a teacher guide for studying the play and attending Southwest Shakespeare Companys performance

a teacher guide for studying the play and

attending Southwest Shakespeare Companys performance
April 2009

General Information
Meeting Arizona State Standards 3
Recommended Reading .. 4

About the Play

Comments from the Director . 5
Helpful Tips for Seeing and Exploring Shakespeare 6
The Merchant of Venice An Introduction .. 7
Shakespeares Critics ... 9
The Merchant of Venice Synopsis 10

Classroom Applications
Anticipation & Reaction Guide 14
Concept Map . 15
Reading Journal . 16
Examining Plot 17
Comparing Settings 18
Bated Breath 19

Educator Comments 20

Mosaic Educational Services, LLC

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By viewing Southwest Shakespeare Companys production of The Merchant of Venice, students can meet
several of Arizona State Arts Standards. In addition, the activities included in this teachers guide, when
implemented in the classroom along with other teacher-assigned reading and writing activities, will allow
students to meet various Arizona State Standards in Reading and Writing.

WRITING STANDARDS STRAND 3: WRITING APPLICATIONS

Concept 2: Expository
Expository writing includes non-fiction writing that describes, explains, informs, or summarizes ideas and
content (Anticipation and Reaction Guide; Concept Map).

Concept 5: Literary Response

Literary response is the writers reaction to a literary selection. The response includes the writers
interpretation, analysis, opinion, and/or feelings about the piece of literature and selected elements within
it (Reading Journal; Examining Plot; Comparing Settings).

READING STANDARDS STRAND 1: READING PROCESS

Concept 6: Comprehension Strategies
Employ strategies to comprehend text (Anticipation and Reaction Guide; Concept Map).

READING STANDARDS STRAND 2: COMPREHENDING LITERARY TEXT

Concept 1: Elements of Literature
Identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the structure and elements of literature (Examining Plot;
Comparing Settings).

Concept 2: Historical and Cultural Aspects of Literature

Recognize and apply knowledge of the historical and cultural aspects of American, British, and world
literature (Reading Journal; Comparing Settings; Bated Breath).

READING STANDARDS STRAND 3: COMPREHENDING INFORMATIONAL TEXT

Concept 2: Functional Text
Identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the purpose, structures, clarity, and relevancy of functional text
(Bated Breath).

ARTS STANDARDS THEATRE

Strand 3: Evaluate
Students describe physical and vocal attributes appropriate to the characters in the play in class and
professional performances (attending and discussing Southwest Shakespeare Companys performance of
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE; Helpful Tips for Seeing and Exploring Shakespeare).

Students justify the perception of a performance and critique its production elements (attending and
discussing Southwest Shakespeare Companys performance of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE; Helpful Tips
for Seeing and Exploring Shakespeare).

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Reference Books
A Companion to Shakespeare edited by David Scott Kastan
The Complete Works of Shakespeare edited by David Bevington
Discovering Shakespeares Language by Rex Gibson & Janet Field-Pickering
The Friendly Shakespeare by Norrie Epstein
How to Speak Shakespeare by Cal Pritner and Louis Colaianni
Shakespeare A to Z by Charles Boyce
Shakespeare for Kids: His Life and Times by Colleen Aagesen and Margie Blumberg
Shakespeare From Page to Stage by Michael Flachmann
Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human by Harold Bloom
Shakespeare: To Teach or not to Teach by Cass Foster and Lynn G. Johnson
Shaking Hands With Shakespeare by Allison Wedell Schumacher
Teaching Shakespeare into the Twenty-First Century edited by Ronald E. Salomone

Picture Books
A Childs Portrait of Shakespeare by Lois Burdett
All the Worlds A Stage by Rebecca Piatt Davidson
The Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema
Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
Tales from Shakespeare (comic book) by Marcia Williams
William Shakespeare and the Globe by Aliki

