The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare
Analysis Notes
Introductory Lecture: MOV
Question: How does Shakespeare's presentation of the drama illustrate his perspective of
English Christianity, the treatment of cultural outsiders, and the stereotypical interactions
between men and women?
SQ3R
Context - These plays were written during Renaissance England (late 15th – early 17th century).
This period was loose, there wasn’t a specific date when it started. It was an intellectual
movement that eventually changed culture and society. During this period, writers like Dante
(Italian) and Chaucer (Anglish) did something interesting, they did not write in Latin. They
wrote in the Vulgar tongue. For Dante that was early Italian and for Chaucer, it was early
English, this began to move literature writing outside of the umbrella traditionally held by the
Roman Catholic clergy/church. A movement away from the medieval tradition of scholarship
and intellectual endeavor being reserved for the first estate (roman catholic clergy).
Simultaneously there was an explosion of master artists who reserved patronage by wealthy
merchants. They helped finance and propel this explosion of master artists. In the northern
parts of Europe, the influence of the Renaissance moved slowly northward. Italy was the
cultural center. Gutenberg (who invented the printing press) made this trend of artists explode
even more. Now they have a Bible. The English Renaissance was primarily literary because
there was this new phenomenon, TEXT. The textualization of human values. The texts were
about Christian concepts (Shakespeare's plays) but they were written realistically.
TIMELINE
Traditional Feudal Hierarchy — Rising Merchant Class — Riot and Disorder in the Working
Class
King
Lords (Vassals to King)
Knights (Vassals to Lords)
Peasants (Serfs)
Context Continued - Shakespeare’s writing appeared when religious authenticity is especially
difficult to ascertain because they are so intertwined with violence. The international enemy of
the English was the Spanish during his time. Religious identity is a primary source of power
(political, social, and cultural power). This play is about racial identity. The status of women:
The most powerful person in society was a woman, in that society women were forbidden to
have an education, receive degrees, or inherit property, it was a kind of paradoxical place
Author - William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Little is known about him except for his plays. His
plays are the most copious resource we have about Shakespeare's life in general. Some people
believe that he wasn’t real and that it was a group of people who wrote these plays. He is
married to Anne Hathaway. We don’t have concrete evidence of his life. We know the kind of
plays that he wrote but we don't know the kind of man that he was. He is misunderstood as an
,artistic genius who was so transcendent and so fantastic that he was unaffected by what was
going on around him, that is simply not true.
Title - The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. This play is about merchants, who buy
and sell goods for profit. The merchant of Venice is a reference to Antonio/Bassanio/Shylock.
It’s not exactly clear who the merchant is in the beginning.
Genre - Comedy: Story about redemption | Problem Play: It employs elements of
tragedy/comedy but hosts a convo about a contentious social issue but does not resolve it in an
orderly way. It is literally a play about the problem. | Tragedy: Order is restored through
suffering and death. | These elements will be seen in this play. Shakespeare wrote this play to
attach itself to these generic attributes. The play seems to connect to a variety of these.
Persevering this play as a comedy transforms the play entirely. If it’s a problem play, tragedy, or
comedy it will say something about Shakespeare's perception.
OTN 1
Question: How does Act 1.1-3 introduce the significance of the play’s setting, characters, etc?
SQ3R
Context - The play is set in Venice (fictional). Shakespeare set a lot of his plays in Venice because
other places were cultural sinners. Venice focused on trade. Venice was highly diverse in
population. He used these foreign locations to form his own contemporary political situation.
Author - Shakespeare. The person who speaks in the actual text is Antonio.
Title - Act 1. A play is plotted out. Yes, it introduces things but the unifying factor is the conflict,
which helps us understand the thematic meaning. Understanding the conflict is the best way
that we can get to some kind of what this play is about.
Genre - Explained in the Introduction Lecture Notes
Analysis of Act 1.1-3
Interpretive task (Page 4): Antonio’s trying to figure out why he’s sad.
Duplicity/Duplicitous: Double-dealing, deceitful
Antonio
He is characterized as a man who is trying to live authentically. In the first scene, he is marked
by 3 things, two of which are signaled to us, and the 3rd is inferred.
