the merchant of venice

1. ACT I

1.1. SCENE l: Antonio is sad, and is comforted by friends.

1.2. SCENE ll: Portia and Nerissa discuss love in Belmont.

1.3. SCENE lll: Antonio and Bassanio take a loan from Shylock. Tension is revealed and Antonio is to be killed if the money is not returned by the three-month-mark.

2. ACT II

2.1. SCENE I: The Prince of Morocco and Portia speak of the caskets and her hand in marriage.

2.2. SCENE II: Launcelot plans to leave Shylock for Bassanio for work and discusses this with his father, Old Gobbo.

2.3. SCENE III: Jessica talks with Launcelot one last time and plans to escape to marry Lorenzo and convert to Christianity.

2.4. SCENE IV: Lorenzo and Gratiano and co. plan to help Jessica escape Shylock. Lorenzo will pick her up and disguise her as his torchbearer.

3. ACT V

3.1. SCENE I Part 1 of 3: Portia and Nerissa enter Belmont. The ask that their absence not be mentioned when Bassanio and Gratiano return.

3.2. SCENE I Part 2 of 3: Bassanio and Gratanio return and it is revealed that they parted from their rings. Nerissa and Portia show discomfort at their broken promises.They reveal their place at the trial and suggest more care is given to keeping the rings as they are returned.

3.3. SCENE I Part 3 of 3: It is found that three of Antonio's ships have returned to shore and that Lorenzo is to inherit Shylock's fortune.

4. VOCAb

4.1. argosies: a large merchant ship. synonym: ships (ACT I, SCENE I)

4.2. gudgeon: a small European freshwater fish. synonym: fish, cheap fish (ACT I, SCENE I)

4.3. usance: the interest paid on money lent. synonym: interest (ACT I, SCENE III)

4.4. eanlings: a young lamb. synonym: kid (ACT I, SCENE III)

4.5. doit: a small piece of money. synonym: coin(ACT I, SCENE III)

4.6. ducats: gold coins, currency in Europe synonym: money, dollar, euro (THROUGHOUT STORY)

4.7. slubber: to do something sloppily. synonym: mess up (ACT II, SCENE VII)

4.8. cozen: to trick or decieve. synonym: trick (ACT II, SCENE IX)

4.9. argosy: a large merchantman. synonym: merchant (ACT III, SCENE I)

4.10. humility: kindness, humanity. synonym: jhumanity (ACT III, SCENE I)

4.11. amity: a friendly relationship. synonym: friendship (ACT III, SCENE II)

4.12. visage: a view of an object. synonym: view (ACT III, SCENE II)

4.13. bleared: dimmed, blurred. synonym: blurred (ACT III, SCENE II)

4.14. entreat: to ask earnestly. synonym: request (ACT III, SCENE II)

4.15. decree: a legal order. synonym: order (ACT IV, SCENE I)

4.16. grievous: very severe. synonym: severe (ACT IV, SCENE I)

4.17. hermit: a person living in solitude as a religious discipline. synonym: missionary (?) (ACT V, SCENE I)

4.18. vesture: clothing. synonym: clothing (ACT V, SCENE I)

4.19. posy: an inscription on a ring. synonym: insription (ACT V, SCENE I)

4.20. besmear: to cover. synonym: cover(ACT V, SCENE I)

5. THEMES

5.1. Predjudice and hatred is cyclical and difficult to escape.

5.1.1. "Hie thee, gentle Jew. The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind." - Antonio, ACT 1, SCENE III

5.1.2. "Here comes another of the tribe: a third cannot be matched unless the devil himself turn Jew." (after Shylock's rant) -Salanio, ACT III, SCENE I

5.1.3. "In christening shall thou have two godfathers: Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more, To bring you to the gallows, not the font." -Gratiano, ACT IV, SCENE I

5.2. Mercy is a necessary quality and should be freely given.

5.2.1. "The quality of mercy is not strain'd. . . . .It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes: 'Tis the mightiest in the mightiest" Portia, as a lawyer's clerk ACT IV, SCENE I

5.2.2. ". . . . .It is an attribute to god himself. . . . ." - Portia, as a lawyer's clerk ACT IV, SCENE I

5.2.3. ". . . . .Consider this, that, in the course of justice, none of us should seek salvation: we do pray for mercy. . . . ." Portia, as a lawyer's clerk ACT IV, SCENE I

5.3. It is difficult to emphasize love and loyalty over personal gain.

5.3.1. *Portia speaks of mercy* "My deeds upon my head! I crave the law, the penalty and forfeit of my bond." -Shylock ACT IV, SCENE I

5.3.2. "If every ducat in six thousand ducats were in six parts and every part a ducat, I would not draw them; I would have my bond" -Shylock ACT IV, SCENE I

5.3.3. "He presently become a Christian. . . . .Here in the court, of all he dies possess'd, unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter." -Antonio ACT IV, SCENE I

6. ACT III

6.1. SCENE I Part 1 of 2: Shylock speaks of Antonio's wrongdoing and how he is oppressed for being Jewish.

6.2. SCENE I Part 2 of 2: Shylock and Tubal curse Jessica for escaping and stealing riches.

6.3. SCENE II: Bassanio chooses one of Portia's casket and wins her hand in marriage. They promise eachother their love.

7. ACT IV

7.1. SCENE I Part 1 of 2: The Court of Venice meets for Antonio's trial and the Duke does not believe Shylock will actually act upon him. Bassanio tries to bribe Shylock out of it with six thousand ducats but Shylock wants none of it.

7.2. SCENE I Part 1 of 2: Portia, disguised as a lawyer's clerk, gives a speech detailing the power of mercy and how Shylock should use it in this case. It is found that Shylock may take a pound of flesh but no blood and that if a drop of blood is shed, he is the criminal.

7.3. SCENE II: Gratanio gives the clerk (Portia) Bassanio's ring as a gift.