1. THEMES
1.1. 1
1.1.1. Prejudice and hatred is cyclical and difficult to escape
1.1.1.1. 1
1.1.1.1.1. "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."
1.1.1.2. 2
1.1.1.2.1. "Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less nor more but just a pound of flesh: if thou cut'st more or less than a just pound, be it but so much as makes it light or heavy in the substance or the division of the twentieth part of one poor scruple, nay, if the scale do turn but in the estimation of a hair, thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate."
1.1.1.3. 3
1.1.1.3.1. "I am as like to call thee so again, 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? But lend it rather to thine enemy; who if he break, thou mayst with better face exact the penalty."
1.2. 2
1.2.1. Mercy is a necessary quality and should be given freely
1.2.1.1. 1
1.2.1.1.1. "I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so: Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil, Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness. But fare thee well, there is a ducat for thee:"
1.2.1.2. 2
1.2.1.2.1. "Thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture, but, touch'd with human gentleness and love, forgive a moiety of the principal; glancing an eye of pity on his losses, that have of late so huddled on his back, enow to press a royal merchant down, and luck commiseration of his state from brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint, from stubborn Turks and Tartars, never train'd to offices of tender courtesy."
1.2.1.3. 3
1.2.1.3.1. "The quality of mercy is not strain'd, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; it blesseth him that gives, and him that takes: 't is the mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes the throned monarch better than his crown; his sceptre shows the force of temporal power, the attribute to awe and majesty, wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; but mercy is above this sceptred away; it is enthroned in the hearts of kings, it is an attribute to God himself; and earthly power doth then show likest God's when mercy season's justice, none of us should see salvation: we do pray for mercy."
1.3. 3
1.3.1. Love and loyalty can be hard to overcome personal gain (money)
1.3.1.1. 1
1.3.1.1.1. All that glitters is not gold; Often have you heard that told: Many a man his life hath sold But my outside to behold: Gilded tombs do worms enfold. Had you been as wise as bold, Young in limbs, in judgment old, Your answer had not been inscroll'd: Fare you well; your suit is cold.
1.3.1.2. 2
1.3.1.2.1. My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter!
1.3.1.3. 3
1.3.1.3.1. "The curse never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it till now: two thousand ducats in that; and other precious, precious jewls. I would my daughter were dead at my foot and the jewels in her ear! would she were hearsed at my foot and the ducats in her coffinQ
2. ACTS
2.1. 1
2.1.1. 1
2.1.1.1. Bassnio Goes to Antonio to ask if he can borrow money so that he can be a suitor to Portia. Antonio replies that he doesn't have the money with him, but Bassnio and use his name as "credit" to get the money.
2.1.2. 2
2.1.2.1. Portia and Nerissa are gossiping about Porita's situation and the suitors they've seen.
2.1.3. 3
2.1.3.1. Bassanio goes to Shylock to look for him to loan Bassanio money in Antonio's name. Antonio and Shylock meet up and things heat up when they start talking about the past and their religions disagreements. Shylock agrees to give Anotnio money, but if he doesn't pay it back in time Shylock get's a pound of Antonio's flesh.
2.2. 2
2.2.1. 1
2.2.1.1. The Prince of Morocco went to talk to Portia. He told her not to judge him by his skin color, and that he was as fair as any European prince. He then asks her where the caskets are. When she says that if he suits her he can never suit another woman he replies how brave he is.
2.2.2. 2
2.2.2.1. Lancelot debates weather he should say in servitude to Shylock or not. He doesn't want to be his servant anymore because of their clash in religion. Then with a long winded joke with his father Lancelot tells Bassnio that he wants to be his servant. Eventually Lancelot goes to Jessica, the daughter of Shylock to ask for release from servitude, which she grants.
2.2.3. 3
2.2.3.1. Jessica and Lancelot are telling Shylock that Lancelot wants/is going to be leaving his service. Shylock says not every master is a kind is him. Lancelot says that he still wants to go. Shylock releases him from his service, and tells Jessica that she should go to her room because of the Christian celebration going on outside.
2.2.4. 4
2.2.4.1. The Prince of Morocco is led to the caskets. One containing gold has the inscription "Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire". One containing silver says "Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves". The one with led says "Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath". He incorrectly chooses the one with gold in it.
2.3. 3
2.3.1. 1
2.3.1.1. Salanio and Salarino are discussing the fate of Antonio's ships, when Shylock approaches and questions them on "his daughters flight" they joke around. Eventually when they ask Shylock on what he wishes to do with Antonio he gives a long speech on how he will do to them what they would do to him.
2.3.2. 2
2.3.2.1. Bassino goes to Portia's place to go attempt to go and find her picture. He rambles to himself for a while, but eventually decides to pick the lead casket. This casket does hold Portia's picture in it meaning Bassino has the right to marry Portia. Bassino graciously accepts Portia's hand in marriage, and they get married essentially on the spot.
2.3.3. 3
2.3.3.1. Bassino hears that Antonio's ventures failed, and that Shylock is constantly trying to get the court to give him "justice" by his bond. He tells this to Portia, who then tells him he can go and try to persuade Shylock with double or quadruple his 3000 ducats he wanted. We also find out later that Portia and Nerissa are secretly going out to the court to do something.
