Friday, Octtober 29, 2010

Today, I handed out the questions for Act I of The Merchant of Venice. If you were not here, you will need to do these at home over the weekend. I have attached them below:

The Merchant of Venice: Study Questions -- Act 1

Answer each question thoroughly. Write down act, scene, and line references to note where you find textual evidence of your answers.

1. What does Bassanio want from Antonio? Why?

2. What is Antonio’s financial situation? What is Bassanio’s financial situation?

3. What does Antonio tell Bassanio in response to his request? How will Antonio help
Bassanio?

4. In what way does Antonio’s comment at Act 1, Scene 1, lines 184-186 seem to contradict
his comments at Act 1, Scene 1, lines 42-46? How might you account for this apparent
contradiction?

5. What is the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio like? How do you know?

6. What kind of personality does Gratiano have? How do you know?

7. What is the main point behind Portia’s comments at Act 1, Scene 2, lines 12-17?

8. What is the “lottery” that Portia’s father has devised for her future & decreed in his will?

9. Explain what Portia specifically thinks of each of these suitors and how you know it:

a. the Prince from Naples (Neopolitan)
b. Count Palatine
c. the French Lord
d. the English Baron
e. the Scottish Lord
f. the young German

10. What is inconsistent about Act 1, Scene 2, line 123, in terms of the list of suitors that has
previously been put forth by Nerissa?

11. What does Portia say about the newly-arriving prince from Morocco? What are the
possible meanings of Act 1, Scene 2, lines 129-131?

12. What does Bassanio ask of Shylock, specifically?

13. What is the idea behind Shylock’s comments at Act 1, Scene 3, lines 33-37? Why does he
say this?

14. Why doesn’t Shylock like Antonio? What harm does Antonio cause Shylock? (HINT: look
in more than one place in the text)

15. What is Antonio’s point in Act 1, Scene 3, lines 99-101?

16. What does Antonio think of Shylock? How do you know?

17. What “deal” does Shylock make with Antonio? Why does Antonio agree to it?

18. In what way(s) does the scene between Shylock, Antonio, and Bassanio remind you of
Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus?

19. In this act, find examples of the following literary devices/techniques:

a. simile
b. metaphor
c. hyperbole
d. mythological allusion
e. historical allusion