┈➤He is sad/depressed.
┈➤ He doesn’t know why he is sad.
┈➤ Characterization of his friends.
┈➤ Antonio is consistently/chronically sad/depressed. He cannot find out why he’s sad. He
looks at himself and finds something profoundly wrong, but he does not know what that is. He
hasn't discovered the internal root of his sadness. Salerio, Salonia, and Gratsiano try to
diagnose/resolve him somehow. Their attempts at diagnoses show more about them than why
Antonio is sad. Why would Shakespeare use this device of saying what it is and Antonio says no
it’s not that? It’s to characterize them as distinct from them. These 3 characters, ' perspectives
of life are material and shallow. In this seemingly Christian group of friends, Antonio is
confronted by explanations of his sadness that are clearly shallow and materialistic. They
cannot imagine a circumstance where a man can be sad about anything other than money or
, his romantic life. All these people identify themselves as Christian, different from the Jews.
There is a distance between all of them and the Christianity that they are named after. The
Christians of Venice seem to think in terms that are worldly.
Salerio and Solanio take the opportunity to leave, they say they would've stayed until
everything was better, but better people have lived. Antonio’s response to this performance of
friendship is that he knows what they are doing, he is aware of their duplicity. He is aware of
their social acting. Antonio is keenly aware of this duplicity of his peer group, the distance
between what is said and what is true, between polite behavior and actual intent and desire,
and this distance between name and reality. These seemingly Christian friends are living in
roles as opposed to real people who are living authentically. Gratisano responds to this concern
with, “Who cares? Play the part of a happy guy. Everyone is acting, get over it.” He expresses the
suspicion of people who want something different. He suggests that such people take
themselves too seriously. The Christians of Venice aren't living authentically Christian lives.
Antonio is depressed because of his and his friend's duplicity. The whole opening scene
illustrates that his depression is rooted in the sense that he and his friends live lies. They live in
a state of shameless duplicity. Antonio is trying to be authentic, self sacrificially, Christ-like.
Antonio goes into debt for you to pay your penalty. Antonio transfers his riches onto Bassanio
and takes away his poverty. Antonio's treatment of Bassanio seems like it’s too much.
Shakespeare's characters are realistic, they act in ways where the motives they make
“My purse, my person, my extremist” (1.1 Line 141 | “everything”) resonates with Christ's
provision. This suggests that Antonio’s character is motivated by the fact that he wants to live
honestly. Being authentically and radically Christ-like to Bassanio. Antonio lives in a
duplicitous culture.
Bassanio and Shylock
If Antonio begins the narrative as on a quest for authenticity, then Bassanio's character is
characterized as a pervasive and self-absorbent person. He is willing to cost Antonio his life in
order to finance his selfish life. In that way, Bassanio is a wonderful portrait of a “sinner.” If each
day is a kind of mercy of God then Bassanio is a figure of a man who presumes that mercy. He
focuses intently on Portia, not because he admires her or knows her, but because she is rich.
His love for her is rhetorical and transactional, it is duplicitous. So too is his approach to
Antonio. Bassanio's intimacy with Antonio has involved him taking money from Antonio and
not paying it back. Bassanio’s attraction to Antonio as a friend is purely notary or at least
largely monetary. This problematizes Antonio’s love for Bassanio. Being authentic to his friend
is an opportunity for Antonio to be Christ-like. Antonio’s love fuels his duplicity and finances
his sin. The mercy, grace, and love of Christ do not finance our sins. Antonio’s affection is
duplicity, it finances the sin as opposed to sanctification. This is a problem in the play that
centers around the authenticity of Christians.
(Act 1, Scene 3) Antonio emphasizes the pervasive nature of falsehood. (Page 15) “You can make
even scripture duplicitous if you want.” He really does not like Shylock. “While you were still his
enemy, Christ died for his enemies.” Shylock has been identified as a person that Antonio hates,
views as immoral, and views as his enemy. Shylock would be Antonio’s friend if he would have
him, but Antonio won’t. Bassanio: Don't do it for me. Antonio: I will. Bassanio: Ok :). (Duplicate
reaction from Bassanio).
