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Key themes
- Appearance vs. Reality
- • Portia makes her mind up about the suitors having
only just met them or before she meet them • Shylock- ‘a
villain with a smiling cheek’- hints at dark intentions of
bond • Rich and prosperous Venice hides discrimination
of Jews • Bassanio is very keen on Portia’s appearance
• Cross dressing of Portia and Nerissa in court and Jessica
escaping as a boy • Lovers make decision to marry each
other despite not having known one another for a long
period of time • Caskets- hides what is inside them-
Morocco and Aragon make that mistake • Gratanio hides
his bad behaviour when in Belmont
- • Portia makes her mind up about the suitors having
only just met them or before she meet them • Shylock- ‘a
villain with a smiling cheek’- hints at dark intentions of
bond • Rich and prosperous Venice hides discrimination
of Jews • Bassanio is very keen on Portia’s appearance
• Cross dressing of Portia and Nerissa in court and Jessica
escaping as a boy • Lovers make decision to marry each
other despite not having known one another for a long
period of time • Caskets- hides what is inside them-
Morocco and Aragon make that mistake • Gratanio hides
his bad behaviour when in Belmont
- Venice vs Belmont
- Venice • Venice was a city knows for prosperity,
culture, banking and trade. Renowned for its
tolerance of foreigners, founded upon a legal
system that protected the rights of all individuals,
not only it residents. Jewish residents were confined
to ghettos and had to wear red hats. • Shakespeare
gave Venice many qualities of England at the time-
relatable
- Belmont • Belmont
doesn’t exist, but
reflects the ideal
country estate, elegant
and beautiful- presided
by beautiful Portia.
Appears to be a place
of beauty and
elegance. Idyllic island
of art and music
• Female dominant
- Venice • Venice was a city knows for prosperity,
culture, banking and trade. Renowned for its
tolerance of foreigners, founded upon a legal
system that protected the rights of all individuals,
not only it residents. Jewish residents were confined
to ghettos and had to wear red hats. • Shakespeare
gave Venice many qualities of England at the time-
relatable
- Prejeduce
- • Antonio treats Shylock and other Jews poorly- spits
on them, never refer to them by name ‘The Jew or
devil’- no respect. Insults his business and mocks his
religion • Shylock doesn’t understand why- tries to
show he is no different ‘warmed and cooled by the
same winter and summer…’ Angry at Antonio for this
• ‘Mislike me not for my complexion’- morocco-
doesn't want Portia to judge him • Jessica feels
embarrassed by fathers religion and hates being
jewish
- • Antonio treats Shylock and other Jews poorly- spits
on them, never refer to them by name ‘The Jew or
devil’- no respect. Insults his business and mocks his
religion • Shylock doesn’t understand why- tries to
show he is no different ‘warmed and cooled by the
same winter and summer…’ Angry at Antonio for this
• ‘Mislike me not for my complexion’- morocco-
doesn't want Portia to judge him • Jessica feels
embarrassed by fathers religion and hates being
jewish
- Money
- • Bassanio- lied to Portia to create a rich
persona- still loves him when discovers.
In debt to Antonio and mainly wants to
marry Portia for her money • Jessica’s
theft- steals money from Shylock to run
away- shylock is very angry about it
• Judge- stole Shylocks money and made
him Christian • Antonia- ships carry his
money, borrows money from shylock for
Bassanio, looses money when he thinks
his ships sink • The bond- “Let the forfeit
be nominated for an equal pound of
your flesh’- results in shylock loosing all
his money and the court scene • Shylock-
money lender (merchant), lends 3000
ducats to Shylock, ‘thrift [profit] is
blessing’
- • Bassanio- lied to Portia to create a rich
persona- still loves him when discovers.
