1. The Merchant of Venice
The Comical History of The Merchant of Venice, or Otherwise Called the Jew of Venice

2. Shakespeare Born on April 23, 1564 and died on April 23, 1616.
-Considered the world’s greatest playwright.
Born on April 23, 1564 and died on April 23, 1616.
Went to grammar school in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Married Anne Hathaway in 1582 and had two children, Hamnet and Judith.
Wrote over 150 sonnets and 32 plays, including comedies, histories, romances and tragedies.

3. Elizabethan Theater Globe theater
Sets- Minimal. Heavens allowed for special effects. But caused tragedy in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII.
Actors- all males
Storyline was no surprise to the audience.

4. Elizabethan English & Will’s Style
Wrote mostly in Iambic Pentameter
10 syllables
Unstressed followed by stressed- five times
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!”
Pay attention to the characters that speak in blank verse
Unusual syntax
Subject, Verb, Object
I ate the sandwich
The sandwich ate I
Ate I the sandwich
The sandwich I ate

5. Elizabethan English & Will’s Style
Omissions
To maintain rhythm
o'er ~ over
'tis ~ it is
‘twas~ it was
Unusual words
Typical vocab- 6,000-15,000/ Will=30,000
Created new words- mostly by turning nouns into verbs.

6. Characters Bassanio: Antonio: A suitor of Portia
A Merchant of Venice
Lends money to good friend, Bassanio.
Bassanio:
A suitor of Portia
Borrows money to win Portia

7. Characters Portia: Jessica: Wealthy Suitors and casket game
Shylock’s daughter
Runs away and marries Lorenzo.

8. Characters Shylock: A successful Jewish moneylender.
Tormented for religion and “greed”
Lends Antonio money

9. Venice and Belmont Venice:
- Similar to England- autonomous, trade based land with freedom from the Pope.
-Represents wealth, greed. A serious setting.
- Men in control
Belmont: (Portia’s Estate)
- Women seem in control
- Fun, lighthearted setting

10. Jews in Elizabethan Society
English Jews had been expelled
In 1593 Dr. Rodrigo Lopez, a converted Jew and physician to Queen Elizabeth, was condemned to death for conspiracy against her life.
On the Elizabethan stage, Jews were often presented in an Orientalist caricature, typically a greedy villain.
In Venetian society, Jews were required to wear a red cap.

11. Themes Money and status Revenge Justice and mercy
Prejudice and tolerance
Love and the test of love