The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice is a complex play blending comedy with serious themes of justice, mercy, and prejudice. It centers on a merchant who borrows money from a Jewish moneylender with a dangerous condition attached, while also following a romantic plot involving a clever heroine.

• 1Antonio borrows money from Shylock to help his friend Bassanio court Portia
• 2Shylock agrees to lend the money on condition that Antonio forfeits a pound of flesh if he defaults
• 3Bassanio wins Portia's hand by choosing the correct casket in her father's test
• 4Antonio's ships are reported lost, making him unable to repay Shylock
• 5Portia disguises herself as a lawyer and argues that Shylock can take flesh but not blood
• 6Shylock is defeated and forced to convert to Christianity; Antonio's ships return safely

• •Justice versus mercy
• •Prejudice and discrimination
• •The value of love versus money
• •Appearance versus reality
• •Revenge and forgiveness
• •Religious and ethnic conflict

• Antonio: The merchant who risks his life for his friend
• Shylock: The Jewish moneylender seeking revenge
• Portia: The wealthy heiress who cleverly saves Antonio
• Bassanio: Antonio's friend who courts Portia
• Jessica: Shylock's daughter who elopes with a Christian
• Gratiano: Bassanio's talkative friend

• Written around 1596-1598 during Elizabethan England
• Reflects anti-Semitic attitudes common in Shakespeare's time
• Venice was a major trading center and symbol of wealth
• Jews were expelled from England in 1290, only returning in the 1650s
• The play challenges audience sympathy in complex ways

• Analyze Shakespeare's presentation of Shylock as both villain and victim
• Examine the theme of justice versus mercy in the trial scene
• Discuss how the play portrays prejudice and discrimination
• Consider Portia's role as a strong female character who outwits men
• Explore the contrast between Christian and Jewish characters