Websites
www.swshakespeare.org - see whats new at Southwest Shakespeare Company

www.folger.edu - access to primary documents and lesson plans for teaching Shakespeare

http://nfs.sparknotes.com - this is the No Fear Shakespeare

website that presents the original text of Shakespeares plays
side-by-side with a modern version

http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/educational.htm - includes
links to sites designed for teaching Shakespeare using the
Internet; great for finding secondary resources to support the
play being taught

www.stratford.co.uk - the official Stratford resource center on

Shakespeare

www.teachersfirst.com/shakespr.shtml - on-line quizzes and

surveys related to particular plays; also has related sites with
information about Elizabethan England

www.william-shakespeare.info/index.htm - a comprehensive
site with links to the complete works, including background
information, biographical information and pictures,
information about Elizabethan theatre, a Shakespeare
dictionary, quotes, and a discussion forum

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These comments can be used to help you prepare your students to see Southwest Shakespeare Companys
performance of The Merchant of Venice and may also answer any questions about changes or modifications
made to the stage performance as compared to the written play.

Name of Production THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

Name of Director Jared Sakren

In what time period Late 1930s in Italy

is this production
set?
Is this switched Yes. The issue of anti-Semitism in the play is central. To avoid
from the original the historical implications of the Nazi treatment of the Jews (and
text? the Holocaust itself) is to avoid the elephant in the room. We
can't do that, and so we are addressing these issues head-on.

Have any characters Yes. Old Gobbo, an extraneous character whose dialogue is
been cut? incomprehensible and irrelevant.

Have any characters No.

been combined?
Why?
Is there any cross- No.
gender casting?
Have any characters No.
or scenes been
added?
Have any scenes Just part of one scene, in which Old Gobbo appears.
been cut?
Are there fight No.
scenes?
Is there stage No.
blood?
Weapons? No.

Are there love Not really. Romance, yes.

scenes?
Sexual innuendo? Slight.

Other comments: The play is sometimes called a "Comedy" but that is an arbitrary
category since it often simply refers to plays that end with a
wedding or marriage. The play is, in tone and subject matter, a
drama. The ending is not a happy one, and the issues resonate in
ways that are still disturbing to us today.

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 Neither the professor nor the
Before seeing the play actor has a monopoly on
Before you see the characters of The Merchant Shakespeare.
of Venice brought to life on stage by the vision His genius is that he wrote
of the director, spend some time imagining your texts to be studied
own version. Go back to the text of the play
and scripts to be
and look for clues that suggest what the
characters might look like and how they might performed.
behave. What movie stars might you cast in --Leonora Eyre
the various roles? Where would you set the
play? What would the characters wear? It is
up to you you are only limited by your
imagination!
After seeing the play
A director will often choose to dramatize a
play by portraying a wordless scene that helps Did your views about the play or the
characters change after seeing the live
draw the audience into the action and mood. If
you were directing The Merchant of Venice and production? If so, how? Try to be very
specific about moments in the action that
wanted to dramatize a scene just prior to Act I,
Scene 1 being spoken, what would your scene affected you.
portray?
Which actor best portrayed his/her character?
What made the performance so effective?

How was the live production different from the

written play? What decisions did the director
make about staging? Were these effective
decisions? Why or why not?

What did you think of the production values

(sets, costumes, lighting, sound)? Did they
help you to better understand the plot of the
play?

If you would like to share your opinions or ask

questions of the director, actors, or crew of
play, send your letters to:

Southwest Shakespeare Company

Education Committee
P.O. Box 30595
Mesa, AZ 85275-0595

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 One of Shakespeares most complex and fascinating
plays, The Merchant of Venice may have been written as early
as 1596, soon after the trial and execution in 1594 of
Roderigo Lopez, a Portuguese Jewish physician who had been
convicted of plotting to poison Queen Elizabeth. Additional
contemporary anti-Semitic influences included Christopher
Marlowes well-known drama, The Jew of Malta, with its
bloodthirsty stereotypical villain, and an earlier play entitled
The Jew, now lost, that may have blended many of the plot
elements in Shakespeares script. The authors primary source
was undoubtedly a prose romance found in Giovanni
Fiorentions Il Pecorone (The Dunce), which includes the
relationship between a younger man and his older, wealthy
male friend; a beautiful young woman who must be won by a
love strategy; the indebtedness to a Jewish money-lender;
the climactic courtroom appearance of a woman dressed as a
lawyer; and a concluding episode featuring the gift of a
wedding ring.

