, Introduction and Authors
William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ contains the themes of friendship, relationships,
tolerance, prejudice, revenge and mercy. These themes are just as relevant today as they were when
the play was written. The play is hugely rewarding both for those who see it performed and those
who read it on the page.
In this exciting collaboration, Andrew Bruff has translated the complete text of the play into modern
English while Kerry Lewis has written the analysis to the GCSE guide, considering key elements of
language, structure and form and context, which are the areas for assessment in all GCSE English
literature courses.
Kerry, who has been a member of the mrbruff.com writing team since May 2014, is author of Mr
Bruff’s guides to ‘Jane Eyre’, ‘Animal Farm’ and Amazon best sellers ‘Mr Bruff’s Guide to Grammar’
and ‘Mr Bruff’s Guide to A Level English Literature’. This is the third study guide that she and Mr
Bruff have written collaboratively—the previous two were GCSE guides to ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Julius
Caesar’. Under the name of Mrs SPaG, she also has a fledgling YouTube channel, dedicated to
spelling, punctuation and grammar: https://www.youtube.com/@mrsspag7580
In addition to his wide range of revision guides, Mr Bruff has a flourishing YouTube channel with
hundreds of videos focusing on GCSE English language and English literature as well as the A levels in
English literature and language. His videos have been viewed over 60 million times across 198
nations—sample them on https://www.youtube.com/mrbruff.
We hope that you find this revision guide useful!
Andrew Bruff Kerry Lewis
Twitter: @MrBruffEnglish Twitter: @Mrs_SPaG
www.mrbruff.com
Copyright
The entire text is copyright © 2022 by Andrew Bruff and Kerry Lewis. No part of this book may be
reproduced, duplicated or transmitted by either electronic means or in printed format without
written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
1|Page
, Contents
1. The Origins of the Play……………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
2. Setting & Contexts…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..6
3. Language………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
4. Structure………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….10
5. Genre……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..13
6. Translation of Act 1, Scene 1……………………………………………………………………………………..……14
7. Analysis of Act 1, Scene 1………………………………………………………………………………………..………20
8. Translation of Act 1, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………….……… 26
9. Analysis of Act 1, Scene 2…………………………………………………………………………………………..……30
10. Translation of Act 1, Scene 3………………………………………………………………………………..……… 33
11. Analysis of Act 1, Scene 3………………………………………………………………………………………..……39
12. Translation Act 2, Scene 1…………………………………………………………………………………………… 44
13. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 1…………………………………………………………………………………….……… 46
14. Translation of Act 2, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………..……… 48
15. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………………………55
16. Translation Act 2, Scene 3…………………………………………………………………………………………… 58
17. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 3………………………………………………………………………………………….… 59
18. Translation of Act 2, Scene 4…………………………………………………………………………………..…… 60
19. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 4………………………………………………………………………………………………62
20. Translation Act 2, Scene 5…………………………………………………………………………………………… 63
21. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 5……………………………………………………………………………………….…… 64
22. Translation of Act 2, Scene 6………………………………………………………………………………..……… 66
23. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 6………………………………………………………………………………………………69
24. Translation of Act 2, Scene 7………………………………………………………………………………..……… 70
25. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 7……………………………………………………………………………………..………73
2|Page
, 26. Translation Act 2, Scene 8…………………………………………………………………………………………… 74
27. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 8……………………………………………………………………………………….…… 76
28. Translation of Act 2, Scene 9………………………………………………………………………………..……… 78
29. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 9…………………………………………………………………………………………..…82
30. Translation of Act 3, Scene 1………………………………………………………………………………..……… 83
31. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 1……………………………………………………………………………………….…… 88
32. Translation of Act 3, Scene 2…………………………………………………………………………………..…… 92
33. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 2……………………………………………………………………………………………102
34. Translation of Act 3, Scene 3………………………………………………………………………………..…… 106
35. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 3…………………………………………………………………………………..……… 108
36. Translation of Act 3, Scene 4………………………………………………………………………………..…… 110
37. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 4……………………………………………………………………………………………113
38. Translation of Act 3, Scene 5……………………………………………………………………………..……… 114
39. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 5……………………………………………………………………………………..…… 117
40. Translation of Act 4, Scene 1……………………………………………………………………………………… 118
41. Translation of Act 4, Scene 1……………………………………………………………………………….………134
42. Translation of Act 4, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………..…… 144
43. Translation of Act 4, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………….……145
44. Translating Act 5 Scene 1…………………………………………………………………………………………… 146
45. Analysing Act 5 Scene 1………………………………………………………………………………………………157
46. Character and Theme: Quotes and Notes…………………………………………………………………..162
47. Example Paragraphs and Comments……………………………………………………………………….….174
3|Page
William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ contains the themes of friendship, relationships,
tolerance, prejudice, revenge and mercy. These themes are just as relevant today as they were when
the play was written. The play is hugely rewarding both for those who see it performed and those
who read it on the page.
