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The Merchant of Venice

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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Merchant of Venice: Introduction

The merchant of venice: plot summary, the merchant of venice: detailed summary & analysis, the merchant of venice: themes, the merchant of venice: quotes, the merchant of venice: characters, the merchant of venice: symbols, the merchant of venice: literary devices, the merchant of venice: quizzes, the merchant of venice: theme wheel, brief biography of william shakespeare.

The Merchant of Venice PDF

Historical Context of The Merchant of Venice

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  • Full Title: The Merchant of Venice
  • When Written: 1596–8
  • Where Written: England
  • When Published: 1623
  • Literary Period: The Renaissance
  • Genre: Comedy/tragicomedy; Revenge tragedy
  • Setting: Venice, and the nearby country estate of Belmont
  • Climax: The trial of Antonio, the merchant, and Shylock, the Jewish moneylender
  • Antagonist: Shylock

Extra Credit for The Merchant of Venice

"Which is the merchant here? And which the Jew?" Modern audiences of Merchant of Venice often mistake Shylock for the "merchant" of the title—which actually refers to Antonio.

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Antonio, the merchant in The Merchant of Venice , secures a loan from Shylock for his friend Bassanio, who seeks to court Portia. Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, recalls past insults from Antonio and, instead of asking interest on the loan, asks instead—in what he calls a “merry sport”—that if the loan is not repaid, Antonio will owe a pound of his own flesh.

Bassanio sails to Belmont, where the wealthy heiress Portia is being courted by suitors from around the world. Her father’s will requires that the successful suitor solve a riddle involving chests of gold, silver, and lead. Where others have failed, Bassanio succeeds by selecting the right chest. Portia marries Bassanio; her waiting woman, Nerissa, marries his friend Gratiano.

Shylock’s daughter, Jessica, has eloped with Bassanio’s friend Lorenzo, taking her father’s money with her. Shylock is devastated. When Antonio cannot repay the loan, Shylock demands the pound of flesh. When the news reaches Belmont, Bassanio returns to Venice. Portia and Nerissa also travel to Venice, disguised as a lawyer and his clerk. Portia uses the law to defeat Shylock and rescue Antonio.

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The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare – review

The Merchant of Venice, another one of the books I had to endure while doing my English Literature GCSE. I was already tired of Shakespeare, after having to do Much Ado About Nothing for Year 9 Sats. Of course the word "endure" makes it sound like it was a painful experience. I guess when being forced to read it and make notes on it, instead of just reading it and being able to interpret it in my mind was somewhat tough and annoying. Now though, I can look at the book and appreciate it for what it really is.

Racism, love, secrets and loans. The play strikes true to certain parts of the modern world as well as the time it was set and written. It is compelling that Shakespeare was able to write about such things in a way that fitted into the comical manner of the era. To a modern reader, it isn't so much comical but instead a tragedy and something that shows all the things that are wrong with the world.

Racism is wrong and shouldn't be tolerated at all. However, in the book it shows how those that face prejudice just let it happen and don't even try to stop or overcome it. At the start of the book it reads as if Shakespeare is also one of those racists by making Shylock look like the baddie. He appears somewhat like the modern banker. Willing to give money to anybody whether its against their policy or not and wanting it back at the exact time agreed or there are huge consequences. Shylock takes the chance to get the people that have constantly abused him back, but instead they are able to turn it against him because of the society they live in. While we acknowledge this is wrong as an onlooker, we forget to be grateful that our society is just a little better than presented. How much better it is, is somewhat questionable. There are those rogue bankers not caring about circumstance or rules because of their lack of compassion. There are still racists and people that let it carry on without caring. However, society is more balanced and accepting in general. Luckily.

The reason of the money borrowing pulls on the heartstrings somewhat. The money is wanted so that a guy can go see a girl to try and sway her heart. Of course, it isn't because he loves her but because he loves her money. At this point I'm starting to see a capitalist trend. Putting money before love and the feelings for people and trying to achieve a higher social status seems to be something done often in the society presented. Something I still see people doing around me right now, because they care more about physical objects than any sign of affection. So really, it pulls on the purse strings and to somebody that has more self-respect than to be a capitalist it makes them feel rather sick that all this pain, false actions of affection and putting aside the racism for five minutes just to get what is wanted come from the desire for money and gold.

While it is meant to be all about morals and explaining that trying to get at somebody is not a good thing to do because everybody ends up with tarnished reputations and opinions. When looking at it from an economic stance, however, it seems to be much more just a breeding ground for uncaring capitalists leading to the somewhat sad modern world.

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Well said: that was laid on with a trowel.       — As You Like It , Act I Scene 2

The Merchant of Venice

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  2. BOOK REVIEW: The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

    Posted on June 11, 2019. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. My rating: 5 of 5 stars. Amazon page. Get Speechify to make any book an Audiobook. This story hinges on the (now proverbial) pound of flesh. Bassanio is a poor gentleman in love with a rich lady, Portia. While Bassanio is upfront with Portia about his poverty — and she ...

  3. Book Review: The Merchant of Venice: A Critical Reader by Sarah

    In 'New directions: "the moon shines bright": re-viewing the Belmont mythological tapestry in Act 5 of The Merchant of Venice', Janice Valls-Russell reminds us that the play draws on folkloric, biblical and classical sources and notes how their uneasy combination functions to 'create a sense of instability and probe divided selves ...

