Play By William Shakespeare

INDEX 1.About William Shakespeare 2.Shakespeare's Style of writing 3.Introduction 4.Synopsis 5.Characters 6.Relevance today

Biographical Information Born: Stratford-Upon Avon, England April 23, 1564 Parents, John and Mary (Arden) Married Anne Hathaway, November, 1582 Three children: Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith Shakespeare’s Birthplace

The Bard The Bard Sometime in the 1580's William Shakespeare left his family to pursue a career as a playwright, poet, and actor in London. His success was immense. Shakespeare is known to have written 154 sonnets and 37 plays. In fact, so prolific was Shakespeare as a writer of sonnets, that a sonnet form has been named for him. The Shakespearean sonnet is 14 lines long with a rhyme scheme: abab, cdcd, efef,gg. Playwright, Poet, Actor

Shakespeare’s Theatre “The Globe Theatre, also known as the Shakespeare Globe Theatre, was not only one of most famous playhouses of all time, but the play house where Shakespeare performed many of his greatest plays. Built from oak, deal, and stolen playhouse frames, the 3 storey, 3000 capacity Globe Theatre, co-owned by William Shakespeare has become almost as famous as the playwright himself.” ( Absolute Shakespeare)

Points of Shakespeare's Style: Use of metaphors– comparing something in terms of something else, i.e. "That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder". Use of soliloquies– usually longer speeches given by characters when alone on stage– e.g. a person talking to himself out loud. Use of asides– when a character says something to the audience, but the other characters on stage cannot hear it, e.g. like muttering to himself.

Use of sonnets– a very rigid poetic style of writing. Fourteen lines consisting of three sets of four line quatrains and a two line rhyming couplet at the end. Rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, e.g. Use of puns– humorous plays on words indicating different meanings.

The Merchant of Venice

INTRODUCTION The Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic scenes, and is best known for Shylock and the famous 'Hath not a Jew eyes' speech. Also notable is Portia's speech about the 'quality of mercy.

SYNOPSIS A young Venetian, Bassanio, needs a loan of three thousand ducats so that he can woo Portia, a wealthy Venetian heiress. He approaches his friend Antonio, a merchant. Antonio is short of money because all his wealth is invested in his fleet, which is currently at sea. He goes to a Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who hates Antonio because of Antonio's anti-semitic behaviour towards him. Shylock nevertheless agrees to make the short-term loan, but, in a moment of dark humour, he makes a condition - the loan must be repaid in three months or Shylock will exact a pound of flesh from Antonio. Antonio agrees, confident that his ships will return in time.

Because of the terms of Portia's father's will, all suitors must choose from among three caskets, one of which contains a portrait of her. If he chooses that he may marry Portia, but if doesn't he must vow never to marry or court another woman. The Princes of Morocco and Arragon fail the test and are rejected. As Bassanio prepares to travel to Belmont for the test, his friend Lorenzo elopes with Shylock's daughter, Jessica.

CHARACTERS

Shylock A Jewish moneylender in Venice. Angered by his mistreatment at the hands of Venice’s Christians, particularly the merchant Antonio, Shylock schemes to get revenge by ruthlessly demanding a pound of Antonio’s flesh as penalty for Antonio’s defaulting on a loan. The Christian characters in the play regard Shylock as an inhuman monster, frequently mocking him for being obsessed with money. In person, however, Shylock comes across as far more than a caricature or stereotype. His resentment at his mistreatment, his anger at his daughter’s betrayal, and his eloquent expressions of rage make him a convincing, entirely human character.

Antonio The merchant whose love for his friend Bassanio prompts him to sign Shylock’s contract and almost lose his life. Antonio is something of a mercurial figure, often inexplicably melancholy and, as Shylock points out, possessed of an incorrigible dislike of Jews. Nonetheless, Antonio is beloved of his friends and proves merciful to Shylock, albeit with conditions.

Portia A wealthy heiress from Belmont. Portia’s beauty is matched only by her intelligence. Bound by a clause in her father’s will that forces her to marry whichever suitor chooses correctly among three caskets, Portia nonetheless longs to marry her true love, Bassanio. Far and away the cleverest of the play’s characters, Portia disguises herself as a young male law clerk in an attempt to save Antonio from Shylock’s knife.

Bassanio A gentleman of Venice and a kinsman and dear friend to Antonio. Bassanio’s love for the wealthy Portia leads him to borrow money from Shylock with Antonio as his guarantor. An ineffectual businessman, Bassanio nonetheless proves himself a worthy suitor, correctly identifying the casket that contains Portia’s portrait.

GRATIANO Friend of Bassanio, a very talkative and witty man. His garrulity is his most striking trait.

He is a young man who somehow is successful in capturing the heart of Jessica, daughter of Shylock. LORENZO

Jessica is the daughter of Shylock. She is a very beautiful, wise, and a charming girl with a strong sense of humour and poetical nature. JESSICA

She’s the waiting maid of Portia but more of a companion than a maid servant NERISSA

Other Characters Gratiano, Solanio, Salarino, Salerio – friends of Antonio and Bassanio Balthazar – Portia's disguise as a lawyer Stephano – Nerissa's disguise as 'Balthazar's law clerk. Tubal – a Jew; Shylock's friend Lancelot Gobbo – a foolish man in the service of Shylock Old Gobbo – father of Lancelot Leonardo – servant to Bassanio Duke of Venice – Venetian authority who presides over the case of Shylock's bond Prince of Morocco – suitor to Portia Prince of Arragon – suitor to Portia Magnificoes of Venice, officers of the Court of Justice, Gaoler, servants to Portia, and other Attendants

RELEVANCE TODAY Shakespeare undoubtedly transcends all barriers of time and space. He is not of an age but of all time. Every phase of feeling lay within the scope of Shakespeare’s understanding and sympathy. There is no point of morals, of philosophy, of conduct of life that he has not touched upon, no mystery of human nature that he has not penetrated.

Merchant of Venice also has great significance to present date. In today’s time when there is want of sincerity, moral values and justice, the play delineates all this very successfully. Shylock is totally given to materialistic values. For him money is the most sought after thing. He is a money lender who tries to enrich himself and accumulate wealth by exploiting the financial needs of others.

He has hoarded a lot of wealth by his usury, but his craving for money is not yet satisfied. In today’s time also there are many Shylocks who brutally exploit people in all ways to accumulate wealth. Shylock repels us not only by his usury but also by his religious intolerance. The play depicts great polarization between the Jews and the Christians. If Shylock has become an intolerant monster then the blame lies solely on the Christians. The same religious intolerance is apparent I present day times and it has taken the ugly shape of terrorism. Harmonious coexistence of divergent religious groups is the need of Shylock’s and this is precisely the present day’s requirement.

The End