1. Vocabulary (minimum of 20 words or 4 per Act) (definition and a synonym or two)
1.1. unthrifty
1.1.1. not using money and other resources carefully; wasteful
1.1.1.1. extravagant; heedless; imprudent
1.1.1.1.1. Many people my age are unthrifty in the way they spend their money.
1.2. knave
1.2.1. a dishonest unscrupulous man
1.2.1.1. fraud; lowlife; miscreant; villain
1.2.1.1.1. There are many knaves in our society.
1.3. vile
1.3.1. extremely unpleasant. morally bad; wicked
1.3.1.1. appalling; depraved; despicable; disgraceful
1.3.1.1.1. In almost every movie there s someone who is quite vile.
1.4. beseech
1.4.1. ask (someone) urgently and fervently to do something
1.4.1.1. implore; adjure; appeal; ask; crave
1.4.1.1.1. In "The Merchant of Venice" Jessica beseeched Lorenzo to get her out of Shylock's house and being a Jew.
1.5. foppery
1.5.1. foolish character or action; the behavior or dress of a fop
1.5.1.1. amenity; decoration; doodad; extravagance; thing; flouce; fuss; garbage
1.5.1.1.1. There is always some kind of foppery in a movie, otherwise there would be no movie.
1.6. proverb
1.6.1. a short pithy saying in general use, stating a general truth or piece of advice
1.6.1.1. epigram; maxim; adage; dictum; axiom; aphorism; witticism
1.6.1.1.1. Proverbs are everywhere, like "practice makes perfect".
1.7. void
1.7.1. not valid or legally binding; completely empty; a completely empty space; (in bridge and whist) a suit in which a player is dealt no cards; declare that (something) is not valid or legally binding; discharge or drain away (water, gases, etc.)
1.7.1.1. abandoned; barren; clear; deprived; empty; drained; without; emptied; lacking; scant; shy
1.7.1.1.1. My brain becomes a void when I take tests.
1.8. obdurate
1.8.1. stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action
1.8.1.1. adament; bullhead; callous; firm; fixed; hard-hearted; harsh; heartless; immovable
1.8.1.1.1. many people are quite obdurate when it comes to their views on certain things like politics.
1.9. rigorous
1.9.1. extremely thorough, exhaustive, or accurate; (of a rule, system, etc.) strictly applied or adhered to; (of a person) adhering strictly or inflexibly to a belief, opinion, or way of doing something
1.9.1.1. accurate; brutal; correct; exacting; harsh; meticulous; precise; proper; rigic; scrupulous; strict; uncompromising
1.9.1.1.1. My homework can be quite rigorous.
1.10. adversary
1.10.1. one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute; another term for adversarial
1.10.1.1. antagonist; attacker; rival; foe; competitor; enemy; bandit; opposer
1.10.1.1.1. In every contest there is adversary otherwise it wouldn't be interesting.
1.11. tyranny
1.11.1. cruel and oppressive government or rule; a nation under cruel and oppressive government; cruel, unreasonable. or arbitrary use of power or control
1.11.1.1. dictatorship; autocracy; cruelty; despotism; domination; oppression; terrorism
1.11.1.1.1. When Hitler led Germany he was a tyrant.
1.12. remorse
1.12.1. deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed
1.12.1.1. anguish; compassion; contrition; grief; guilt; penance; pity; regret; repentance; shame; sorrow
1.12.1.1.1. Many people feel remorse in their life, for something they did, or someone else did.
1.13. malice
1.13.1. the intention or desire to do evil; ill will; wrongful intention, especially as increasing the guilt of certain offenses
1.13.1.1. animosity; animus; antipathy; bitterness; enmity; grudge; hatred; hostility; resentment; ill will; hostility; meanness
1.13.1.1.1. Without malice movies would be extremely boring.
1.14. inevitable
1.14.1. certain to happen; unavoidable; a situation that is unavoidable
1.14.1.1. imminent; impending; inescapable; inexorable; irresistible; necessary; unavoidable; undeniable
1.14.1.1.1. When I go to school there is inevitably going to be homework.
1.15. commiseration
1.15.1. sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others; compassion; expressions of sympathy and sorrow for another
1.15.1.1. compassion; condolence; pity; sympathy
1.15.1.1.1. Everyone shoudl be able to commiserate, especially at a funeral.
1.16. moiety
1.16.1. each of two parts into which a thing is or can be divided; a part or portion, especially a lesser share.
1.16.1.1. affiliation; component; element; fraction; half; part; piece; portion; share
1.16.1.1.1. When I break a wishbone I always seem to get the moiety.
1.17. argosies
1.17.1. a large merchant ship, originally one from Ragusa (now Dubrovnik) or Venice.
1.17.1.1. armada; navy; squadron; formation; vessels; line
1.17.1.1.1. one time when I was at the ocean I saw argosies sailing out at sea.