The precise genre of the script is difficult to determine,

since Shakespeare has skillfully wrapped Shylocks tragic fate within a comic envelope of
romance, prosperity, and happiness. The unhappy Jews ill-fated pound of flesh, his
daughters elopement with a Christian suitor, and his forced religious conversion at the
conclusion of the play contrast sharply with the love intrigues, camaraderie, and lust for wealth
of his hypocritical tormentors. As a result, the play confounds viewers and readers alike through
the absence of any truly sympathetic characters with whom we can identify. While most of us
sincerely empathize with the struggles of the romantic young couples, we are simultaneously
revolted by the ethnic abuse heaped upon Shylock by these so-called Christian characters.
The result is a deeply ambivalent play that has challenged and frustrated audiences for over four
hundred years with its somewhat awkward mixture of dramatic genres.

Out of this fusion of opposites come most of the plays major themes, such as the
geographical division between the two primary locales of the play: Venice is mercantile,
discordant, ruled by me, and filled with hate, while Belmont is magical, musical, ruled by
women, and characterized by love. The scripts comic pattern, therefore, moves from society
(Venice), to wilderness (Belmont), and back to society (Venice) again, just as it shifts from the
union of the two friends Bassanio and Antonio, to their separation, and then to their eventual
reunion prior to the conclusion of the play. Additional important themes include the relationship
between prosperity and happiness, the ironic difference between Christian mercy and pagan
retribution, the extent to which Shylock is a sympathetic character, the great number of
economic images, the characters religious bigotry, and the ever-present Shakespearean theme
of appearance vs. reality. Viewed from a feminist perspective, Portia and Nerissa most prove
themselves as men before being truly accepted as women; they may, therefore, be seen as
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archetypes of modern women through their achievement of power and social status in the
play. Further, we might ask who the merchant of Shakespeares title is. Antonio certainly lays
most claim to the distinction, although most of the other characters in the play are somehow
involved in the buying and selling of merchandise. Recent scholarship has added a number of
important topics to the debate over the play, including the role of women, cross-dressing,
promise vs. obligation, politics, ethical standards, multiculturalism, and the intriguing number of
performances in Israel.

Not surprisingly, the plays stage history has had a long and intriguing tradition. Early
productions seem to have exploited Shylock as a stock villain, focusing upon his stereotypical
hooked nose, red beard, and comic defeat by his Christian persecutorsa theatrical approach
tolerated because few Jews lived in England during the sixteenth and early seventeenth
centuries. Officially banned from the country in 1290 by King Edward I, they returned later in
small numbers and under severe economic and social restrictions. Despised as non-believers,
Jews were forbidden to engage in most common occupations except for usury (the lending of
money at high interest rates), which suffered under religious prohibition, but was nevertheless
necessary for the expanding mercantile economy as represented by Antonio and his fellow
merchants.

Seldom performed during the Renaissance, the play was adapted and revived by George
Granville in 1701 in a production entitled The Jew of Venice, which included a lengthy masque, a
drastically abbreviated script, and the loss of nearly all its comic characters. Charles Macklin
returned Shakespeares original play to popularity in 1741 by restoring its comedy and acting
the role of Shylock himself. Edmund Keans production in 1814 made Shylock more of a tragic
character and set the stage for a variety of later sympathetic portrayals. More recent post-
Holocaust interpretations have helped define the scripts rich and varied stage history.

Whatever your own response to The Merchant of Venice is, be assured that you will
respond! Through this intriguing script, Shakespeare forces us to confront the latent racism in
our own hearts and minds. Just as a little bit of Portia, Bassanio, and Antonio lurk within us, so
too does the character of Shylock reside deep in our psyches. Our response to the play,
therefore, is in large part a reaction to the hopes, fears, dreams, and prejudices that define us
as unique and flawed human beings. Shakespeares play sets up a mirror to our very souls and
invites us to seek within ourselves the touches of sweet harmony that can help lead us better
and more fulfilling lives.