Analysis Notes
Introductory Lecture: MOV
Question: How does Shakespeare's presentation of the drama illustrate his perspective of
English Christianity, the treatment of cultural outsiders, and the stereotypical interactions
between men and women?
SQ3R
Context - These plays were written during Renaissance England (late 15th – early 17th century).
This period was loose, there wasn’t a specific date when it started. It was an intellectual
movement that eventually changed culture and society. During this period, writers like Dante
(Italian) and Chaucer (Anglish) did something interesting, they did not write in Latin. They
wrote in the Vulgar tongue. For Dante that was early Italian and for Chaucer, it was early
English, this began to move literature writing outside of the umbrella traditionally held by the
Roman Catholic clergy/church. A movement away from the medieval tradition of scholarship
and intellectual endeavor being reserved for the first estate (roman catholic clergy).
Simultaneously there was an explosion of master artists who reserved patronage by wealthy
merchants. They helped finance and propel this explosion of master artists. In the northern
parts of Europe, the influence of the Renaissance moved slowly northward. Italy was the
cultural center. Gutenberg (who invented the printing press) made this trend of artists explode
even more. Now they have a Bible. The English Renaissance was primarily literary because
there was this new phenomenon, TEXT. The textualization of human values. The texts were
about Christian concepts (Shakespeare's plays) but they were written realistically.
TIMELINE
Traditional Feudal Hierarchy — Rising Merchant Class — Riot and Disorder in the Working
Class
King
Lords (Vassals to King)
Knights (Vassals to Lords)
Peasants (Serfs)
Context Continued - Shakespeare’s writing appeared when religious authenticity is especially
difficult to ascertain because they are so intertwined with violence. The international enemy of
the English was the Spanish during his time. Religious identity is a primary source of power
(political, social, and cultural power). This play is about racial identity. The status of women:
The most powerful person in society was a woman, in that society women were forbidden to
have an education, receive degrees, or inherit property, it was a kind of paradoxical place
Author - William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Little is known about him except for his plays. His
plays are the most copious resource we have about Shakespeare's life in general. Some people
believe that he wasn’t real and that it was a group of people who wrote these plays. He is
married to Anne Hathaway. We don’t have concrete evidence of his life. We know the kind of
plays that he wrote but we don't know the kind of man that he was. He is misunderstood as an
,artistic genius who was so transcendent and so fantastic that he was unaffected by what was
going on around him, that is simply not true.
Title - The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. This play is about merchants, who buy
and sell goods for profit. The merchant of Venice is a reference to Antonio/Bassanio/Shylock.
It’s not exactly clear who the merchant is in the beginning.
Genre - Comedy: Story about redemption | Problem Play: It employs elements of
tragedy/comedy but hosts a convo about a contentious social issue but does not resolve it in an
orderly way. It is literally a play about the problem. | Tragedy: Order is restored through
suffering and death. | These elements will be seen in this play. Shakespeare wrote this play to
attach itself to these generic attributes. The play seems to connect to a variety of these.
Persevering this play as a comedy transforms the play entirely. If it’s a problem play, tragedy, or
comedy it will say something about Shakespeare's perception.
OTN 1
Question: How does Act 1.1-3 introduce the significance of the play’s setting, characters, etc?
SQ3R
Context - The play is set in Venice (fictional). Shakespeare set a lot of his plays in Venice because
other places were cultural sinners. Venice focused on trade. Venice was highly diverse in
population. He used these foreign locations to form his own contemporary political situation.
Author - Shakespeare. The person who speaks in the actual text is Antonio.
Title - Act 1. A play is plotted out. Yes, it introduces things but the unifying factor is the conflict,
which helps us understand the thematic meaning. Understanding the conflict is the best way
that we can get to some kind of what this play is about.
Genre - Explained in the Introduction Lecture Notes
Analysis of Act 1.1-3
Interpretive task (Page 4): Antonio’s trying to figure out why he’s sad.
Duplicity/Duplicitous: Double-dealing, deceitful
Antonio
He is characterized as a man who is trying to live authentically. In the first scene, he is marked
by 3 things, two of which are signaled to us, and the 3rd is inferred.
