Introducing Shakespeare

It cost a lot to go to the play
There's no any sit most of the people are standing up
The theatre doesn't have any roof because
Women are not allowed to act, all the female roles are played by men.
They have props, costume, makeup to make the men looked like a female

Main Characters:
Antonio- Merchant, Cristian, lends Bassanio money he has borrowed from Shylock.
Bassanio- needs money, wants to marry Portia.
Portia- rich, dresses us as a man to save Antonio.
Shylock- Jew, moneylender, lends money to Antonio for Bassanio to marry Portia
Stereotype: Good with money, usuary- lend money with interest.
Gratiano- Bassanios man, marries Nerissa.
Nerissa- Portia's maid

Act One, Scene One:

1. Antonio is depressed without knowing why. His friends suggest two reasons.

‘And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks, which touching but my gentle vessel's side would scatter all her spices on the stream’ (Black P.5)

‘Why then, you are in love.’ (Black P.5)

2. What do you think of Bassanio? I think he is a loyal friend and he is really keen to get money because he's broke.
3. Is he in love? Yes
4. Why does he need to borrow money? Because Bassanio is in love with Portia and he wants to marry her.

Act One, Scene Two:

1. How do Portia’s first words compare with Antonio’s?

Antonio- In sooth, I know not why I am so sad

Portia- By my troth Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world

Actually, I think Portia's first has no difference with Antonio because she's feeling down or tired. But if there's a difference I think it's the part why Antonio doesn't know why his sad and Portia is tired because she's tired of this great world

2. Why is Portia unhappy?

I think she's unhappy because she has to marry a husband but she can't choose or refuse who she dislikes she's controlled by the wishes of her dead father.

3. Do you think Nerissa talking with Portia about her options is helpful, why?

At some point, it's helpful because she's trying to explain everything to Portia and I think Nerissa is just asking questions about Portia's suitors to hear what Portia think about them.

4. What does Portia’s think of her suitors so far?

She doesn't like her suitors because she will be marrying a guy with a lot of faces, in other words, the guy has a lot of attitudes.

Act One, Scene Three:

1. Shylock is a moneylender. ‘Three thousand ducats for three months and Antonio bound...I think I may take his bond’ (Black P.27) Do you think Shylock is happy to lend Bassanio money? How do you know?
No, because he knows that Bassanio is broke and he thinks that Bassanio may not pay him back. But at the same time, he is maybe happy to lend money to Antonio but not Bassanio and I think Bassanio used Antonio's name that's why he lends money.

2. Which does Shylock think is safer, his money lending business or Antonio’s shipping business? Why?

His money lending business because Shylock thinks that anything could happen during the shipping business.

3. Why doesn’t Shylock want to dine with Bassanio and Antonio? ‘Yes to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into’ (Black P.29)

4. Finish this quote that tells how Antonio is breaking his principle of not taking money lent with interest. ‘Methought you said you neither lend nor borrow upon advantage’ (Black P.31)

5. Shylock accuses Antonio of a whole lot of nastiness. How does Antonio react? (Black P.35)

It looks like he doesn't really care about borrowing money whether they are friends or enemy Antonio just want to get money from Shylock.

6. Why doesn’t Bassanio want Antonio to agree to the bond?
Because of Bassanio heard that Antonio's ship sunk and all of Antonio's money is on that ship