Merchant of Venice Act 3

In the beginning of Act 3, why do Solanio and Salarino worry for Antonio? It is rumored another one of his ships have been wrecked. They worry Antonio will be ruined because of the “cruel bond” that Antonio has made with Shylock.
Who does Shylock accuse of helping Jessica run away? Do these 2 men agree to it? What does Shylock say? Shylock accuses Solanio and Salarino.They admit to it. Solanio says Jessica was old enough to leave & Shylock disagrees (“flesh and blood”). Salarino says that there is “more difference thy flesh and hers between jet (a deep black stone) and ivory.”
In Act 3, does Shylock know about Antonio’s ships? How does he feel about it? Yes, Shylock knows about Antonio’s ships. He says Antonio can look forward to the “extraction” of his bond.
What does Solanio feel about Shylock wanting a pound of Antonio’s flesh so bad? Why does Shylock say he wants the flesh? Solanio can’t believe it. Shylock affirms that he wants it to “feed” his “revenge” on Antonio for mocking hi, causing him to lose money, and insulting the Jewish “nation”.
What does Shylock say about the similarities between a Jew and a Christian? Shylock says that a Jew has “hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions” and “fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is.” If you prick a Jew, he’ll bleed, if you tickle him he’ll laugh, if you poison him, he’ll die. Shylock says that if you wrong a Jew, he’ll seek revenge, just as a Christian would. Shylock promises to use the same “villainy” that the Christians “teach.”
Who has been searching for Jessica in Genoa? Tubal, Shylock’s friend
What has Jessica taken of Shylock’s that was important to him? What does she trade it with? Why is it important to him? Jessica has taken a ring from Shylock and traded it for a monkey. The ring was given to Shylock by a woman named Leah, Jessica’s mom??
When Tubal tells Shylock another of his ships were lost, where is the place it was lost? What does Shlock answer to Tubal? Where does he tell Tubal to meet him later? Antonio has lost another ship in Tripolis. Tubal says “is certainly undone.” Shylock says he will take his pound of flesh from Antonio’s heart if he forfeits on his loan. Shylock tells Tubal to meet him in the synagogue.
Who gets compared to a dog? Shylock
What does Portia confess to Bassanio? Is Portia obedient to her father? How? If it were up to her, she would give herself to him entirely. Portia is obedient to her father and doesn’t break the terms of the game.
How is Bassanio tortured? Bassanio is tortured by the uncertainty of waiting
Before Bassanio chooses a casket, Portia instructs music to be played. Why?How does the song go? If Bassanio chooses incorrectly, he will at least make a “swan like end.” “Tell me where is fancy bred, / or in the heart, or in the head…”
What does Bassanio say about each casket? Which casket does he choose? First he rejects gold: “hard food for Midas.” then silver: “pale and common drudge tween man and man.” Finally, Bassanio chooses lead.
Who chooses the lead casket? What does this mean? What is inside of the lead casket? Bassanio chooses lead, meaning he gets to marry Portia. He finds a painting of Portia and a poem praising the wisdom of his choice.
When Bassanio asks Portia to marry him, what does she say?What does Bassanio say? “Myself, and what is mine, to you and yours/ is now converted. Bassanio says “Only my blood,” he tells her, “speaks to you in my veins”
What does Portia give Bassanio upon choosing the correct casket? Portia gives Bassanio a ring , with which he must promise never to part.
After hearing the good news about Bassanio and Portia, Nerissa and Gratiano express their joy. What is it that Gratiano needs to ask Bassanio? Gratiano asks Bassanio permission to marry saying that he has already fallen in love with Nerissa. Nerissa confirms that she loves Gratiano as well. Bassanio says they will share a wedding.
In Act 3 in Belmont, which three characters come in to join Gratiano and Nerissa and Bassanio and Portia? What is one of them holding? Lorenzo and Jessica enter with Salerio. Salerio is carrying a letter from Antonio for Bassanio.
In Act 3, who continues to flirt when Bassanio reads the letter from Antonio? Gratiano and Nerissa
When Bassanio gets the letter from Antonio in Act 3 in Belmont, what happens to him? What does he tell Portia?What does Salerio say of this?What does Jessica have to say about all of this?What do all of them agree in? Bassanio gets increasingly upset. He tells Portia about the money he allowed Antonio to borrow from Shylock & of Antonio’s lost ships. Salerio curses Shylock’s brutality: “Never did I know a creature that did bear the shape of man begging the Duke to give him justice. Jessica pipes in that when she was with her father she heard him say that “he would rather have Antonio’s flesh / than twenty times the value of the sum / that he did owe him.” All agree that unless “law, authority, and power” can find a way to deny Shylock his vengeful desire, Antonio is in BIG trouble & will be giving up a pound of flesh.
