1. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare Created for:
Mrs. Bennett's Least Favorite Class

2. A Little History Lesson…
Venice in the late-1500’s
The richest city in Europe
Home to many tradesmen, foreigners, and different religious views
Jewish people were targeted – negatively

3. Religious Intolerance
Banished from England for the last 300 years
-Shakespeare never actually knew any Jews
-Any portrayal of a Jew was based on stereotype
Jewish people confined to ghetto
-Gated “community”
Treated with little or no respect
-Kicked or spat on
-Cheated through business
-Forced to wear red caps
Can be seen in The Merchant of Venice.
(Shylock in a film version of The Merchant of Venice )

4. Venetian Women Not respected Under the rule/command of men
In the play:
Jessica and her father
Portia and her father
But not necessarily only their father
Husbands, brothers, uncles, etc.
No political power

5. Let the Play Begin! Things to remember while reading:
Religious intolerance
Role of women
Importance of trade and economics
Pay attention to:
Relationships
Between men and women
How are the women treated?
How are the Jews treated?

6. Important Characters Antonio: a merchant of Venice
Bassanio: Antonio’s friend; Portia’s suitor
Shylock: a Jew
Jessica: Shylock’s daughter
Portia: an heiress “looking for” a husband
Nerissa: Portia’s friend and lady-in-waiting

7. William Shakespeare's World
To be, or not to be, that is the question...
William
Shakespeare's
World
This above all, to thine own self be true...

8. The Man That Would Be Shakespeare
William
The Man That Would Be Shakespeare
Born April 23rd, 1564
Started out as an actor before writing sonnets. You were not considered a great writer until you wrote tons of sonnets!
Gave him a chance to write a play
Henry IV, Pt. 1(first play)- It stunk but they gave him another shot
Married Anne Hathaway in She was 8 years older than him and 3 months pregnant when they married. Why was this unusual?

9. Reconstructed in the 1990’s
Many playwrights with nowhere to “play” (I am so funny.)
Barn turned into theatre (Yeah!)
Puritans burn it down (Evil theatre! Boo!)
Globe built! (Yeah!)
Globe burns (cry)
Globe rebuilt! (Yeah!)
Globe burns (Dang that Fire of London!)
The Globe
Reconstructed in the 1990’s

10. Aristocrats
The Queen/King
The Groundlings (also called Stinkards)!

11. The Cost of a Show 1 shilling to stand
2 shillings to sit in the balcony
1 shilling was 10% of their weekly income
Broadway Today:
$135 Orchestra
$75 Balcony
10% of a teacher’s weekly salary (Balcony)

12. When in a play... Only men performed
Boys or effeminate men were used to play the women
Costumes were often the company’s most valuable asset
Costumes were made by the company, bought in London, or donated by courtiers (members of court)
Considered low-class to be an actor even though people loved plays
Why do you think women didn’t play the female roles?

13. Special Effects!
They didn’t have computers or high-tech lighting and sound effects so they worked with what we would consider... disgusting props.
Bloody special effects were used to excite and astound the audience. The simplest would be a handkerchief soaked in blood.
Animal intestines, tongues and bones could be used to enhance the effects.
Bladders filled with the blood of animals such as sheep or bulls were concealed beneath the actor's costumes which could be pierced by the points of daggers or swords used in stage fights, or just a thump to the chest could produce a gruesome death scene.
Used a blood soaked dummy to be substituted for an actor.
Kept a grape under their lower eyelid to pop out at anytime to simulate losing an eye. 13

14. Omnomnomnomnom! 14

15. Fine (The End)