4. What Dirty Joke Does Portia Tell About the Neopolitan Prince? P. 11 (38-43)

Name______Period ______

Act 1 1. Why does Bassanio want to borrow from Antonio? Why is he so sure he’ll be able to pay it back this time? P. 9 (161-176).

2. Although Antonio is willing, he cannot hand over the cash to Bassanio. Why? What does Antonio suggest Bassanio do to get the money? P. 9 (177-185)

3. Why didn’t Portia like the German prince? What did she do to mislead him if he decided to choose a casket? P. 13 (85-98)

4. What “dirty joke” does Portia tell about the Neopolitan prince? P. 11 (38-43)

5. Who does Portia wish would come to choose a casket? P. 13 (111-118)

6. Although the other princes decide to return home when they hear about the risk of the caskets, who is now waiting for Portia at the door? Explain the “racial” comment that she makes. P. 14 (122-132)

7. What deal is struck by Antonio and Shylock? P. 15 (9-10)

8. Explain the “merry bond” that Shylock offers Antonio instead of charging him interest. P. 19 (140-148)

9. Although Bassanio protests, why does Antonio think it is a great deal? P. 20 (153-156) 10. How does Antonio treat Shylock when they pass on the street? P. 18 (103-126)

11. How does Shylock feel about Antonio in return? Why? P. 16 (37-48)

12. When Bassanio asks if shylock would like to go to dinner with he and Antonio, Shylock says: “Yes, to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into? I will buy with you, sell with you, talk to you…but I will not eat with you, drink with you, not pray with you!” Why would Shylock not want to smell pork? What New Testament story is Shylock referring to?

13. What is your first impression of Bassanio? What kind of young man is he?

Act II

14. What is your impression of the Prince of Morocco? Predict which casket do you think he will choose? Why?

15. List two reasons Lancelot Gobbo wants to leave Shylock’s employment. P. 26 (104-108). What does Lancelot mean on line 106 :”Give him a halter?”

16. Who will Lancelot Gobbo work for now? P. 26 (108-110)

17. Bassanio tells Gratiano that he can come to Belmont on one condition. What is it? P. 29 (176-186) 18. What kind of relationship does Jessica have with her father? P. 31 (16-18)

19. What does Jessica want Lancelot to do? Why? P. 30 (5-9)

20. What is Lorenzo’s plan to elope with Jessica? P. 32 (29-39). On line 23, Lorenzo says: “I am provided of a torchbearer.” Who will be his torchbearer and how will this fit in with his plan?

21. Is Jessica empty-handed? Explain. P. 31 (30-31). What is your opinion of her actions?

22. Shylock seems to trust his daughter completely. How is this ironic?

23. During the Renaissance, people believed that their dreams could foretell the future. What had Shylock dreamed about? Why? P. 34 (16-18)

24. Which casket does the Prince of Morocco choose? What is inside?

25. One of the themes of the play is “Appearances are Deceiving.” How does the inscription on the scroll inside the casket illustrate this theme P. 49 (63-74)

26. Salerio and Solanio mock Shylock by imitating him. According to these two, what did shylock feel the worst about losing? P. 41 (15-22) 27. Salerio has heard some bad news. What is it? Do you think it should concern Antonio? P. 42 (27-32)

28. Which casket did the Prince of Aragon choose? What did it contain?

29. The Prince of Aragon’s personality certainly fits his name. Why would Shakespeare have named him “Aragon”?

30. Who has arrived in Belmont? P. 46 (100)

Act III

31. What has happened according to Salerio? P. 47 (2-7, 16-17)

32. What does Tubal say about Antonio? P. 50 (95, 106-108)

33. Tubal has also heard some news about Jessica and Lorenzo. What has Jessica done? Why do you think Shylock has such a strong reaction to what she did? P. 51 (110-115)

34. What are Shylock’s plans at the end of this scene? P. 51 (118-123)

35. Some critics think Portia gives Bassanio some hints about which casket to choose. Find as many hints as you can on pages 51thorugh the top of 54. Stop where Bassanio begins to speak.

36. Portia gives Bassanio a ring and has him promise something. What does she ask and what is his response? P. 57 (170-174, 183-185) 37. Nerissa and Gratiano have their own big news. What’s happening? P. 58 (194-207)

38. Lorenzo and Jessica arrive to give Bassanio the bad news about Antonio’s bankruptcy. What does Jessica say about her father? P. 61 (284-290)

39. What does Portia say when she hears about Antonio’s bond? P. 61 (297-309)

40. What does Portia want Bassanio to do before he leaves for Venice? P. (303-305)

41. The jailer lets Antonio out of prison so he can ask Shylock for mercy. What is Shylock’s response? P. 63 (5-7)

42. Do you think Shylock should drop his bond? Explain your answer.

43. What does Portia want Lorenzo and Jessica to do while she is away? Where does she tell them that she is going? P. 65(24-32)

44. Portia writes a letter to her cousin, an attorney, Doctor Bellario. Why does she want him to send her some of his garments and legal notes? What is she planning to do when she and Nerissa are in Venice? P. 66 (57-69, 78)

Act IV

45. As a Jew, what ancient way would Shylock have believed in?

46. Often a statue of a blindfolded woman holding a scale is displayed in courtrooms. What two things need to “balance” on her scale for there to be a fair trial?

47. What does the “letter of the law” mean? What does “spirit of the law” mean? 48. Why does Shylock bring the scales into the courtroom?

49. What kind of soul does Shylock have? According to Gratiano? P. 75 (128-138)

50. Portia (dressed as Balthesar) gives a long speech trying to convince Shylock to d what? P 78 (183-204)

51. When Bassanio offers shylock three times the amount of the bond, why won’t he take it? P. 74 (85-88)

52. Why hasn’t Shylock provided for a surgeon for Antonio? P. 80 (256-261). Does his answer reflect the letter of the law or the spirit of the law? Why?

53. The comments of their husbands make Portia and Nerissa angry. What is Bassanio saying in lines 281-286 (P. 81). What is Gratiano saying in lines 289-291 (P. 81)?

54. Shylock says he would rather have Jessica married to Barabas than to a Christian. Barabas was a man who lived in Jesus Christ’s time. Who was he and why would Shylock make this comment? P. 81 (293-296)

55. What loophole in the law has Portia found to save Antonio? P. 82 (304-311)

56. Why won’t Portia let Shylock just take his bond and leave? P. 82 (319-321)

57. Both Shylock and Gratiano call Portia “A Daniel, a second Daniel”? Who was Daniel? (Hint: think Old Testament) 58. Portia has found a way to strip Shylock of everything. What law does she quote? P. 83 (345-351)

59. What is Shylock’s original punishment? P. 83 (250-255)

60. The Duke could have sentenced Shylock to death, but he pardons him. Would you say he was being merciful to Shylock? Explain. P. 84 (367-376)

61. What “mercy” does Antonio give Shylock? Explain. P. 84 (379-386)

62. In Shakespeare’s comedies, the villain is punished at the end of the play. Is Shylock the villain? Explain your answer using examples from the play.

63. While disguised as an attorney, Portia asks Bassanio for his ring. Why would she do this? Was it a funny joke, a dirty trick or a test of fidelity? Explain your answer.

64. When Nerissa says she went to bed with the attorney’s clerk to get her ring back, Gratiano cries, “What? Are we cuckolds ere we have deserved it?” P. 99 (265). What does he mean? What type of bird does this word cuckold come from? What do you think this might say about this bird’s mating habits?

65. What good news does Portia have for Antonio? Why would Shakespeare include this detail at the end of the play? P. 99 (273-278)