1.18. abject
1.18.1. (of something bad) experienced or present to the maximum degree; (of a person or their behavior) completely without pride or dignity; self-abasing
1.18.1.1. wretched; base; contemptible; degraded; dejected; deplorable; dishonorable; fawning; groveling
1.18.1.1.1. Many people grow up in abject poverty.
1.19. epitaph
1.19.1. a phrase or statement written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone
1.19.1.1. eulogy; elegy; epigraph; legend; memorial; commemoration; monument
1.19.1.1.1. If you go into a cemetery or graveyard you will see lots of epitaphs on the graves.
1.20. inexcrable
1.20.1. deserving of being cursed or execrated
1.20.1.1. couldn't find synonyms
1.20.1.1.1. Anyone who has an enemy thinks their enemy is inexcrable.
2. THEMES
2.1. 1. Prejudice and hatred is cyclical and difficult to escape.
2.1.1. (Shylock)"In the Rialto you have rated me about my moneys and my usances: Still have I borne it with a patient shrug. For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe. You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gaberdine, and all for use of that which is mine own. Well then it now appears you need my help."
2.1.2. (Shylock)"To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what 's his reason? I am a Jew."
2.2. 2. Mercy (forgiveness) is a necessary quality and should be freely given.
2.2.1. (Portia)"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 take"
2.2.2. (Portia)"Then you shal be his surety. Give him this, and bid him keep it better than the other." (Antonio)"Here, Lord Bassanio; swear to keep this ring." (Bassanio)"By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor."
2.3. 3. It is difficult to emphasize love and loyalty over personal gain.
2.3.1. (Bassanio)"Good sir, this ring was given me by my wife; and when she put it on, she made me vow that I should neither sell nor give nor lose it." (Portia)"That 'scuse serves many men to save their gifts. An if your wife be not a mad-woman, and know how well I have deserved the ring, she would not hold out enemy for ever for giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!"
2.3.2. (Jessica)"Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost, I have a father, you a daughter, lost."
3. ACTS
3.1. Act 1
3.1.1. 1. Salarino, Salanio, Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano are all trying to figure out what is wrong with Antonio and why he is so sad.
3.1.2. 2. We find out that Portia has a bunch of suitors and doesn't like/love any of them and she has a problem with each of them. However, she does think that Bassanio is okay.
3.1.3. 3. Shylock loans Antonio money even though Antonio was a jerk to Shylock. Shylock tells Antonio that if he doesn't pay him back he will take a pound of his flesh (basically killing him).
3.2. Act 2
3.2.1. 1. Portia meets the prince of Morroco and the prince of arragon (seperately) as they both go to try and win her over as a couple of her suitors. She turns them away after they fail at passing the test to win her.
3.2.2. 2. Launcelot meets Gobbo who is his father and Gobbo is very blind so he doesn't know who Launncelot is at first.
3.2.3. 3. Jessica dresses up in boys clothes to go and talk to Lorenzo and he recognizes her even in the odd clothes which was the point to show whether he could recognize her anywhere no matter what she looked like.
3.3. Act 3
3.3.1. 1. Bassanio chooses the lead casket and so winning Portia and is able to marry her and they are both very happy.
3.3.2. 2. Bassanio must go to Antonio's aid after all of Antonio's ships sink in the ocean, so Antonio can't pay back the three-thousand ducats to Shylock, so Bassanio is going and is going to try and save Antonio before he dies by command from Shylock.
3.3.3. 3. Portia and Nerissa dress up as men to go out and trick their husbands into giving them the rings that they gave to their husbands and told them to never give away, sell, loose, etc.
3.4. Act 4
3.4.1. 1. Shylock gets ready to take a pound of Antonio's flesh and Antonio gets ready to have a pound of his flesh taken by Shylock.
3.4.2. 2. Portia at first shows support for Shylock, then the tables are turned so she tricks Shylock into not taking a pound of Antonio's flesh by making a statement and shows Shylock that he can't have Antonio bleed even a drop of blood, becuse the statement says that Shylock can only take Antonio's flesh not blood. So Shylock has to give up all of his possessions to not be killed.
3.4.3. 3. Portia (while dressed as a man) tricks Bassanio into giving her the ring that she gave him and told him to keep forever.
3.5. Act 5
3.5.1. 1. Lorenzo and Jessica get ready for the coming home of Portia and Bassanio and Nerissa and Gratiano.
3.5.2. 2. Portia, Nerissa, Bassanio, and Gratiano are arguing about the ring and Bassanio and Gratiano are telling their wives (Portia and Nerissa) that they lost the rings that their wives had given them and told them not to lose, sell, give away, etc. and promised to keep forever.
3.5.3. 3. Portia and Nerissa forgive their husbands for giving away their rings that they swore to keep forever and their husbands find out that their wives were the doctor and clerk.