In debt to Antonio and mainly wants to
marry Portia for her money • Jessica’s
theft- steals money from Shylock to run
away- shylock is very angry about it
• Judge- stole Shylocks money and made
him Christian • Antonia- ships carry his
money, borrows money from shylock for
Bassanio, looses money when he thinks
his ships sink • The bond- “Let the forfeit
be nominated for an equal pound of
your flesh’- results in shylock loosing all
his money and the court scene • Shylock-
money lender (merchant), lends 3000
ducats to Shylock, ‘thrift [profit] is
blessing’
- Justice vs Mercy
- • Central theme is the right, proper and
fair treatment of individuals. Court scene
• Portia asks Shylock to have mercy on
Antonio and the other way round so in
the end both live and when he doesn’t
act mercifully she tries to put all the
justice on him • Shylock receives mercy
from Antonio but Justice from the law
• Portia’s fathers will • The Duke lets
events follow the law and doesn’t
intervene • Portia’s speech- ‘quality of
mercy is not strained’ summarises that
justice is most appropriate when it goes
hand in hand with mercy
- • Central theme is the right, proper and
fair treatment of individuals. Court scene
• Portia asks Shylock to have mercy on
Antonio and the other way round so in
the end both live and when he doesn’t
act mercifully she tries to put all the
justice on him • Shylock receives mercy
from Antonio but Justice from the law
• Portia’s fathers will • The Duke lets
events follow the law and doesn’t
intervene • Portia’s speech- ‘quality of
mercy is not strained’ summarises that
justice is most appropriate when it goes
hand in hand with mercy
- Love vs. Hate
- Hate- Portia overly
racist with her
suitors, Christians
verses Jews, Shylock
hated by everyone
but Tubal, Shylock
hates Antonio, Portia
and Antonio get
revenge on Shylock
in the court, Jessica
hates living with
Shylock
- Christians and Jews- Jews never referred to
by name, 'hath a jew have no eyes?- Shylocks
anger
- Shylock and Antonio- Antonio spits
on Shlock calls him a 'cut throat dog'-
sees himself as authoritative and
Shylock as greedy
- Shylock and Jessica- Jessica resents her
father and when she leaves home her
father 'would my daughter were dead at
my foot
- Christians and Jews- Jews never referred to
by name, 'hath a jew have no eyes?- Shylocks
anger
- Love- Bassanio and
Portia, Antonio and
Bassanio, Salerio
and Solanio and
Antonio, Lorenzo
and Jessica, Nerissa
and Gratiano,
Nerissa and Portia,
Launcelot and
Jessica, Launcelot
and Old Gobbo
- Antonio and Bassanio- Bassanio is willing
to lose all to save Antonio- his ring etc.
and Antonio is willing to take out money
from Shylock to help him
- Jessica and Lorenzo- Jessica becomes a
christian to be with Lorenzo and leaves her
father
- Portia and Bassanio- Portia loves Bassanio
so much that she doesn't care he borrowed
money and will lend money to save Antonio
- Antonio and Bassanio- Bassanio is willing
to lose all to save Antonio- his ring etc.
and Antonio is willing to take out money
from Shylock to help him
- Hate- Portia overly
racist with her
suitors, Christians
verses Jews, Shylock
hated by everyone
but Tubal, Shylock
hates Antonio, Portia
and Antonio get
revenge on Shylock
in the court, Jessica
hates living with
Shylock
- Comedy vs. Tragedy
- Play ends happily with resolution of test of the
rings and celebration of marriage o But are dark
shadows cast over this such as Shylock who got
ruined • Antonio is also the only main character
left without anyone to marry • Portia makes witty
remarks about her suitors • Morocco and Arragon
buffoonish with their choosing of the caskets
• When Launcelot tries to find his father in the
dark • Antonio and the pound of flesh
- Play ends happily with resolution of test of the
rings and celebration of marriage o But are dark
shadows cast over this such as Shylock who got
ruined • Antonio is also the only main character
left without anyone to marry • Portia makes witty
remarks about her suitors • Morocco and Arragon
buffoonish with their choosing of the caskets
• When Launcelot tries to find his father in the
dark • Antonio and the pound of flesh
- Family relationships
- • Jessica decides she is more strongly
tied to Lorenzo than to her father
• Portia and her dead father and the
will • Launcelot and Old Gobbo
- Fathers vs Daughters
- • Both Portia and Jessica
struggle to come to terms
with the demands made of
them by their fathers
• Jessica is uncomfortable
at home (‘our house is hell’)
and is ‘ashamed’ of her
father
- • Both Portia and Jessica
struggle to come to terms
with the demands made of
them by their fathers
• Jessica is uncomfortable
at home (‘our house is hell’)
and is ‘ashamed’ of her
father
- • Jessica decides she is more strongly
tied to Lorenzo than to her father
• Portia and her dead father and the
will • Launcelot and Old Gobbo
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