--Michael Flachmann
Shakespeare From Page to Stage
An Anthology of the Most Popular Plays and Sonnets

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 Although Shakespeare was influenced by the anti-
Semitism of his day in writing The Merchant of Venice,
the play was not itself motivated by anti-Semitism, nor
was it intended to spread anti-Semitic doctrines.
Instead, The Merchant of Venice illustrates a theme that
occupied Shakespeare in most of his comediesthe
triumph of love over false and inhumane attitudes
towards life.
--Charles Boyce

However much we may come to sympathize with

Shylocks own misfortunes and question the motives of
his enemies, however much we are made uncomfortable
by the potential insularity of a Venetian ethic that has
no genuine place for non-Christians or cultural outsiders,
Shylock remains essentially as the villain of a love-
comedy.
--David Bevington

Shakespeares comedy is Portias play, and not

Shylocks, though some audiences now find it difficult to reach that conclusion Shylocks prose
is Shakespeares best before Falstaffs; Shylocks verse hews to the vernacular more than any in
Shakespeare before Hamlets. The bitter eloquence of Shylock so impresses us that it is always a
surprise to be told how small a part of the play is spoken by him: only 360 lines and sentences.
--Harold Bloom

Shakespeare and The Merchant of Venice by the Numbers

BORN: April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon,
DIED: April 23, 1616 (on his 52nd birthday)
England

PLAYS: 37 (give or take) 10 tragedies, 10 260: Hours it takes to read the 936,443 words
histories, 13 comedies, and 4 romances; however, in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare,
it is possible that he may have written a few more! if you read at the rate of 60 words per minute

26,885: Number of spoken words in the uncut 300,000: Approximately how much 3,000 gold
version of The Merchant of Venice* ducats would be worth today

1 PENNY: Price of the cheapest theatre ticket in 90%: Percentage of U.S. high schools that
Shakespeares day require the study of Shakespeare

*according to the Complete Public Domain Text

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 ACT I
Antonio, a merchant of Venice, tells his friends Salerio and Solanio that he is feeling very
sad as of late. His friends think that is must be his large financial investments at sea that are
causing him to worry. When Antonio says that he isnt worried about money because he hasnt
invested in just one ship, Salerio and Solanio conclude that he must be in love. Antonio
dismisses this idea as well. When Bassanio enters, he tells Antonio about Portia, a rich and
beautiful woman he has fallen in love with, and although he has borrowed money from Antonio
that he has yet to pay back, he asks to borrow money again so that he may court Portia; after
he wins her hand in marriage, Bassanio will have enough money to pay Antonio back
completely. Even though Antonios money is tied up in the ships, he gives Bassanio permission
to see what kind of loan he can secure with Antonios credit.

In Belmont, Portia complains to her waiting-maid, Nerissa, that she cannot choose her
own husband; her dead father has stipulated in his will that Portias suitors must pass a test in
which they must choose among three casketsone gold, one silver, and one leadto find the
one that contains her portrait. The man who chooses correctly will become Portias husband and
inherit her fortune, but if the suitor fails, they may never marry anyone else. The women discuss
the faults of the various suitors who have come and gone, and recall that Bassanio might be a
man who is worthy to be Portias husband.

Shylock agrees to lend Bassanio 3,000 ducats for three months based on Antonios credit,
but Shylock is skeptical because all of Antonios money is tied up at sea. He confesses in an
aside that he hates Antonio because he lends money without charging interest, which makes
Shylocks profession as a moneylender difficult. Shylock has also been humiliated by Antonios
public verbal and physical assaults against him for usury, which is considered a sin by Christians.
When Shylock points out Antonios hypocrisy, Antonio replies that he makes the exception for
Bassanio, not for himself. So Shylock offers to lend Antonio the money, interest-free, for three
months, requiring only a humorous collateral; if Antonio cannot repay the loan when it comes
due, he will permit Shylock to cut from his body one pound of flesh. Although Bassanio is
concerned about this arrangement, Antonio signs a legal contract for the loan, confident that his
business ventures will soon bring him nine times the amount needed to repay the loan.

