One mark questions and answers of "The Merchant of Venice"
One mark questions and answers of "The Merchant of Venice"
Q: Why is Antonio sad at the beginning of the play?
A:
Antonio is inexplicably melancholic at the play's outset.
Q: Who does Bassanio wish to court?
A: Bassanio desires to court the wealthy
heiress Portia of Belmont.
Q: What does Bassanio need from Antonio?
A: Bassanio needs money from Antonio to fund
his courtship.
Q: Why
can't Antonio directly lend Bassanio money?
A: Antonio's wealth is invested in his ships at sea.
Q: To
whom do Antonio and Bassanio turn for a loan?
A: They turn to the Jewish moneylender,
Shylock.
Q: What
is Shylock's feeling towards Antonio?
A: Shylock harbors deep resentment and
hatred for Antonio.
Q: What is the specific term of the bond
Shylock proposes?
A: The bond stipulates a pound of
Antonio's flesh if the loan is defaulted.
Q: How
long is the loan for?
A: The loan is for a period of three months.
Q: Why
does Antonio agree to the strange bond?
A: Antonio is confident his ships will return
before the due date.
Q: What constraint does Portia face regarding
her marriage?
A: Portia is bound by her deceased
father's will, which involves a casket lottery.
Q: How many caskets are there for suitors to
choose from?
A: There are three caskets: gold,
silver, and lead.
Q: What
is the consequence if a suitor chooses incorrectly?
A: The suitor must swear never to marry anyone
else.
Q: Does Portia like any of the initial
suitors?
A: No, Portia dislikes all the suitors
presented to her.
Q: Whom does
Portia fondly remember?
A: Portia fondly remembers Bassanio
from a previous visit.
Q: Who is Shylock's servant?
A: Shylock's servant is Launcelot
Gobbo.
Q: Why does Launcelot want to leave Shylock's
service?
A: Launcelot finds Shylock to be a
"fiend" and desires to leave his service.
Q: Who does Launcelot seek employment with?
A: Launcelot seeks employment with
Bassanio.
Q: Who
is Shylock's daughter?
A: Shylock's daughter is Jessica.
Q: With
whom does Jessica plan to elope?
A: Jessica plans to elope with Lorenzo,
a Christian.
Q: What does Jessica take from her father's
house when she leaves?
A: Jessica takes a significant amount
of her father's gold and jewels.
Q: Why is Jessica unhappy living with Shylock?
A: Jessica feels alienated from her father and
longs for a different life.
Q: What religious conversion does Jessica
intend?
A: Jessica intends to convert to Christianity.
Q: Which suitor first chooses the gold casket?
A: The Prince of Morocco chooses the
gold casket.
Q: What
message is found inside the gold casket?
A: The gold casket contains a skull and
the message "All that glisters is not gold."
Q:
Which suitor then chooses the silver casket?
A: The Prince of Arragon chooses the
silver casket.
Q: What
is found inside the silver casket?
A: The silver casket holds a fool's
head and a scroll criticizing his pride.
Q: What news
reaches Venice about Antonio's ships?
A: Rumors circulate that Antonio's ships have
been lost at sea.
Q: How does Shylock react to Jessica's
elopement?
A: Shylock is enraged and devastated by
Jessica's elopement and theft.
Q: Who accompanies Bassanio to Belmont?
A: Gratiano accompanies Bassanio to
Belmont.
Q: What confirms the rumors of Antonio's lost
ships?
A: News from Venice confirms that all
Antonio's ships are lost.
Q: Why is
Shylock particularly determined to enforce the bond now?
A: Jessica's elopement and the continued
anti-Semitism fuel Shylock's desire for revenge.
Q: Where do Bassanio and Portia get married?
A: Bassanio and Portia get married in
Belmont.
Q: Who else gets engaged in Belmont?
A: Gratiano and Nerissa also announce their
engagement.
Q: Who
brings Antonio's letter to Belmont?
A: Salerio brings Antonio's letter to
Belmont.
Q: What does Antonio's letter reveal?
A: Antonio's letter reveals his financial ruin
and Shylock's demand for the bond.
Q: How
does Portia react to Antonio's plight?
