Your midterm will also be the first day back after test week which, if I am not mistaken, is Tuesday, February 4.
1.
Law,
Mercy and Revenge
Law:
Bond
Courtroom scene
Casket situation
Duke
Lawyer (Portia, Balthasar)
Citizenship laws (Jews)
Mercy:
To show compassion, forgiveness
Antonio shows Shylock compassion
Antonio helping Bassanio
Portia and Nerissa stop torturing
their husbands
Prince of Aragon is allowed to marry
(silver casket)
Duke shows Shylock compassion
(allows him to live)
Jessica gives Launcelot a coin
Revenge
A revenger is often responding to
what he or she thinks of as a “higher” law. They want to take the law into
their own hands. However, Shylock has found a legal way to do this. He is not
prepared to be merciful (as the Duke and Portia encourage him to be). When his
law is found lacking and Antonio and the Duke show him mercy, it is something
he doesn’t want. If he has his money taken and he’s forced to be a Christian,
he will be unable to work (as a money lender) and will lose his religious
identity.
Portia
and Nerissa with husbands over the rings
Jessica
stealing from her father
Antonio
helping people with debts
2.
Greed
vs. Generosity
Antonio
sees Shylock as greedy
Antonio
is generous to Bassanio
Antonio
helps Christians by loaning them money
Bassanio
wants Portia (greed?)
Nerissa
and Portia give rings but they come with strings
3.
Reading
and Interpretation
Reading is woven
into the structures of prejudice and intolerance, love, law and justice – it is
central to everyday life
Biblical
scriptures (interpretive differences)
The
riddles on the caskets
Portia
in the courtroom scene
4.
Love
and Friendship
Love
Shylock and
Jessica
Portia and
Bassanio
Jessica and
Lorenzo
Portia and her
father
Nerissa and
Gratiano
Friendship
Lorenzo and
Bassanio
Nerissa and
Portia
Bassanio and
Antonio
Lorenzo and
Gratiano
Salanio and
Salerio
Launcelot and
Jessica (at beginning)
Launcelot and
dad (?)
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