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 ACT II
The Prince of Morocco has come to take the casket challenge to win Portias hand in
marriage, but she tells him that if he fails, he may never marry. He agrees to be bound by her
fathers rules.

Launcelot Gobbo, Shylocks clownish servant, thinks about running away from Shylock to
serve another master. He encounters his father, Old Gobbo, who is almost blind and doesnt
recognize his son. Launcelot plays a trick on his father, misdirecting him and pretending that
Launcelot is dead, but soon reveals himself and asks for his fathers blessing. During their
reunion, Launcelot begs Bassanio to have him as a servant; amused by Launcelots behavior,
Bassanio agrees that Launcelot can be his servant. Bassanio then sees Gratiano, who asks if he
can go to Belmont with Bassanio. Bassano allows him to come along, but warns Gratiano that
he needs to be on his best behavior. Gratiano agrees, but hopes that his behavior not be judged
on the partying they plan to do that night.

At Shylocks house, his daughter Jessica tells Launcelot that she is also planning on
leaving her fathers house by running away with Lorenzo, one of Bassanios friends. Later when
she is alone, Jessica reflects on how she regrets that she is Shylocks daughter but cheers up at
the idea of marrying Lorenzo.

As Lorenzo, Gratiano, Salerio, and Solanio, are preparing for a masque celebration,
Launcelot arrives with the letter from Jessica that details her plan for escape, which includes
taking her fathers gold and jewels. Lorenzo gives him a message for Jessica, that he, Loreno,
will not fail her. After Salerio and Solanio, leave, Lorenzo tells Gratiano that he and Jessica are
planning to elope that night.

Shylock reacts angrily to Launcelots leaving him but accepts the invitation to eat with
Bassanio, although he is concerned about doing so. Launcelot drops hints that there will be a
masque that night, and Shylock orders Jessica to lock up the house so as to avoid getting
robbed by the party-goers. Launcelot tells Jessica that Lorenzo will go though with their plans.

Gratiano and Salerio meet Lorenzo outside Shylocks house to help Jessica escape with a
casket of Shylocks gold and jewels. As Gratiano is about to leave for the party, Antonio catches
him and tells him that Bassanios ship is about to leave for Belmont, so Gratiano better skip the
festivities.

Back in Belmont, the Prince of Morocco enters the lottery to win Portias hand in marriage.
He reads the inscriptions on each of the caskets and selects the gold one, whose inscription
reads, Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire. Since the gold casket is made of
such valuable material, he reasons, it is the only one fit to contain Portias image. When he
opens the casket, he finds a skull with a scroll in the eye socket, informing him that he has lost.
When he leaves, Portia declares that she hopes that all men of his completion choose the same
way.

In one of the most racially charged scenes in the play, Solanio tells Salerio about
Shylocks reaction to Jessicas theft and elopement. Solanio hopes Antonio is able to pay his
debt, but Salerio has heard a rumor that Antonios ships have capsized. Concerned that
Shylocks anger will affect Antonio if he fails to repay his debt, and the two decide to tell Antonio
what theyve heard.

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 Once again in Belmont, the Prince of Arragon undergoes the casket test to win Portias
hand. He rejects the golds offer of what many desire as the choice of the foolish multitudes
who only value outward appearance. Feeling that he is quite worthy, he elects the silver
caskets promise of as much as he deserves. However, a rhyme inside the casket announces his
failure, and he leaves. A messenger then tells Portia and Nerrisa that Bassanio has arrived to
attempt the test and win Portias hand in marriage.

ACT III
Solanio and Salerio have heard reports that confirm that Antonios ships have indeed
wrecked, and they are concerned about his contract with Shylock. Shylock, still upset about
Jessicas elopement, hears from Salerio about Antonios bad fortune, and his grief turns to
anger. Salerio asks Shylock if he will really take his pound of flesh from Antonio, and Shylock
responds that he will take it in revenge for Antonios anti-Semitism. Shylock observes that Jews
are like Christians in bodily respects, and that he will prove their desire for revenge is also the
same. Shylocks friend, Tubal, arrives and reports that he hasnt been able to find Jessica, but
he has heard about her extravagance with her fathers money. Enraged, Shylock gets an officer
to arrest Antonio in order to collect his payment.