  4. The Merchant of Venice Study Guide

    Shakespeare's late romance, The Tempest (1510-1) takes the form of a "revenge tragedy averted," beginning with the revenge plot but ending happily. Merchant of Venice might be described as a revenge tragedy barely averted, as Portia swoops into the courtroom scene and saves Antonio from Shylock.

  5. A Summary and Analysis of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

    Plot summary. There are two main plot strands to The Merchant of Venice, both closely intertwined. The first involves Portia, the wealthy heiress of Belmont, who decides that she will marry whichever suitor picks the right casket when faced with a choice of three (made of gold, silver, and lead). The second involves a loan the Jewish ...

  6. The Merchant of Venice: Study Guide

    The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599, is a compelling play that navigates the intersections of comedy and drama.The story unfolds in the bustling city of Venice, revolving around the antisemitic Christian merchant Antonio, who seeks a loan from the Jewish moneylender Shylock to aid his friend Bassanio in pursuing the wealthy Portia.

  7. The Merchant of Venice

    The Merchant of Venice, comedy in five acts by William Shakespeare, written about 1596-97 and printed in a quarto edition in 1600 from an authorial manuscript or copy of one.. Bassanio, a noble but penniless Venetian, asks his wealthy merchant friend Antonio for a loan so that Bassanio can undertake a journey to woo the heiress Portia.Antonio, whose money is invested in foreign ventures ...

  8. The Merchant of Venice

    Toggle Contents Act and scene list. Characters in the Play ; Entire Play Antonio, the merchant in The Merchant of Venice, secures a loan from Shylock for his friend Bassanio, who seeks to court Portia. Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, recalls past insults from Antonio and, instead of asking interest on the loan, asks instead—in what he calls a "merry sport"—that if the loan is not repaid ...

  9. PDF The Merchant of Venice PDF

    Nor I in yours Till I again see mine. BASSANIO. Sweet Portia, If you did know to whom I gave the ring, If you did know for whom I gave the ring And would conceive for what I gave the ring And how unwillingly I left the ring, When nought would be accepted but the ring, You would abate the strength of your displeasure.

  10. PDF Online Library of Liberty: The Merchant of Venice

    William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice [1623] The Online Library Of Liberty This E-Book (PDF format) is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a private, non-profit, educational foundation established in 1960 to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. 2010 was the 50th anniversary year of the founding of ...

  11. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

    In Banned Books from Anne Haight's list. About this eBook . Author: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616: Title: The Merchant of Venice Credits: the PG Shakespeare Team, a team of about twenty Project Gutenberg volunteers Language: English: LoC Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature:

  12. The merchant of Venice : Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 : Free

    An illustration of an open book. Books. An illustration of two cells of a film strip. Video An illustration of an audio speaker. ... The merchant of Venice by Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616; Rolfe, W. J. (William James), 1827-1910. Publication date c1911 ... There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write a review. 18,480 Views . 25 ...

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    more than any man in all Venice. His reasons are as . two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff: you . shall seek all day ere you find them, and when you . have them, they are not worth the search. 125 . ANTONIO . Well, tell me now what lady is the same . To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage, That you today promised to tell me of? BASSANIO

  14. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

    Dannii. Fri 4 Mar 2011 05.10 EST. The Merchant of Venice, another one of the books I had to endure while doing my English Literature GCSE. I was already tired of Shakespeare, after having to do ...

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    Download Pdf. Export Citation. Add to favorites. Share. Track Citation. Article Metrics. Reprints. Permissions. Book Review: The Merchant of Venice ... Book Review: The Merchant of Venice. Show details . Book Review: Questions on Shakespeare: Merchant of Venice Show details . Articles Citing this One: 0. Also from SAGE Publishing ...

  17. PDF The Merchant of Venice

    The Merchant of Venice . by William Shakespeare "The Merchant of Venice" is a two-sided play, and if you aren't able to "see" it in its entirety, you will find it unsettling, if not downright offensive. On the dramatic side, it is anti-semitic. If you aren't pleased by Shylock's defeat,

  18. Merchant of Venice (complete text)

    The Merchant of Venice (complete text) print/save view. Act I. 1. Venice. A street. 2. Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house. 3. Venice. A public place. Act II. 1. ... the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we turned o'er many books together: he is furnished with my opinion; which, bettered with his own learning, the

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    Romeo and Juliet. Julius Caesar. Othello. King Lear. Henry V. The Merchant of Venice. The Tempest. A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare - Free PDF eBook.

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    unparalleled collection of early modern books, manuscripts, and artwork connected to Shakespeare, the Folger's holdings have been consulted extensively in the preparation of these texts. The Editions ... Antonio, the merchant in The Merchant of Venice, secures a loan from Shylock for his friend Bassanio, who seeks to court Portia. Shylock, a

  21. PDF Merchant of Venice

    sy nopsis of scenery. act i scene i venice —a public place scene 2. belmont —portia's house scene 3 venice —a public place act ii scene i. a street scene 2. another street scene 3 shy lock's house by a bridge act iii scene i belmont —a room in portia's house scene 2. venice —a street scene 3 belmont —a room in portia 's house scene 4. venice —a street scene 5 belmont —a ...