Month: November 2010

Exposition in The Merchant of Venice

These are the questions in Ball.  I can certainly go into more detail, but these are a good jumping-off place I think.  If anyone wants to take these questions and find more things, feel free.

Where are we?

                Venice, a Street

What is it like?

                There are references that they are rich, so I'm assuming that the location is relatively lavish.

                Antonio: "€¦I thank my fortune for it,

                My ventures are not in one bottom trusted,

                Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate

                Upon the fortune of this present year." (Act I Scene I lines 41-44)

What's the situation?

                Antonio is in a sad state, and his friends are trying to aid him.  He is in love with Portia, but cannot marry her because of the restraints that her father has placed on her ability to marry. 

What are the time and period?

Who are all these people?

Antonio-A merchant of Venice

Bassanio – Antonio’s friend, in love with Portia;

Gratiano, Salanio, Salarino, Salerio – friends of Antonio and Bassanio;

Lorenzo – friend of Antonio and Bassanio, in love with Jessica;

Portia – a rich heiress

Nerissa – Portia’s waiting woman

Balthasar – Servant to Portia

Stephano – Servant to Portia

Shylock– a rich Jew, father of Jessica

Tubal – a Jew; Shylock’s friend

Jessica – daughter of Shylock, in love with Lorenzo; Jewess,

Launcelot Gobbo – a foolish man in the service of Shylock

Old Gobbo – father of Launcelot

Leonardo – servant to Bassanio

Duke of Venice – Venetian authority who presides over the case of Shylock’s bond

Prince of Morocco – suitor to Portia

Prince of Aragon – suitor to Portia

What have they to do with each other?

                As is stated above, they are either in business with each other or in love with each other.  Generally speaking, Antonio and Shylock are in business with each other and mortal enemies.  Portia and the rest of the women have fallen in love and try to test their lovers. 

What are they doing here?

                Many of these characters were either born into wealth or attained wealth through their own hard work, so their motivations are generally related to monetary gain.  

Things Theatrical

I just wanted to randomly list up things theatrical in the play.

  • Portia’s question of the three boxes.
  • Bassanio and Portia’s marriage.
  • The whole court scene.
  •  Bassanio, Portia and the ring

Some Ideas on What Happens

I think the first major thing that happens in the text is Bassanio asking Antonio for a loan. I would say that the trigger for that would be Bassanio falling in love with Portia and deciding to go to Belmont to take the challenge (the trigger for that being Portia’s dad dying and leaving the challenge of the three boxes to win her hand in marriage), but I’m not sure if we’re supposed to go that far back or if that’s stasis/intrusion business. But the loan and introducing Portia connects the sort of split between the plotlines of what’s going on with Bassanio and co. and what’s going on with Portia in Belmont.
Bassanio asking Antonio for a loan triggers him to say yes, and that they should go find a benefactor
This triggers them to seek out Shylock, which triggers his agreement to give them the money and to set up the term that if they cannot pay it back at the exact time and place agreed upon, that Shylock will cut out a pound of Antonio’s flesh.
This triggers Antonio to agree and they set up a meeting after Shylock runs home for a minute

Here’s where I’m getting kind of lost – the next scene is with Portia and the Prince of Morocco. I know we can have both plotlines occuring simulataneously, but then when we return to Antonio/Bassanio’s side of the plot, it’s Launcelot (is this another split? Meaning the next heap would be Gratiano’s request to go with Bassiano, as triggered by the agreement to lend the money which allows Bassanio to go on the trip?)

I’m so sorry if I’ve confused everyone, but please let me know what you guys think.

Ideas for stasis and intrusion

  • The location is Venice. There are many merchants in Venice who make money by trading goods.
  • Shylock and Antonio have a conflict in interest regarding business.
  • Antonio is sad.
  • Antonio’s ships are all on journey and he does not have money.
  • Portia’s father died recently, and she is looking for a husband.

–These seem to be the unchangable stability, but maybe these are too specific? Then, there must be an action that disrupts this stability, which I think is Bassanio asking Antonio for money. What do other people think?

Initial Forwards in Merchant

Hey guys, I've found a few forwards in "The Merchant of Venice" and these are my initial thoughts about the production.  I think we should probably start looking farther into this play and see if we can define the exposition more. 

1.       The nature of Antonio's sadness

a.       "In sooth I know not why I am so sad" (Act 1 Scene 1 Line 1)

2.       The result of Shylock's grudge towards Antonio: Shylock's attitude towards Antonio is immediately negative

a.       "If I can catch him once upon the hip,

b.      I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him." (Act 1 Scene 1 lines 43-44)

3.       Religion debate

a.       "I hate him for he is a Christian." (Act 1 Scene 1 line 39)

4.       Antonio and Shylock's eventual final battle.  From their first meeting it is made clear that these two characters truly hate each other.

a.       "the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.

b.      An evil soul producing holy witness

c.       Is like a villain with a smiling cheek." (Act 1 Scene 1 lines 95-97)

5.       Shylock's forced conversion

a.       "Hie thee, gentle Jew

b.      The Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind." (Act 1 Scene 1 lines 174-175)

6.       Portia's wedding: she is unable to decide for herself, so she must settle for whoever her father chooses. 

a.       "Besides, the lott'ry of my destiny

b.      Bars me the right of voluntary choosing." (Act II Scene 1 Lines 15-16)

That's all I have for now. I hope this helps!

A few forwards

Portia hints at the three caskets in act one, but we don’t actually find out what they contain until act two.

Shylock spends an entire scene deliberating before he reveals his condition for the loan.

Jessica’s scene with Lancelot lets the audience know about her plan to elope with Lorenzo ahead of time, creating a sense of anticipation.

Some Image Themes

Images: Sea and Famous People themed

  • "Your mind is tossing on the ocean/there where your argosies with portly sail€¦" (I, i, 8-9)

argosy -large merchant ship

  • "I should not see the sandy hourglass run/ But I should think of shallows and of flats /and see wealthy Andrew docked in sand/vailing her high top lower than her ribs€¦" (I, i, 25-29)
  • "There are a sort of men whose visages do cream and mantle like a standing pond," (I, i, 88-89)
  • "But fish not with this melancholy bait/ For this fool gudgeon, this opinion," (I, i, 101-102)

gudgeon – part of a rudder, small freshwater fish

  • "€¦Hang on her temples like a golden fleece/ Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos' strond/ And many Jasons come in quest of her," (I, i, 169-172).
  • "Why, hath a horse better than the Neopolitan's/ a better bad habit of frowning than the Count Palatine€¦" (I, ii, 58-59)
  • "If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as Diana unless I be obtained by the manner of my father's will," (I, ii, 105-107)"
  • When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep-/This Jacob from our holy Abram was/ As his wise mother wrought in his behalf/ The third possessor," (I, iii, 69-71)