Bassanio, unfortunately, is strapped for cash with which to go wooing, and antonio wants to help, so antonio. William shakespeare, the merchant of venice lesson plans. I used these in class and then went through answers, but they could also be used for standalone revision purposes or cover lesson material. Shakespeares the merchant of venice is set in renaissance venice, with a few scenes in a fictional italian town called belmont. In 1596 venice, bassanio, an irresponsible nobleman, tries to borrow money from his close, melancholy friend antonio so he can woo fair portia. With the extreame crueltie of shylocke the jewe towards the sayd merchant, in cutting a just pound of his flesh. The plot of the play centered on love, money, biases, and social injustices. Shylock nurses a longstanding grudge against antonio, who has made a habit of berating shylock and other jews for their usury, the practice of loaning money at exorbitant rates of interest, and who undermines their business by offering interestfree loans. The fair, rich and virtuous portia, the heiress of belmont, has attracted the attention of many wouldbe suitors. The merchant of venice is a 16thcentury play written by william shakespeare in which a merchant in venice named antonio defaults on a large loan provided by. The film features a magnificent performance by al pacino in the role of shylock. The merchant of venice from the guardian the guardian.
In the sixteenth century, there was a great intolerance against jews. It is the first fulllength sound film in english of shakespeares playother versions are videotaped productions which were made for television, including john sichels 1973 version and jack golds 1980 bbc production the title character is the merchant antonio jeremy irons, not the jewish. In 16th century venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions, the bitterly vengeful creditor demands a gruesome payment instead. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started. This 2004 color dvdvideo can be easily found at any dvd store or library, with english language dolby digital 5. A pound of flesh is at stake if a loan is not repaid in this adaptation of the classic shakespearean play starring al pacino. What is a short summary on merchant of venice antonio, a merchant, agrees to loan money to his friend bassanio so he can woo his beloved portia. Since its a shakespearean play, dialogue is the key. Analyzing radfords merchant of venice court scene the gemsbok. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website.
With the exception of shylock, all celebrate a happy ending to the affair. It is the first fulllength sound film in english of shakespeares playother versions are videotaped productions which were made for television, including john sichels 1973 version and jack golds 1980 bbc production. She has been left by her fathers will in the position of a game show prize. And that is a very short summary of the merchant of venice. One of william shakespeares most powerful comedies has been given a bold cinematic adaptation in this film version of the merchant of. The merchant of venice the fair, rich and virtuous portia, the heiress of belmont, has attracted the attention of many wouldbe suitors. Preliminary production notes the merchant of venice, p. Amazing cinematography, sets, overall design, and costumes, serve to transport the viewer to 16thcentury venice. How has shakespeare interwoven the main plot of the merchant. Synecdoche, new york the movie synecdoche, new york was directed by charlie kaufman and it was released in the year 2008. With al pacino, joseph fiennes, lynn collins, jeremy irons. The merchant of venice 1980 bbc tv movie movieboozer. Antonios money is all tied up in shipments away from venice.
Antonios money is all tied up in shipments away from venice, so he approaches shylock, a moneylender. The movie was based on thefamous lines written by william shakespeare all the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players in merchant of venice. First performed in 1598, shakespeares study of religious difference remains controversial. The merchant of venice is a play about risk, prejudice and justice. Dec 29, 2004 this version of the merchant of venice was directed by michael radford, best known for the international hit michael radford, and was shot on locations in venice and luxembourg. This version of the merchant of venice was directed by michael radford, best known for the international hit michael radford, and was shot on locations in venice and luxembourg. Merchant of venice plot analysis slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Many good location shots of canals and buildings in venice. Download file to see previous pages it is a mixture of comedy and drama, a story about love and hate, written between 1596 and 1598. A quick overview of what happens in the plot of the merchant of venice. Given that the antisemitism of the time is given explicit treatment with christian characters spitting on, cursing, threatening, and damning jewish citizens forced to live in a ghetto, parents should be aware that sensitive viewers of any age may be upset and that this plus. Portia in the merchant of venice this character analysis is critical of portia. A short summary of william shakespeares the merchant of venice. The worksheets are key sections of the text with guided questions.
Submit a brief summary of the plot of the merchant of venice. The merchant of venice plot summary, themes, a discussion of antisemitism in elizabethan england, more. William shakespeares the merchant of venice variety. Portia is a fine example of a romantic heroine in shakespeares mature comedies.
In venice, bassanio, a notsowealthy nobleman, asks to borrow money from his dear friend and wealthy merchant antonio, in order to have the funds to woo portia, a wealthy noblewoman. Setting and blocking in radfords merchant of venice one of the key features of the scene in the movie is the crowd gathered at the court. Weber played portia and smalley, her husband, played shylock. Merchant of venice summary guide at absolute shakespeare. The plot is driven from the comic side, by the desire of bassanio joseph fiennes to wed the fair portia lynn collins. Then, he approaches antonio, a wealthy merchant of venice who has previously and repeatedly bailed him out. Thinking to read the merchant of venice one more time, i took down the. The film also depicts the aspect of meta referential where a play within a play is portrayed. The merchant of venice by william shakespeare summary. Certainly, he would have no hope of winning portias hand without adequate funds for wooing, so he borrows 3,000 ducats from.