Portia asks Bassanio to postpone choosing from the caskets because if he fails, he must
leave immediately, and she has fallen in love with him. She wishes she could teach him how to
choose, and tries to give him clues in her song, but she will not defy the letter of the law of her
fathers will. Bassanio cannot stand the suspense, and so he proceeds to make his selection. He
rejects the gold and silver caskets as representing false glamour and outward appearance, and
he opens the lead casket. Inside he finds Portias portrait and a scroll confirming that he has won
her hand. Portia gives him a ring, which he promises to wear until he dies. Gratiano and Nerissa
reveal that they have also fallen in love, completing the third romantic couple of the play.
Salerio arrives from Venice with Lorenzo and Jessica. He tells Bassanio that Antonio has lost all
of his investments at sea and has been arrested, and that Shylock is demanding his pound of
flesh. Portia offers to repay debt twenty times over, and Bassanio makes plans to return to
Venice to try to rescue his friend.

Meantime, Antonio, in the custody of the Jailer, pleads with Shylock for mercy, but
Shylock will not speak to him; he angrily repeats his demand for the pound of flesh and then
leaves. Solanio and Antonio discuss whether the Duke will dismiss the case, but Antonio believes
the law will hold. Antonio only hopes that he will get to see Bassanio again before he dies.

Portia announces her intention to enter a religious retreat while Bassanio tries to help
Antonio in Venice, but she really has another plan in mind. She tells her servant Balthasar to
deliver a message to her cousin in Padua. Balthasar is then to meet her with the documents and
the clothing the cousin will give him. Portia tells Nerissa of her plan: they will go to Venice
disguised as men.

Launcelot, in his capacity as a professional fool, impudently jests with Jessica and
Lorenzo, telling her that she is damned for her fathers sins. Jessica asserts that she will not be
damned because her husband has saved her.

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 ACT IV
The Duke of Venice convenes a court to try Shylocks claim. Shylock is asked to be
merciful, but he refuses, even for repayment of twice the original loan. The Duke tries to reason
with Shylock, asking him to have mercy in order to gain mercy, but Shylock argues that since he
has purchased his pound of flesh, it is his to do with as he likes.

Portia and Nerissa show up, disguised as a young lawyer and a clerk, just as the Duke is
ready to allow Shylock to claim his bond. Portia acknowledges the bond, but appeals to Shylock
with her quality of mercy is not strained speech. When he refuses, Portia says the law must
be upheld, but asks him to reconsider mercy; again, Shylock refuses, and Portia says the bond
must be honored; Shylock can collect Antonios pound of flesh. Antonio bids a passion-filled
farewell to Bassanio, who declares he would give up his wife to keep Antonio alive.

As the sentence comes down, Portia reveals the loopholes in the law; not a drop of blood
may be spilled with the taking of the pound of flesh because blood is not mentioned in the
contract; and exactly a pound of flesh must be taken, no more or less. Otherwise, all of
Shylocks possessions will be confiscated by the state of Venice. When Shylock then tries to take
the payment of money rather than the payment of flesh, Portia shows no mercy. Since Shylock
has essentially plotted murder, his property will be split between Antonio and the state, and as a
non-Venetian who has attempted to take the life of a citizen, he is subject to the death penalty
unless the Duke pardons him. The Duke allows him to live, and Antonio suggests that Shylock be
allowed to keep half of his property and give the other half to Lorenzo and Jessicabut only if
Shylock converts to Christianity. Shylock agrees, saying, I am not well.

Antonio and Bassanio offer to pay the disguised Portia and Nerissa for their help. They
refuse payment, but Portia asks for Bassanios wedding ring (the one which he had promised
Portia to never remove). Bassanio refuses at first, but feeling ungrateful for the lawyers help,
sends Gratiano to deliver the ring.

Portia and Nerissa deliver the deed for Shylock to sign, and Gratiano catches up with them
to deliver Bassanios ring to them. Nerissa decides to get Gratiano to give up his ring, and both
women plot to make the men sorry that they ever gave up their rings.

