English- The Merchant of Venice
About:
● Written by william Shakespeare
● Written in 1596 and 1598
● It is a comedy
● Set in Venice
Characters:
● Shylock- a greedy Jewish moneylender in Venice and is renowned as
charging high interest rates on the money he lends leading him to be very
unpopular. Petiole such as Antonio curse and spit at him because they see
the way he makes his money as immoral.
● Portia- She is an intelligent, witty and ruthless woman who is the main focus
of the play. She is bound by her fathers will to marry who is says so. She is
friends with Nerrisa, who is her lady in waiting, Antonio, who is Bassanio’s
friend which makes him and Portia friends and Bassanio, who was her suitor
and ends up being her husband.She risks everything to defend Antonio shows
independence and in the end forgives Bassanio. At the start of the play, she
is tied down by a patriarchal society but breaks free and finds her
independence by pretending to be Balthazar the layer.
● Antonio- a good friend of Bassanio’s and is a merchant in Venice. He is
portrayed as honest, loyal and generous. He wisely invested his money in
cargo scarred amongst many ships but his best friends Bassanio is in need of
3000 ducats. To solve this problem, he lends the money of Shylock and
Shylock demands that if the money isn’t payed back within three months,
Antonio owes him one pound of his flesh. Throughout the play we see him
change from melancholy, then passionate as he declares his love for
Bassanio and would die for him and at the end of the play he is
● Bassanio- He is a nobleman in Venice and Antonio’s best friend. He appears
to be spendthrift and lighthearted.
Plot:
1. Bassanio ask Antonio for a loan.
2. Portia is bound by her fathers will and canning marry who she chooses.
3. Shylock lends the money to Antonio with conditions.
4. Jessica , Shylock’a daughter runs away from home to be with her boyfriend
Lorenzo.
5. Antonio’s investments sunk and Shylock demands he is to be arrested.
6. Bassanio wins Portia to be his wife.
7. Portia, disguised as Balthazar the lawyer, saves Antonio from his bond from
Shylock.
8. Bassanio argue over the loss of the wedding ring.
Theme:
There are many themes that run throughout the play. The main ones include money,
love and justice.
About:
● Written by william Shakespeare
● Written in 1596 and 1598
● It is a comedy
● Set in Venice
Characters:
● Shylock- a greedy Jewish moneylender in Venice and is renowned as
charging high interest rates on the money he lends leading him to be very
unpopular. Petiole such as Antonio curse and spit at him because they see
the way he makes his money as immoral.
● Portia- She is an intelligent, witty and ruthless woman who is the main focus
of the play. She is bound by her fathers will to marry who is says so. She is
friends with Nerrisa, who is her lady in waiting, Antonio, who is Bassanio’s
friend which makes him and Portia friends and Bassanio, who was her suitor
and ends up being her husband.She risks everything to defend Antonio shows
independence and in the end forgives Bassanio. At the start of the play, she
is tied down by a patriarchal society but breaks free and finds her
independence by pretending to be Balthazar the layer.
● Antonio- a good friend of Bassanio’s and is a merchant in Venice. He is
portrayed as honest, loyal and generous. He wisely invested his money in
cargo scarred amongst many ships but his best friends Bassanio is in need of
3000 ducats. To solve this problem, he lends the money of Shylock and
Shylock demands that if the money isn’t payed back within three months,
Antonio owes him one pound of his flesh. Throughout the play we see him
change from melancholy, then passionate as he declares his love for
Bassanio and would die for him and at the end of the play he is
● Bassanio- He is a nobleman in Venice and Antonio’s best friend. He appears
to be spendthrift and lighthearted.
Plot:
1. Bassanio ask Antonio for a loan.
2. Portia is bound by her fathers will and canning marry who she chooses.
3. Shylock lends the money to Antonio with conditions.
4. Jessica , Shylock’a daughter runs away from home to be with her boyfriend
Lorenzo.
5. Antonio’s investments sunk and Shylock demands he is to be arrested.
6. Bassanio wins Portia to be his wife.
7. Portia, disguised as Balthazar the lawyer, saves Antonio from his bond from
Shylock.
8. Bassanio argue over the loss of the wedding ring.
Theme:
There are many themes that run throughout the play. The main ones include money,
love and justice.
