The Merchant of Venice Primary Pack 2015

ABOUT THIS PACK

This Primary Teachers’ pack supports the RSC’s 2015 production of The Merchant of Venice, directed by Polly Findlay, which opened on 14 May 2015 at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.

This pack will support Primary pupils participating in the broadcast of The Merchant of Venice to UK schools on Thursday 21 April 2016, and mentions the broadcast, but you do not have to watch the broadcast to use the pack. There are also more activities available in the The Merchant of Venice Teacher Pack that can be adapted for younger pupils.

For Primary schools taking part in the broadcast we recommend that you watch – . The first two parts of the play and then re-join for the Q&A.

This option will allow your pupils to focus on the storyline of Portia. For the above we recommend that you complete Activity 1 before watching as an understanding of the story will really help your pupils. In this production Antonio and Bassanio appear to be in a romantic relationship. The play shows them kissing in the first part and may change pupils opinions about Bassanio’s relationship with Portia or raise questions about same sex relationships.

These symbols are used throughout the pack:

CONTENTS READ Knowing the Story Page 2 Notes from the production, background info or extracts Exploring the Characters Page 3 ACTIVITY

Portia’s Journey Page 4 An active classroom or open space activity Resource Materials Page 6 WRITE  A discussion or writing activity LINKS - 1 - Useful web addresses and Registered charity no. 212481 research activities © Royal Shakespeare Company

KNOWING THE STORY 

 ACTIVITY 1: THE STORY IN IMAGES 

Organise pupils into groups of four or five. Ask them to take one of the scene descriptions in the Resource materials and to create a freeze frame or still image that shows what happens in their scene. Encourage each group to then use the lines they have been given to bring the scene to life. Allow pupils the opportunity to watch each of the scenes, and lines, being performed in order so that they can see the whole story. Reflect with pupils on what they have seen. Is this the ending they would have expected? What would they have expected to happen differently?

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Remind pupils of the two characters responsible for the ‘bond’ or agreement that starts The Merchant of Venice: - Antonio is a rich Christian merchant in Venice who has recently put most of his money into some cargo on-board ships that have left Venice. - Shylock is a moneylender in Venice. He is often treated very badly by other Christian characters because he is Jewish.

Ask pupils to think about a situation today where people are treated differently because of where they come from or their history. How do they think Shylock would feel towards Antonio and others like him, when they have treated him so differently? Why do they think Shylock agrees to lend Antonio the money to help him out?

The lines below explain what will happen to Antonio if he doesn’t pay Shylock back the loan.

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This kindness will I show… If you repay me not on such a day, In such a place, such sum or sums as are Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body pleaseth me.

Why do you think Shylock makes this threat?

EXPLORING THE CHARACTERS

The following activities are designed to help you and your pupils become more familiar with the characters in the play. They can be used as preparatory activities in the classroom before pupils watch the play, or they can be used after watching the play to help pupils reflect on what they’ve seen.

Makram J. Khoury as Shylock and Gwilym Lloyd as Tubal in The Merchant of Venice. Photo by Hugo Glendinning  CHARACTER TRAITS

In the following activity pupils can explore the different characters in the play.

Ask pupils to form a circle and invite one pupil to come into the middle to play each of the characters. o You could include more characters from the play if they know it well or could chose to cut this down to the main four or five characters. Invite pupils in the circle to direct the characters, asking them to position themselves and stand/sit like the character. o To help pupils develop their thinking you may want to ask them to explain their choices; what makes them think Portia would stand like that, for example. Allow pupils to direct each of the characters until they have a ‘living sculpture’ of the whole group of characters.

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Discuss with pupils what surprises them about these relationships or what doing this has shown them. Is Shylock very alone? Who’s at the centre of the picture? Do any characters feel like they’re on the outside of the picture?

PORTIA’S JOURNEY

 PORTIA’S CHALLENGE

Portia can only inherit her money when she is married and she can only marry the person who passes her Father’s test.

Ask pupils to think about any programmes, films or books where someone has to pass a test or prove themselves before they can win the prize. Talk about what people normally have to prove in these tests. Invite three pupils into the middle of the room, with the other pupils standing in a circle around them and explain what the ‘test’ in this scene is: o Portia’s suitors, any man who wants to marry her, has to pick one of three caskets. Only one of the choices will win him her hand in marriage and their choices tell you a lot about the men. Using the casket descriptions in the Resource materials read them out loud to the group, one by one, asking the three pupils in the middle to represent the three caskets. They might choose to change their body shape or expression to help the rest of the group remember which of them is which casket. o Use of a single prop or a label for each casket or pupil might help them as well. o You may also want to work together to define ‘hazard’ before looking at the text. Ask three further pupils to take on the roles of the suitors who come to marry Portia. As each of the suitors step into the circle give them the line from the text in the resources and ask them to read it, then select a casket. Encourage the pupils in the circle to react each time a suitor picks a casket, pointing and booing if they get it wrong and clapping and cheering if they get it right. Before Bassanio steps in invite pupils to remember one or two things they remember about his character, then explain that Portia decides to break the rules for Bassanio and tries to help him pick the right casket by making a speech.

