Morocco
portia
belmont
first suitor we see
scene 2
joke
clowns
funny
characters
launcelot gobbo
old gobbo
bassanio
scene 3
launcelots farewell to jessica
chracters
jessica
introduced
launcelot
scene 4
a masquerade is planned
characters
salerio/solanio
gratiano
lorenzo
scene 5
characters
shylock
wants jessica safe
Nota:
" Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum
And the vile squealing of the wry-neck'd fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street
To gaze on Christian fools. "
- Shylock