ACT V
Lorenzo and Jesscia enjoy the moonlight and music at Belmont and compare themselves
to famous lovers of myth and literature. Word arrives that Portia and Nerissa are returning from
the monastery; when the women arrive, they warn everyone to not mention their absence.
When Bassanio, and Gratiano arrive with Antonio, he is introduced to the wives, and then a
quarrel quickly ensues about the missing rings. The women say that they will withhold their
husbands marital privileges until they have their rings back, and then they tell their husbands
that they did lie with the lawyer and his clerk to retrieve the rings.

Before the men are too shocked by their wives unfaithfulness, Portia shows them a
letter from her lawyer cousin explaining their roles in saving Antonios life. In true romantic
form, Antonios ships miraculously return, Lorenzo and Jessica learn they will inherit Shylocks
fortune, and everyone goes in to celebrate their happiness.

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Directions: Before seeing or reading the play The Merchant of Venice, rate the following
statements. Compare your answers with a partner and discuss your reasons for how you rated
each statement. After you have seen or finished reading the play, revisit the statements and see
if your ratings have changed. Discuss with your partner why you did or did not change your
ratings for each statement.

1 2 3 4
Disagree Strongly Disagree Agree Agree Strongly

Rating Statement Rating

(BEFORE (AFTER
seeing/reading seeing/reading
Merchant) Merchant)

Money affects my level of happiness.

Appearances can be deceiving.

Spouses should have the same morals and values.

A true friend would do anything for his/her friend.

People should forgive those who have wronged them.

A rule or law should be followed; no exceptions should be made.

People should keep their promises, no matter what.

Friendship is more important than a love relationship.

Reading Shakespeare isnt fun because it is too difficult to
understand.
I can relate to the characters and events in Shakespeares plays.

After seeing/reading the play:

1. Did most of your ratings change or stay the same? Why?

2. What did you learn by completing the anticipation and reaction guide?

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BEFORE/DURING READING: Circle one of the concepts in the middle box and complete the graphic
organizer. Add information to your concept map if your opinions develop or change while you read The
Merchant of Venice.

DEFINE IT GIVE EXAMPLES TO ILLUSTRATE IT

JUSTICE
RISK
FAITH
MERCY
SACRIFICE

CONSEQUENCES (GOOD/BAD) ASSOCIATED WITH IT OTHER CONNECTIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO IT

AFTER READING: What role did this concept play in The Merchant of Venice? Which character
exemplified this concept? Cite specific examples from the play to support your opinion.

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 While reading the play The Merchant of Venice, keep a
journal of your impressions and thoughts of the
various characters. What you write down will help you
contribute to class discussions. Try to form your own
questions from your observations.

When you finish an assigned reading, select the

character you will use for your journal entry. It does
not need to be the same character for each entry.
Write the characters name at the top of the page. If
the character has said a particular line(s) about an
issue you want to comment on, write the line(s) under
the characters name. Do not simply summarize the
actions of the character you have selected. Try to
make judgments about the character based on his/her
words and/or actions.

Here are some suggestions to help you start your reading journal entries:

The motivations of ___________ are clear/unclear in this scene.

I am impressed by the actions of ___________.
The character __________ was important in this scene because
The relationship between ___________ and ___________ is interesting because
The above quote interests me because
I agree/disagree with the opinions/actions of ___________ because
The word ___________ best describes ___________ because
To me, the character I most identify with is ___________ because
___________ reminds me of someone I know.
I was confused by ___________ because
The emotion of ___________ seemed to be an important part of ___________s life.
The conflict between ___________ and ___________ makes the play interesting to me.

Remember, these are only suggestions. You choose WHO and WHAT you want to write about
after each assigned reading!

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To understand something about the way a play works, it helps to examine its overall structure.
Have the class work in five groups (one group per act of the play) and look closely at the
structure of your assigned act. Use the following questions to help guide your group through
this process:

What is the major event that occurs in this act?

What information is provided in this act?

What new information do we learn about each of the characters in this act? How do we
learn this? From whom?

What do the characters soliloquies/monologues/speeches tell us about him/her?

What does the manner in which they speak and to whom tell us?