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Provide each pupil with a copy of the speech and invite them to read it through all together at the same time. Ask half the circle to become As and half the circle to become Bs. As they all

read the speech again encourage the As to speakNadia loudly Albina asor Nerissa, emphasise Pasty Ferran asevery Portia, Kentime Nwosu as Morocco and Rina Mahoney as Portia's Portia says the words ‘I’, ‘Me’ or ‘My’ and the servantBs to in Thespeak Merchant loudly of Venice . Photoor emphasiseby Hugo Glendinning every time she says ‘you’, ‘your’. As they try this, ask the pupil playing Bassanio to make his choice again, but to really listen to what Portia is saying, moving between the caskets as she makes her speech and only choosing at the end. Reflect with the pupil playing Bassanio on what they think Portia is trying to do with the speech. Does it help him to make his decision? Why does she buy him time? Did the pupils in the circle think he would have picked the right casket without their help?

 THE COURT

For pupils who are not watching to the end of the broadcast you may also want to spend some time during the final part exploring the play’s ending. The following activity will help pupils to explore the court scene where Portia (dressed as a male lawyer) argues to stop Shylock taking his pound of Antonio’s flesh.

Ask pupils to think about all the reasons why Shylock should be able to take Antonio’s pound of flesh and then the reasons he shouldn’t. o For example, Antonio willingly agreed to the bargain would be a reason he should and it is a dangerous thing to do would be a reason he shouldn’t. Allow pupils to look at the reasons that Portia uses in the scene, in the Resource materials. Ask pupils to read each of the reasons aloud, taking turns to read a line each until everyone has spoken. Organise pupils into groups and ask each group to look at a different one of Portia’s reasons. Allow each group time to create a freeze frame or still image for the reason they have been given. Invite the groups to perform their freeze frames as Portia’s reasons are read through. o You may want to invite one pupil to play Portia and remind them that she has had

to dress as a man so that The cast of The Merchant of Venice. Photo by Hugo Glendinning - 5 -

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people will listen to her. Ask pupils to think about the reasons they have heard during the performance, are they good reasons? Why? What makes them convincing and do they think the court should listen to them?

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The Royal Shakespeare Company 3, Chapel Lane Stratford on Avon Warwickshire CV37 6BE www.rsc.org.uk

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THE STORY IN TEN SCENES

1. Antonio, the merchant of Venice, agrees to lend his friend Bassanio three thousand ducats so that Bassanio can woo Portia of Belmont.

BASSANIO To you, Antonio, I owe the most in money and in love ANTONIO … My purse, my person, my extremest means, Lie all unlocked to your occasions. ______2. Portia, a rich and beautiful young woman, complains to her lady-in- waiting, Nerissa, that she hates all of the men who are trying to marry her. Portia's father has decided that she will marry whoever makes the correct choice when presented with three caskets, made of gold, silver and lead. She tells Nerissa that she is in love with Bassanio.

NERISSA But what warmth is there in your affection towards any of these princely suitors that are already come? PORTIA … There is not one among them but I dote on his very absence, and I wish them a fair departure. ______

3. Antonio can’t access his own money until his ships return safely from sea, so he has to borrow money from the Jewish moneylender Shylock, whom he has treated badly. Shylock agrees to lend the money but only on the basis that if the loan is not repaid he will get a pound of Antonio’s flesh.

SHYLOCK ‘Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last; You called me dog, and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much moneys’? ANTONIO

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I am as like to call thee so again, To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too. 4. Portia’s suitors Morocco and Arragon choose the wrong caskets, gold and silver, but Bassanio chooses the right one: lead. He is overjoyed and so is Portia. They get married, and his friend Gratiano marries Portia's lady-in-waiting Nerissa at the same time. Nerissa and Portia give their husbands rings, which they promise to keep forever.

PORTIA …This house, these servants and this same myself Are yours, my lord. I give them with this ring, Which when you part from, lose or give away, Let it presage the ruin of your love BASSANIO … when this ring Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence. ______5. Shylock’s daughter, Jessica, is secretly planning to run away with a Christian, Lorenzo. She dresses as a boy and escapes while her father is out for dinner, stealing Shylock’s money and his jewels, including her dead mother’s ring.

LORENZO So you are, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. JESSICA I will make fast the doors and gild myself With some more ducats, and be with you straight. ______6. News arrives that Antonio's ships have been lost; he is unable to pay his debt. Shylock insists that Antonio be put in prison and that he wants to have Antonio’s pound of flesh.