A: Portia immediately offers to pay Antonio's
debt many times over.
Q: What does Portia urge Bassanio to do after
their marriage?
A: Portia urges Bassanio to return to Venice
to save Antonio.
Q: What disguise does Portia plan to use in
Venice?
A: Portia plans to disguise herself as a male
lawyer.
Q: Who accompanies Portia on her journey to
Venice?
A: Nerissa accompanies Portia, disguised as
her clerk.
Q: What is the name of the legal scholar Portia seeks
advice from?
A:
Portia seeks advice from Doctor Bellario.
Q: What
did Jessica trade for a monkey?
A: Jessica traded a turquoise ring that
belonged to Shylock's deceased wife, Leah.
Q: What
is Shylock's reaction to the news of the ring?
A: Shylock is deeply distressed and values the
ring for its sentimental value.
Q: Who presides over Antonio's trial?
A: The Duke of Venice presides over
Antonio's trial.
Q: Does Shylock accept any monetary offers for
the bond?
A: No, Shylock refuses all offers of
money, insisting on the pound of flesh.
Q: What is the name of Portia's male disguise?
A: Portia's male disguise is
"Balthazar."
Q: What is the main argument of Portia's
famous speech?
A: Portia's speech argues for the
divine quality and importance of mercy.
Q: Does Portia's appeal for mercy sway
Shylock?
A: No, Shylock remains resolute and demands
justice.
Q: What
crucial legal loophole does Portia introduce?
A: Portia states the bond allows for flesh but
no blood.
Q: What is the penalty if Shylock sheds blood?
A: If Shylock sheds a single drop of blood,
his goods are forfeit to the state.
Q: What
other condition does Portia add regarding the pound of flesh?
A: The pound of flesh must be exactly
one pound, no more or less.
Q: What happens when Shylock attempts to take
his pound of flesh?
A: Shylock is legally unable to proceed
without shedding blood.
Q: What
does Shylock then try to do?
A: Shylock attempts to retract his
demand and take the original monetary sum.
Q: Is Shylock
allowed to take the money instead?
A: No, Portia denies him, stating he insisted
on justice and must now have it.
Q: What
Venetian law does Portia then cite against Shylock?
A: Portia cites a law concerning an alien
attempting to harm a citizen.
Q: What is the penalty under this law for
Shylock?
A: Half of Shylock's wealth goes to the
state, and the other half to Antonio.
Q: What is the Duke's decision regarding
Shylock's life?
A: The Duke shows mercy and spares
Shylock's life.
Q: What
are Antonio's two conditions for "mercy" towards Shylock?
A: Shylock must convert to Christianity
and bequeath his remaining wealth to Jessica and Lorenzo upon his death.
Q: Does Shylock agree to Antonio's conditions?
A: Yes, Shylock, utterly defeated, agrees to
the conditions.
Q: What does Portia (as Balthazar) ask
Bassanio for as a reward?
A: Portia asks Bassanio for the ring
she had given him.
Q: Does Bassanio initially want to give the
ring away?
A: No, Bassanio is reluctant to part with the
ring.
Q: Who convinces Bassanio to give the ring to
Balthazar?
A: Antonio convinces Bassanio to give the ring
away.
Q: Who
gets a ring from Gratiano?
A: Nerissa (disguised as the clerk)
gets a ring from Gratiano.
Q: Where do the final scenes of the play take
place?
A: The final scenes of the play take place in
Belmont.
Q: Who is with Jessica in the opening of Act
5?
A: Lorenzo is with Jessica in the
opening of Act 5.
Q: What
does Lorenzo comment on in the moonlight?
A: Lorenzo comments on the beauty and power of music and moonlight.
Q: What
comedic conflict arises upon Bassanio and Gratiano's return?
A: A comedic conflict arises over their
missing rings.
Q: How
do Portia and Nerissa react to the missing rings?
A: Portia and Nerissa playfully scold
their husbands for giving away the rings.
Q: Who reveals the truth about the disguised
lawyers?
A: Portia reveals the truth about her
and Nerissa's disguise.
Q: How
does Portia prove her identity as Balthazar?
