Merchant of Venice Act I Discussion Questions
- Though this play is a comedy, Shakespeare introduces Antonio and Portia on a note of sadness. How does this affect our view of this play as a comedy?
- Why is Antonio sad? What explanations do his friends offer? Which explanations does Antonio reject outright and clearly? Which does he not?
- Given that so much of this play is about transactions and financial value, why has Antonio lent so much money to Bassanio? What value or benefit is Antonio getting out of this friendship?
- What is the primary reason Bassanio seeks to court Portia? Is money the only reason he wants to marry her?
- Is money the only reason Bassanio loves Antonio?
- We learn that Portia is prevented from choosing a husband because of her father's will. Pay attention to the word "will" in this play. In addition to being the name of the author, in what way do wills (contracts) constrain or define wills (human desires)? Which is stronger -- one's desire, or a contract?
- Are there valid reasons why Portia's father would have chosen to restrict or limit her choice of husband from beyond the grave instead of letting Portia choose for herself? Is this typical misogyny, or might there be more practical reasons behind this elaborate suitor-contest Portia's father has set up?
- We are introduced to Portia's wit through a series of largely racist or nationalistic caricatures playing on ethnic stereotypes (e.g., the German is a drunk; the Scotsman is belligerent; the Englishman is ignorant). How did Shakespeare's audience probably react to these stereotypes? How do we?
- The scenes switch back and forth between Venice and Belmont. What does Venice represent in this play? What Belmont? Does each location suggest a kind of ethos? Does each have its own kinds of discourse? At the center of Venice is the Rialto and the market. At the center of Belmont is Portia and the caskets.
- Does Shylock have a particular way of speaking? Search his speeches for figurative language. What figures of speech is he most apt to use? What stereotypical characteristics has Shakespeare endowed him with? What characteristics appear unstereotypical?
- Just what sort of a merchant of businessman is this Antonio? He lends money to a proven prodigal (Bassanio) and now he agrees to this bargain with Shylock, a man he calls his "enemy" (130), thinking that "he grows kind" (174). Is Antonio willfully blind here? Is Bassanio blind to Shylock's intentions? Look at the various transformations of the words "kind" and "kindness" in this interchange.
Some questions may have been taken or adapted from the following sites:
http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~sflores/345merchant.html