1. Acts
1.1. Act I
1.1.1. Antonio decides to lend Bassanio his credit
1.1.2. We discover Portia does not like any of her suitors, but she thinks Bassanio is "worthy of her praise"
1.1.3. Antonio makes a deal with Shylock, which if broken results in his death.
1.2. Act II
1.2.1. Launcelot and Old Gobbo are reunited
1.2.2. The Prince of Morocco and the Prince of Arragon choose caskets, and they both chose the wrong casket
1.2.3. Jessica ran away with Lorenzo and Launcelot left Shylock
1.3. Act III
1.3.1. We learn that Antonio's ships have failed, and he has lost his loan from Shylock
1.3.2. Bassanio chooses the right casket, and Portia gives Bassanio the ring, but had to promise not to lose it, sell it, or lose possession of it in any way.
1.3.3. Portia devises a plan to save Antonio that involves dressing up as men
1.4. Act IV
1.4.1. Portia dressed as a lawyer points out that Shylock can't take any of Antonio's blood, therefore not allowing him to take any flesh either,
1.4.2. Shylock decides to give up all his possessions and money to Lorenzo instead of dying
1.4.3. Portia dressed as lawye( to whom Bassanio is indebted to) tricks him into giving up the ring Portia told him not to lose
1.5. Act V
2. Themes
2.1. Prejudice and hatred are cyclical.
2.1.1. "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?" Shylock to Salario and Salarino
2.1.2. How like a fawning publican he looks? I hate him for he is a Christain
2.1.3. Signor Antonio, many a time and oft 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, cutthroat dog, And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine— And all for use of that which is mine own.
2.2. Mercy is a necessary quality and should be freely given.
2.2.1. "Upon the place beneath it is twice blest, It blesseth him that gives and him that takes" Portia speaking of mercy to Shylock
2.2.2. SHY: Nay, take my life and all; pardon not that: You take my house when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house; you take my life, When you do take the means whereby I live PORT: What mercy can you render him, Antonio? ANT: So please my Lord the duke and all the court/ To quit the fine of all his goods, I am content
2.3. It is difficult to prioritize love and loyalty over personal gain(money).
2.3.1. ANT: My lord Bassanio, let him have the ring: He his deservings and my love withal Be valued 'gainst your wife's commandment. BASS: Go, Gratiano, run and over take him, bring him the ring
2.3.2. In such a night Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew And with an unthrift love did run from Venice As far as Belmont. JESSICA In such a night Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well, Stealing her soul with many vows of faith And ne'er a true one.
3. Words 5 more
3.1. chast
3.1.1. to tame, moderate, punish or discipline
3.1.2. tame, displine
3.1.3. Our class needs to be chastened.
3.2. ergo
3.2.1. therefore
3.2.2. hence, thus, consequently
3.2.3. I didn't study for the test ergo I probably won't get a good grade.
3.3. clime
3.3.1. region considering it's climate
3.3.2. region
3.3.3. Our clime is the north.
3.4. bated
3.4.1. In great suspense
3.4.2. aprehensive, anxious,
3.4.3. We waited bated to read the final act of "The Merchant of Venice"
3.5. cogitation
3.5.1. The act of thinking deeply about something
3.5.2. theorozing, philisophically wondering, pondering
3.5.3. She spent most of the plane ride staring out the window in cogitation.
3.6. enow
3.6.1. having a satisfactory amount of something
3.6.2. enough
3.6.3. "That's enow," she stated. "I've got enough orange juice now."
3.7. tarry
3.7.1. to stay longer than intended
3.7.2. procrastinate, linger, loiter
3.7.3. I tarry in Seattle because my flight was late.
3.8. mitigate
3.8.1. to make less severe
3.8.2. weaken, abate
3.8.3. The popsicle mitigated the pain of her sore throat.
3.9. ado
3.9.1. to make a fuss of something that's not a big deal
3.9.2. be dramatic, worry, fuss
3.9.3. Don't make such an ado, it's only a minor scrape.
3.10. lineaments
3.10.1. a distinctive character; especially of the face
3.10.2. distinctions, contour,
3.10.3. I might have mistook the profile to be any one else, if not for the classic lineaments of ethiopians.
3.11. semblance
3.11.1. the outward apperance of something; especially if the inside is different
3.11.2. shallow appearance, looks, deceptive appearance, facade, front
3.11.3. The semblance of the book was unusually accurate.
3.12. fie
3.12.1. used to express outrage or disgust
3.12.2. "fie, fie, I'll have none of this chocolate"
3.13. Obdurate
3.13.1. stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action
3.13.2. close mindedness, tunnel vision, obstinate
3.13.3. The obdurance in politics is what prevents us from reaching compromises.
3.14. trancet
3.14.1. a word possibly corrupted from the Italian traghetto( ferry)
3.14.2. boat, transport
3.14.3. Take the trancet to Ellis Island, and there you will see the Statue of Liberty.
3.15. 'twixt
3.15.1. Short for betwixt, an archaic term for between
3.15.2. betwixt, between, in the space seperating
3.15.3. In french negation the verb comes betwixt ne and pas.
3.16. bootless
3.16.1. ineffectual, useless
3.16.2. futile, in vain
3.16.3. Any attempt to change my mind would be bootless, for my obdurance prevents you from changing hearing you fully.
3.17. argosies
3.17.1. A large merchant ship originally from Venice
3.17.2. ships, vessels, cargo ships
3.17.3. The pirates ransacked the argosies and found lots of gondolas.
3.18. follies
3.18.1. Acts of foolishness
3.18.2. dumb ideas, mistakes, stupidity, lunacy
3.18.3. To not turn in the assignment would be folly, for it is summative.
3.19. trifle
3.19.1. A thing of little value or importance
3.19.2. junk, crap, nick knacks
3.19.3. To any sane person, a phone would be just a trifle, but to us, it is everything.