This summary contains:
A scene-by-scene summary from the New Swan Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, edited by Bernard Lott, published by Longman Group Limited in London.
Bullet Points: Period, Characters, Themes & Important Quotes
A summary of ‘Religious Nonconformity and the Quality of Mercy: ...
Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare
This summary contains:
- A scene-by-scene summary from the New Swan Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, edited
by Bernard Lot, published by Longman Group Limited in London%
- Bullet Points: Period, Characters, Themes & Important Quotes
- A summary of ‘Religious Nonconformity and the Quality of Mercy: The Merchant of Venice in
Reformaton Context’ by Shagan
- Notes
o Comedies
o Porta
o Shylock
o Jews in England
o Other notes
The Merchant of Venice
Act 1 Scene 1
Antonio, a merchant, tells his friends Salerio and Solanio that he is sad at heart but he cannot say
why% They suggest he is worried about his merchant ships now at sea, but he denies this% He assures
them he is not worried about love-afairs either% They can say only that he is sad because he is not
merry% His friends Bassanio and two others come by% They, too, speak of Antonio’s sadness, and at
last Antonio and Bassanio are lef together% With Bassanio, Antonio seems to be more at ease% They
talk in a friendly way of Bassanio’s love for the beautful heiress Porta, and of how Antonio can help
Bassanio with money so he can go seek her hand in marriage%
Act 1 Scene 2
Porta and her maid Nerissa are seen discussing the method which Porta’s father has willed for her
to find a husband: her suitors must each chose one of three caskets, made of gold, silver and lead,
and the winning casket has Porta’s picture inside% The women talk about the suitors who have so far
come to Belmont from distant countries; Porta is not atracted to any of them, and is glad to know
that none of them is willing to submit to the luck of the caskets% But they remember with pleasure
the visit of Bassanio% The arrival of yet another suitor, the Prince of Morocco, is then announced%
Act 1 Scene 2
Bassanio has already begun to discuss business with Shylock 1% He wants to borrow 3000 ducats2, for
three months, in the name of his good friends Antonio% Shylock tells how he believes Antonio’s name
is a good security, even though his fortune is largely in ships at sea% But he also refects that he hates
Antonio because he lends money without charging interest, which is bad for business, and because
Antonio has ill-treated him% When Antonio himself comes up to them, an agreement is soon made;
Shylock will lend the money, but if it is not replaced within three months, Antonio must give a pound
of his fesh to Shylock%
Act 2 Scene 1
1
Whose name sounds like one of those merged superwholock tumblr fandoms
2
Italian coins, four ducats being worth around one pound sterling, according to the notes in my copy of this
play% I think my copy was published in 1974? So 750 pound sterling, which is currently according to
infaton%iamkate%com is approx% equivalent to 7440 pound sterling, or 8 356 ,79 euros in 2018 %
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller englishliterature. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £3.01. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