Questions are based on plot, character, vocabulary, and important quotations. Jan 20, 2005 the plot is driven from the comic side, by the desire of bassanio joseph fiennes to wed the fair portia lynn collins. All of the information you need about the play is divided into four sections. I thought the film captured the look of the 15th16th century merchant citystate through which much of the renaissance worlds trade flowed. Melancholy antonio loves the youthful bassanio, so when bassanio asks for 3000 ducats, antonio says. In venice, antonio and bassanio approach shylock, a jewish moneylender, for a loan.
The merchant of venice opens on a street in venice there are streets and not just canals in venicewho knew. Shylock agrees to lend the money, on condition that if antonio does not pay it back by an appointed time, shylock may cut a pound of flesh. Merchant of venice summary is divided by the five acts of the play and makes an ideal introduction before reading the original text. Synopsis and plot overview of shakespeares the merchant of venice. Dec 02, 2004 the merchant of venice 4 5 stars 4 out of 5 stars. The main plot of shakespeares the merchant of venice is the antoniobassanioshylock plot, in which the merchant antonio borrows money from the jewish moneylender shylock in order to fund. William shakespeares the merchant of venice 2004 rotten. Although antonio doesnt have cash handy, because all of his ships are at sea, he gives bassanio permission to borrow as much money as he needs on antonios credit. The plot is driven from the comic side, by the desire of bassanio.
Portias father has died and left a very strange will. The merchant of venice is an adaptation of shakespeares famous comedy, with al pacino as shylock, jeremy irons as antonio the merchant, joseph fiennes as bassanio, and lynn collins as portia. As it hath been divers times acted by the lord chamberlaine his servants. Unless the word others in the plays direction of this scene is stretched widely, the assembly in the movie greatly outnumbers the group of people shakespeare originally allotted the occasion. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of the merchant of venice. The merchant of venice 1980 letterboxd social film. Bassanio wants to marry a woman called portia but he cant afford to pay. With its intricate triple plotthe shylockantonio bond, the portiabassanio romance, and the ring trickthis play is an already complicated story which turns on our understanding of the relationships of mercy to. The merchant of venice plot summary shakespeare learning zone. Nov 05, 2015 setting and blocking in radfords merchant of venice one of the key features of the scene in the movie is the crowd gathered at the court. Other characters include bassanio, gratiano, lorenzo, nerissa, and so on.
Submit a brief summary of the plot of the merchant of venice, using keywords from the cloze test. Act i the first act opens in a street in venice, where antonio, a wealthy middleaged merchant, talking to two acquaintances, wonders why he feels vaguely sad and apprehensive. Bassanio tends to coax the beautiful and wealthy heiress portia of belmont. Plot summary from stories of shakespeares comedies by helene adeline guerber. The caskets the pound of flesh the rings the elopement 2.
A teachers guide for the merchant of venice and othello these lesson plans and classroom activities are provided by pbs as part of the exxonmobil masterpiece. Antonio has invested all his money in his ships and borrows from the usurer shylock, who proposes an unusual bond. Actually understand the merchant of venice act 1, scene 1. The merchant of venice is a 2004 romantic drama film based on shakespeares play of the same name. The merchant of venice is one of those really fine films which didnt receive a lot of fanfare when it was released in 2006. Each section has three different levels of information. In 1596, in the liberal venice, bassanio asks for a large amount to his friend, the merchant antonio, to travel to belmont and propose the gorgeous portia.
The merchant of venice is the story of a jewish moneylender who demands that an antisemitic christian offer a pound of flesh as collateral against a loan. It can be used as an open book test or scavenger hunt, or as a summary test. Submit a brief summary of the plot of the merchant of. Apparently all of his money is tied up in various sea ventures to exotic locales. Among these is the noble but penniless bassanio, a venetian gentleman. Read every line of shakespeares original text alongside a modern english translation. Parents need to know that most teens will have trouble at first following shakespeares untouched and dense prose. His friends suggest theyd be sad too if they had as much merchandise to worry about as antonio. The main themes are justice, mercy, revenge, love and friendship, and though. In 16th century venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions.
As a suitor, he needs 3,000 ducats to subsidise his expenditure. This beautifully filmed adaptation of shakespeares play takes its visual cue from renaissance paintings. In fact, it only ran for two weeks at a movie house in my city, although i did get to see it. Use updown arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. Indicate the key events on the picture, using a different colour for each plot.
May 05, 20 submit a brief summary of the plot of the merchant of venice, using keywords from the cloze test. If the merchant of venice is one shakespeares better known plays lacking a film version, then michael radfords tony adaptation to some degree illustrates why. This crowd, as a decision of the director, functions on. The main characters of the play are antonio the merchant of venice, portia, shylock, and jessica. The final trial scene is where the movies spinal column has to be located. One of william shakespeares most powerful comedies has been given a bold cinematic adaptation in this film version of the merchant of venice.
The merchant of venice by william shakespeare plot summary. Plot draw a picture of the two main settings, venice and belmont. The setting is important venice was one of the wealthiest towns in europe, as it was right on the sea, with excellent shipping facilities for trading with the east. Bassanio, needing money to be a suitor to portia, asks his friend antonio for a loan. The merchant of venice the merchant of venice plot worksheet 1.
How has shakespeare interwoven the main plot of the. Summary of the merchant of venice shakespeare birthplace trust. Read a character analysis of shylock, plot summary and important quotes. With this film, weber became the first woman to direct a fulllength feature film in america. Read our short the merchant of venice summary to help you understand the play and characters. A rich merchant, antonio is depressed for no good reason, until his good friend bassanio comes to tell him how hes in love with portia.
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