What seems to be the focus and major function of the act?

To share your findings with the class, use chart paper to write, draw pictures, cut out pictures
from magazines, etc. to create a visual representation of what each act contributes to the
structure of the play and to the audiences interpretation.

Place the visual representations up in the classroom in the order of their occurrence in the play.
This is a great way to review the plot before going to see a performance or a helpful reminder
when discussing the play after you have seen it!

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Like many of Shakespeares philosophical and festive comedies, The Merchant of Venice presents
two contrasting worlds, one idealized (Belmont) and one more worldly (Venice). Belmont is a
place of magic and love; it is pure, serene, and ethereal. In contrast, Venice is a place of
business and economic competition; it is busy, harsh, and litigious.

Using the graphic organizer below, find examples from the play that contrast the settings of
Belmont and Venice. Consider ideas such as what time of day we usually see the two settings
(in the cool of the evening or in the heat of the day), who mostly presides over the two settings
(men or women), symbols associated with each setting (caskets, houses, rings, ducats, etc.),
where each place is situated (high on a mountain, or where the rivers meet the sea), and
anything else that shows a contrast between the idealized setting and the worldly settings of the
play.

Belmont Venice

Extension: When considering the compassionate friendships in Venice and Portias dead fathers
marriage requirement in Belmont, how do they make the apparent opposition of the two settings
not quite so clear-cut?

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 One of those phrases that people quote all of the time (but dont know that they are quoting
Shakespeare), bated breath from The Merchant of Venice means in a hushed voice, (as stated by
Shylock) but when we use the phrase, we usually mean, with ones breath held. The subject of
breath is mentioned a few times in The Merchant of Venice: courteous breath (Act II, Scene 9),
lips parted with sugar breath (Act III, Scene 2), and the famous bated breath (Act I, Scene 3).
What is the deal with Shakespeare writing about breath?

Well, although the Elizabethans cleaned their teeth by rubbing them with a linen cloth and a
liquid or powder, unpleasant breath was still a problem. And Shakespeares lines about breath show
that he could write not only about noble and beautiful experiences but also about everyday, down-to-
earth occurrences. Here are some lines about breath from some of Shakespeares plays that you may
find amusing:

His breath stinks with eating toasted cheese. (from Henry VI, Part II)

[You have] a blasting and a scandalous breath. (from Measure for Measure)

The rabblement howted, and clappd their chappend hands and uttered such a deal of stinking
breath that it had, almost, choked Caesar. (from Julius Caesar)

Eat no onions nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath. (from A Midsummer Nights Dream)

Below is a recipe for Apple Moye, a sweet dish that Elizabethans ate to have lips parted with
sugar breath no onions and garlic for the young lovers in The Merchant of Venice!

Apple Moye
Ingredients: Utensils:
8-10 apples Knife
cup water Saucepan
2 egg yolks Fork
2 tablespoons butter Measuring cup
1 teaspoon cinnamon Measuring spoons
1 teaspoon ground ginger
cup sugar

Directions:
Peel and core the apples, quarter them, and place them in a saucepan in the water. Bring to a boil,
then simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Mash the apples with a fork and blend in the egg
yolks, butter, spices, and sugar. Cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 10
minutes. Serve hot or chilled. Serves 4-6 people.

Optional: You might want to serve this sweet apple dish with ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet.
Garnish with cookies.

Adapted from SHAKESPEARE FOR KIDS: HIS LIFE AND TIMES by Colleen Aagesen and Margie Blumberg

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Please help us to improve. We invite you to share your thoughts about this production. Please return this
form to any Southwest Shakespeare Company volunteer as you leave, OR mail it to us at P.O. Box
30595, Mesa, AZ 85275, OR fax it to 480.924.4310. Thank you for completing this form, for coming to
our performance, and for introducing your students to the wonders of Shakespeare and live theatre!

Please feel free to use the back of this form to include any additional comments.

Name of Play: Performance Date:

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Did you find the Teacher Guide helpful? What did you particularly like/dislike?

Did you enjoy the performance? Why/why not?

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Could you hear it?

What did you think of it visually?

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