In this exciting collaboration, Andrew Bruff has translated the complete text of the play into modern
English while Kerry Lewis has written the analysis to the GCSE guide, considering key elements of
language, structure and form and context, which are the areas for assessment in all GCSE English
literature courses.
Kerry, who has been a member of the mrbruff.com writing team since May 2014, is author of Mr
Bruff’s guides to ‘Jane Eyre’, ‘Animal Farm’ and Amazon best sellers ‘Mr Bruff’s Guide to Grammar’
and ‘Mr Bruff’s Guide to A Level English Literature’. This is the third study guide that she and Mr
Bruff have written collaboratively—the previous two were GCSE guides to ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Julius
Caesar’. Under the name of Mrs SPaG, she also has a fledgling YouTube channel, dedicated to
spelling, punctuation and grammar: https://www.youtube.com/@mrsspag7580
In addition to his wide range of revision guides, Mr Bruff has a flourishing YouTube channel with
hundreds of videos focusing on GCSE English language and English literature as well as the A levels in
English literature and language. His videos have been viewed over 60 million times across 198
nations—sample them on https://www.youtube.com/mrbruff.
We hope that you find this revision guide useful!
Andrew Bruff Kerry Lewis
Twitter: @MrBruffEnglish Twitter: @Mrs_SPaG
www.mrbruff.com
Copyright
The entire text is copyright © 2022 by Andrew Bruff and Kerry Lewis. No part of this book may be
reproduced, duplicated or transmitted by either electronic means or in printed format without
written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
1|Page
, Contents
1. The Origins of the Play……………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
2. Setting & Contexts…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..6
3. Language………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
4. Structure………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….10
5. Genre……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..13
6. Translation of Act 1, Scene 1……………………………………………………………………………………..……14
7. Analysis of Act 1, Scene 1………………………………………………………………………………………..………20
8. Translation of Act 1, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………….……… 26
9. Analysis of Act 1, Scene 2…………………………………………………………………………………………..……30
10. Translation of Act 1, Scene 3………………………………………………………………………………..……… 33
11. Analysis of Act 1, Scene 3………………………………………………………………………………………..……39
12. Translation Act 2, Scene 1…………………………………………………………………………………………… 44
13. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 1…………………………………………………………………………………….……… 46
14. Translation of Act 2, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………..……… 48
15. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………………………55
16. Translation Act 2, Scene 3…………………………………………………………………………………………… 58
17. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 3………………………………………………………………………………………….… 59
18. Translation of Act 2, Scene 4…………………………………………………………………………………..…… 60
19. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 4………………………………………………………………………………………………62
20. Translation Act 2, Scene 5…………………………………………………………………………………………… 63
21. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 5……………………………………………………………………………………….…… 64
22. Translation of Act 2, Scene 6………………………………………………………………………………..……… 66
23. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 6………………………………………………………………………………………………69
24. Translation of Act 2, Scene 7………………………………………………………………………………..……… 70
25. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 7……………………………………………………………………………………..………73
2|Page
, 26. Translation Act 2, Scene 8…………………………………………………………………………………………… 74
27. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 8……………………………………………………………………………………….…… 76
28. Translation of Act 2, Scene 9………………………………………………………………………………..……… 78
29. Analysis of Act 2, Scene 9…………………………………………………………………………………………..…82
30. Translation of Act 3, Scene 1………………………………………………………………………………..……… 83
31. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 1……………………………………………………………………………………….…… 88
32. Translation of Act 3, Scene 2…………………………………………………………………………………..…… 92
33. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 2……………………………………………………………………………………………102
34. Translation of Act 3, Scene 3………………………………………………………………………………..…… 106
35. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 3…………………………………………………………………………………..……… 108
36. Translation of Act 3, Scene 4………………………………………………………………………………..…… 110
37. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 4……………………………………………………………………………………………113
38. Translation of Act 3, Scene 5……………………………………………………………………………..……… 114
39. Analysis of Act 3, Scene 5……………………………………………………………………………………..…… 117
40. Translation of Act 4, Scene 1……………………………………………………………………………………… 118
41. Translation of Act 4, Scene 1……………………………………………………………………………….………134
42. Translation of Act 4, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………..…… 144
43. Translation of Act 4, Scene 2………………………………………………………………………………….……145
44. Translating Act 5 Scene 1…………………………………………………………………………………………… 146
45. Analysing Act 5 Scene 1………………………………………………………………………………………………157
46. Character and Theme: Quotes and Notes…………………………………………………………………..162
47. Example Paragraphs and Comments……………………………………………………………………….….174
3|Page