2.4. 4
2.4.1. 1
2.4.1.1. The first thing that happen in the court scene are Shylock talks about his bond and how he will take the justice that it gives him,. Bassino offers Shylock double what he was owed, and Shylock says that even if it was six times the amount Bassino offers he would take the justice of his bond.
2.4.2. 2
2.4.2.1. Nerissa enters the court dressed as a lawyer's clerk, and brings a letter saying a doctor by the name of Balthasar will be coming into the court. To the audience we know that Balthasar is really Portia, but no-one else recognizes her. Portia at first defends the power of Shylock's bond, but then tells him that with the knife he must remove a pound of his flesh without any blood. Shylock realizing that the task is impossible concedes to take thrice his bond's price. Portia says that he only should get the revenge he is seeking, but Shylock doesn't do it. Because Shylock didn't execute his bond he was forced to convert to Christanity, and give half of his belongings to Antonio, and the rest with his house to Jessica and Lorenzo.
2.4.3. 3
2.4.3.1. Portia and Nerissa in their disguises try to get Bassino to give his ring to Portia. They originally don't give it to her, but eventually they do. They ended up sending Gratiano to bring Portia and Nerissa Bassino's ring. Nerissa says she will try to get Gratiano's ring as well.
2.5. 5
2.5.1. 1
2.5.1.1. Jessica and Lorenzo are talking about how they love each other, but hear news that Portia will be arriving soon. They are also interrupted by Lancelot. Lancelot also starts some music.
2.5.2. 2
2.5.2.1. Portia and Nerissa got back a little bit before Bassino, Antonio, and Gratiano did. When they get home one of the first things they do is turn off the music. After that when Bassino and his group did get back to Portia's neither Bassino nor Gratiano had their ring on their hand. Portia and Nerissa pretend to be angry and that they will never let Bassino or Gratiano into their beds again. They reveal who they were and gave Bassino and Gratiano their rings back.
2.5.3. 3
2.5.3.1. The conclusion for the Merchant of Venice is Lorenzo/Jessica get told that they "inherited" half of Shylock's belongings. Bassino and Gratiano are accepted by Portia and Nerissa again. Antonio is given a house near Bassino and Portia and news that his ships made it. It ends with Gratiano joking that the most important thing for him now is to keep his ring safe.
3. Vocabulary
3.1. 1
3.1.1. Hie
3.1.1.1. Go quickly
3.1.1.1.1. Hurry
3.2. 2
3.2.1. Engender
3.2.1.1. to produce, cause, or give rise to
3.2.1.1.1. Stir up
3.3. 3
3.3.1. Sepulchre
3.3.1.1. a tomb, grave, or burial place.
3.3.1.1.1. Crypt
3.4. 4
3.4.1. Rhenish
3.4.1.1. Rhine wine (any of a class of white wines, mostly light, still, and dry)
3.4.1.1.1. White wine
3.5. 5
3.5.1. Fie
3.5.1.1. Used to express disgust or outrage.
3.5.1.1.1. Yuck
3.6. 6
3.6.1. Hearsed
3.6.1.1. a vehicle for conveying a dead person to the place of burial
3.6.1.1.1. Coffin
3.7. 7
3.7.1. Enow
3.7.1.1. Enough
3.7.1.1.1. Plenty
3.8. 8
3.8.1. Ergo
3.8.1.1. Therefore
3.8.1.1.1. Accrodingly
3.9. 9
3.9.1. Misconstrued
3.9.1.1. to misunderstand the meaning of; take in a wrong sense;
3.9.1.1.1. Misunderstand
3.10. 10
3.10.1. Quaintly
3.10.1.1. strange, peculiar, or unusual in an interesting, pleasing, or amusing way
3.10.1.1.1. Uncommon
3.11. 11
3.11.1. Masque
3.11.1.1. a dramatic composition for such entertainment
3.11.1.1.1. Performance
3.12. 12
3.12.1. Gondola
3.12.1.1. a long, narrow, flat-bottomed boat having a tall, ornamental stem and stern and sometimes a small cabin for passengers, rowed or poled by a single person who stands at the stern, facing forward: used especially on the canals of Venice, Italy.
3.12.1.1.1. Ship
3.13. 13
3.13.1. Slubber
3.13.1.1. to perform hastily or carelessly.
3.13.1.1.1. Rush
3.14. 14
3.14.1. Beshrew
3.14.1.1. to curse; invoke evil upon.
3.14.1.1.1. Bane
3.15. 15
3.15.1. Eke
3.15.1.1. to increase;
3.15.1.1.1. Enlarge
3.16. 16
3.16.1. Solemnize
3.16.1.1. to perform the ceremony of (marriage).
3.16.1.1.1. Bless
3.17. 17
3.17.1. Entreat
3.17.1.1. to ask (a person) earnestly;
3.17.1.1.1. Beg
3.18. 18
3.18.1. Braggart
3.18.1.1. a person who does a lot of bragging.
3.18.1.1.1. Egotist
3.19. 19
3.19.1. twixt
3.19.1.1. neither the one nor the other; in a middle or unresolved position:
3.19.1.1.1. In medias res
3.20. 20
3.20.1. Gaoler
3.20.1.1. Jail
3.20.1.1.1. Prison