A: Portia produces Antonio's bond and a
letter from Doctor Bellario.
Q: What
good news does Portia also bring to Antonio?
A: Portia reveals that some of
Antonio's ships have safely returned.
Q: How does Antonio react to the news of his
ships?
A: Antonio expresses joy and relief at
the unexpected good fortune.
Q: Are all the characters reconciled at the
end of the play?
A: Most Christian characters are
reconciled and happy at the end.
Q: What is the overall mood at the end of the play for
the main characters?
A: The overall mood is one of joy,
reunion, and prosperity.
Q: What is the
primary theme explored through Shylock's character?
A: The primary theme is prejudice,
specifically anti-Semitism.
Q: What
contrasting concepts are central to the trial scene?
A: Justice and mercy are the central
contrasting concepts.
Q: How does
Portia embody wit and intelligence?
A: Portia embodies wit through her clever
interpretation of the law.
Q: What does
the casket lottery symbolize?
A: The casket lottery symbolizes the
idea that true worth is not always superficial.
Q: What kind of
friendship exists between Antonio and Bassanio?
A: Theirs is a profound and
self-sacrificing friendship.
Q: How is the theme of appearance vs. reality
explored?
A: It's explored through the caskets and
Portia's disguise.
Q: What is the
significance of Venice in the play?
A: Venice represents the commercial,
legalistic, and often prejudiced world.
Q: What does
Belmont represent in contrast to Venice?
A: Belmont represents a world of love, beauty, and romantic ideals.
Q: How does
the play comment on the value of money?
A: The play explores different attitudes
towards money, from usury to generosity.
Q: Is
Shylock's portrayal entirely villainous?
A: Shylock's portrayal is complex, showing
both villainy and victimhood.
Q: What role
does disguise play in the resolution of the plot?
A: Disguise allows Portia and Nerissa to manipulate the legal system and
save Antonio.
Q: How is the
theme of revenge presented in the play?
A:
Revenge is presented as a destructive force, fueled by past wrongs.
Q: What is the
Christian perspective on usury in the play?
A:
Christians in the play condemn usury as immoral.
Q: How does the
play address the concept of "law"?
A: The
play examines the rigidity and interpretation of the law.
Q: What is the
dramatic climax of the play?
A:
The dramatic climax is the trial scene in Act 4.
Q: What is the
ultimate fate of Shylock?
A: Shylock is forced to convert to Christianity and lose half his
wealth.
Q: How does
Jessica's choice reflect on her identity?
A: Jessica's choice reflects her rejection of
her Jewish identity for a Christian life.
Q: What is the
significance of the rings in Act 5?
A: The rings symbolize fidelity and provide a
comedic resolution to the romantic plots.
Q: Does the play offer a clear moral conclusion?
A: The play's moral conclusion is often
debated, particularly regarding Shylock's treatment.
Q: How does
the play depict social alienation?
A: Social alienation is depicted
through Shylock's marginalization and Jessica's rebellion.
Q: What drives
Antonio's actions throughout the play?
A: Antonio's deep love and loyalty for
Bassanio drive his actions.
Q: What is
Portia's initial feeling about her father's will?
A: Portia feels frustrated and
constrained by her father's will.
Q: How does
Gratiano's character add to the play?
A: Gratiano adds comic relief and
boisterousness.
Q: What is the
relationship between the romantic plot and the bond plot?
A: The romantic plot is intricately
linked, as Bassanio's quest leads to Antonio's danger.
Q: What is the
play's commentary on religious tolerance?
A: The play's commentary on religious
tolerance is ambiguous and often seen as critical of Christian intolerance.
Q: Does
Antonio show true mercy to Shylock at the end?
A: Antonio's "mercy" is often
debated, as it involves forced conversion and financial ruin.
Q: What is the
primary source of conflict between Antonio and Shylock?
A: The primary source of conflict is a
deep-seated religious and economic animosity.
Q: How is
Bassanio's character presented?
A: Bassanio is presented as charming but financially irresponsible,
ultimately loyal.
Q: What does
the "pound of flesh" symbolize for Shylock?
A: It symbolizes his literal and
metaphorical desire for vengeance and justice.
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