In Act 3 in Belmont, after bassanio reads the letter, what does Portia asks him and what does he answer? What does Portia offer to do? What does she then ask to see? Portia asks Bassanio if the boys are close. Bassanio affirms that he is. Portia offers to pay the three thousand ducats that he owes 20x over. She then asks to see the letter.
In the letter Bassanio receives at Belmont from Antonio, what does Antonio say in it? What is Antonio’s one request in the letter? Antonio confesses to that there us no chance he will survive Shylock’s extracting of the pound of flesh. Antonio insists that all debts between himself and Bassanio are cleared. He has one request: to see Bassanio before he dies.
In Act 3.3, what does Shylock call Antonio after pressing the jailer to go after him? What does Antonio keep trying to do? What does Shylock want? A fool who lent money for free. Antonio keeps trying to plead his case, but it doesn’t work. Shylock wants Antonio seized. He insists on getting the bond that was sworn for.
In Act 3.3, what does Shylock note Antonio calls him? Shylock note that Antonio called him a dog before he has any reason to- but now he’s determines to live up to his reputation
Who does Shylock want justice from? When Shylock leaves angry, what does he say? Shylock wants justice from the Duke and the jailer. Shylock says that he’ll have his bond with not interference with Christians.
Who is stressed and calls Shylock a dog? Solanio.
Does Antonio understand why Shylock has it in for him? Why? Yes, often people who had forfeited their debts with Shylock moaned about it to Antonio, who then rescued them. Antonio thinks this is the reason Shylock hates him.
What does Antonio say about the Duke regarding the situation he and Shylock are in? Why? The Duke can’t do anything. Venice allows foreign nationals some commerce privileges, which keeps trade alive. If the Duke were to impose on the rights of foreigners for Antonio’s sake, it would compromise justice, trade, and profit in the whole city.
How is Antonio’s state before the trial? What does he feel?What does he hope? Antonio has given up — he’s been so reduced by all this grief and loss that a pound of flesh doesn’t matter to him anymore. He says he’s so wasted away that he doubts Shylock will even be able to find a pound on his body to take. Giving up, he gives himself over to the jailer and hopes out loud that his beloved friend Bassanio will come see him. After that, Antonio doesn’t care what happens.
In Act 3.4, who is “flirting” with Portia? What does he complement her on?What does he say to her about Antonio? Lorenzo complements her for bearing the absence of her new husband so graciously & nobly. He says, if Portia knew what a great guy Antonio is, & how good he is to her husband, then she’d be even happier to do her wifely duty.
What does Portia say about Antonio being her lord too? What does she say about Bassanio’s absence? If Antonio is such a great friend to her lord Bassanio, then Antonio might as well be her lord, too. Bassanio’s absence is a small price to pay to help Antonio.
What does Portia tell Lorenzo her and Nerissa are going while the men are gone? What does she ask Lorenzo to do? Portia tells Lorenzo that she and Nerissa are going off to a nearby monastery to prayer for 2 days. Portia asks Lorenzo to watch after her home.
What does Portia ask Balthazar to do? To take these letters to Padua and deliver them to Portia’s cousin Doctor Bellario. The Doctor will likely give Balthazar some letters & clothes in return, and he is to take them & rush over to the ferry that goes to trade with Venice. She promises to meet him there.
In Act 2.4, after Gratiano and Bassanio left to see Antonio in Venice, what does Portia tell Nerissa? That they will see their husbands sooner than they think. The women will be dresses as men.
What does Portia say about “Young Fools” and their foolish behavior? Who will Portia portray? She has studied many “young fools” & can mimic their foolish behavior. Such behaviors include bragging about fights they’ve been in, women they’ve dated, & several other silly behaviors. She’ll work to portray a recently graduated man who’s pompous…as most young men tend to be.
When Nerissa asks what all the fuss is about and why her and Portia have to dress like men, what is Portia’s answer? Portia says she’ll explain everything in the coach, which is waiting for them. They have no time to lose, as they’ve got a long way to go, & disguises they must change in to.
Who believes Jessica is damned to hell and why?Why does Jessica seem to differ?Who does she think will save her?What is the trouble with this? Lancelot believes Jessica is damned to hell because she’s the daughter of a Jew. There’s hope for her in the possibility that she’s not actually her father’s daughter, but Jessica points out if that’s true, she’d be punished for her mother’s sins instead. Jessica says she’ll be saved by her husband, ho will make her Christian when he marries her. The trouble with this, says Lancelot, is that there are enough Christians already, and more Christians will mean more pork-eaters, which will raise the price of pork, regardless of who has come around to a different view of God. (He’s telling her that she’ll continue to be a burden no matter what).
July 26, 2019