ANTONIO Hear me yet, good Shylock. SHYLOCK I’ll have my bond. - 8 -

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Speak not against my bond, I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond. 7. Portia and Nerissa disguise themselves as men in order to defend Antonio in the court case. Portia dresses up as Balthasar, a young lawyer, and Nerissa as his clerk. Unknown to their husbands, they dress up and travel from Belmont to Venice.

NERISSA Shall they see us? PORTIA They shall, Nerissa, but in such a habit, That they shall think we are accomplishèd With that we lack. ______

8. Shylock goes to the law court to get his pound of flesh from Antonio. Disguised as a man, Portia argues that Shylock can have his pound of flesh but he must not spill a drop of Antonio's blood, and he must cut exactly one pound of flesh, not any more or less. She then says that Shylock should die for having conspired against the life of a Venetian. PORTIA Tarry a little, there is something else. This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood, The words expressly are ‘a pound of flesh’. ______

9. The duke at the law court agrees to let Shylock go on condition that he gives half his wealth to Antonio and half to Venice. Antonio says he will give up his half if Shylock converts to Christianity and leaves all his property to his daughter Jessica and Lorenzo.

DUKE For half thy wealth, it is Antonio’s, The other half comes to the general state SHYLOCK Nay, take my life and all. Pardon not that. You take my house when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house. You take my life When you do take the means whereby I live

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10. Portia and Nerissa return to Belmont, where they confront their husbands about the rings they gave them, that the men promised to keep forever. Eventually they reveal that they were in disguise at the law court.

BASSANIO Were you the doctor and I knew you not? GRATIANO Were you the clerk that is to make me cuckold? NERISSA Ay, but the clerk that never means to do it, Unless he live until he be a man.

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CHARACTERS

ANTONIO, a merchant of Venice and friend to Bassanio. At the beginning of the play Antonio is depressed and anxious about his ships. The good Antonio, the honest Antonio — O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!

BASSANIO, Antonio’s friend, suitor to Portia. A clever man and a soldier. He, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes looked upon, was the best deserving a fair lady.

LORENZO, friend of Antonio and Bassanio. He runs away with Shylock’s daughter Jessica taking all Shylock’s money and her mother’s ring.

GRATIANO, friend of Antonio and Bassanio. He marries Nerissa.

PORTIA, Lady of Belmont. Portia is going to inherit a lot of money when she marries. She is very intelligent and in love with Bassanio. she is fair and, fairer than that word, Of wondrous virtues.

NERISSA, Portia’s lady-in-waiting and friend. She marries Gratiano.

SHYLOCK, a Jew of Venice. Shylock is a moneylender who is treated badly by Antonio and his friends. When Antonio fails to repay his debt, Shylock seeks revenge.

JESSICA, Shylock’s daughter. She runs away with her Christian lover, Lorenzo, stealing her father’s money. Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer.

TUBAL, a Jewish man and Shylock’s friend. He supports Shylock when Jessica runs away. Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, Will furnish me

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LAUNCELOT GOBBO, the clown. He is a servant to Shylock and later Bassanio. He helps Jessica run away with Lorenzo.

PORTIA’S CHALLENGE

The Caskets ONE: Gold, saying ‘who choseth me, shall gain what men desire’ TWO: Silver, saying ‘who choseth me, shall get as much as he deserves’ THREE: Lead, saying ‘who choseth me, must give and hazard all he hath’

The Suitors SUITOR ONE (MOROCCO) – choses Gold For lead? Hazard for lead! This casket threatens… I do in birth deserve her. But here an angel in a golden bed Lies all within

SUITOR TWO (ARRAGON) – choses Silver I will not chose what many men desire, Because I will not jump with common spirits Well, but to my choice. I will assume desert. Give me a key for this.

SUITOR THREE (BASSANIO) – choses Lead So may the outward shows be least themselves: The world is still deceived with ornament. Thou meagre lead Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence

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PORTIA’S SPEECH

Act 3 Scene 2 Extract

…I could teach you How to choose right, but then I am forsworn. So will I never be. So may you miss me. But if you do, you’ll make me wish a sin, That I had been forsworn. Beshrew your eyes, They have o’erlooked me and divided me. One half of me is yours, the other half yours, Mine own, I would say. But if mine, then yours, And so all yours. O, these naughty times Puts bars between the owners and their rights! And so, though yours, not yours. Prove it so, Let fortune go to hell for it, not I. I speak too long, but ’tis to peise the time, To eke it and to draw it out in length, To stay you from election.

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PORTIA’S REASONS

Mercy is above this sceptre sway. It is an attribute to God himself This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood. The words expressly are a ‘pound of flesh’ If thou dost shed One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods Are by the laws of Venice confiscate If thou tak’st more Or less than just a pound, …Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate If it be proved against an alien That… he seek the life of any citizen The party… shall seize one half of his goods

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