┈➤He is sad/depressed.
┈➤ He doesn’t know why he is sad.
┈➤ Characterization of his friends.
┈➤ Antonio is consistently/chronically sad/depressed. He cannot find out why he’s sad. He
looks at himself and finds something profoundly wrong, but he does not know what that is. He
hasn't discovered the internal root of his sadness. Salerio, Salonia, and Gratsiano try to
diagnose/resolve him somehow. Their attempts at diagnoses show more about them than why
Antonio is sad. Why would Shakespeare use this device of saying what it is and Antonio says no
it’s not that? It’s to characterize them as distinct from them. These 3 characters, ' perspectives
of life are material and shallow. In this seemingly Christian group of friends, Antonio is
confronted by explanations of his sadness that are clearly shallow and materialistic. They
cannot imagine a circumstance where a man can be sad about anything other than money or
, his romantic life. All these people identify themselves as Christian, different from the Jews.
There is a distance between all of them and the Christianity that they are named after. The
Christians of Venice seem to think in terms that are worldly.
Salerio and Solanio take the opportunity to leave, they say they would've stayed until
everything was better, but better people have lived. Antonio’s response to this performance of
friendship is that he knows what they are doing, he is aware of their duplicity. He is aware of
their social acting. Antonio is keenly aware of this duplicity of his peer group, the distance
between what is said and what is true, between polite behavior and actual intent and desire,
and this distance between name and reality. These seemingly Christian friends are living in
roles as opposed to real people who are living authentically. Gratisano responds to this concern
with, “Who cares? Play the part of a happy guy. Everyone is acting, get over it.” He expresses the
suspicion of people who want something different. He suggests that such people take
themselves too seriously. The Christians of Venice aren't living authentically Christian lives.
Antonio is depressed because of his and his friend's duplicity. The whole opening scene
illustrates that his depression is rooted in the sense that he and his friends live lies. They live in
a state of shameless duplicity. Antonio is trying to be authentic, self sacrificially, Christ-like.
Antonio goes into debt for you to pay your penalty. Antonio transfers his riches onto Bassanio
and takes away his poverty. Antonio's treatment of Bassanio seems like it’s too much.
Shakespeare's characters are realistic, they act in ways where the motives they make
“My purse, my person, my extremist” (1.1 Line 141 | “everything”) resonates with Christ's
provision. This suggests that Antonio’s character is motivated by the fact that he wants to live
honestly. Being authentically and radically Christ-like to Bassanio. Antonio lives in a
duplicitous culture.
Bassanio and Shylock
If Antonio begins the narrative as on a quest for authenticity, then Bassanio's character is
characterized as a pervasive and self-absorbent person. He is willing to cost Antonio his life in
order to finance his selfish life. In that way, Bassanio is a wonderful portrait of a “sinner.” If each
day is a kind of mercy of God then Bassanio is a figure of a man who presumes that mercy. He
focuses intently on Portia, not because he admires her or knows her, but because she is rich.
His love for her is rhetorical and transactional, it is duplicitous. So too is his approach to
Antonio. Bassanio's intimacy with Antonio has involved him taking money from Antonio and
not paying it back. Bassanio’s attraction to Antonio as a friend is purely notary or at least
largely monetary. This problematizes Antonio’s love for Bassanio. Being authentic to his friend
is an opportunity for Antonio to be Christ-like. Antonio’s love fuels his duplicity and finances
his sin. The mercy, grace, and love of Christ do not finance our sins. Antonio’s affection is
duplicity, it finances the sin as opposed to sanctification. This is a problem in the play that
centers around the authenticity of Christians.
(Act 1, Scene 3) Antonio emphasizes the pervasive nature of falsehood. (Page 15) “You can make
even scripture duplicitous if you want.” He really does not like Shylock. “While you were still his
enemy, Christ died for his enemies.” Shylock has been identified as a person that Antonio hates,
views as immoral, and views as his enemy. Shylock would be Antonio’s friend if he would have
him, but Antonio won’t. Bassanio: Don't do it for me. Antonio: I will. Bassanio: Ok :). (Duplicate
reaction from Bassanio).
