Merchant of Venice

longfordjames

I think this is hard.please post what you think are useful quotes?

Corruptedmorals

Ha, I did this, in 2004. The best quote is Shylock's 'Hath not a Jew eyes' etc, but you dont' need a whole load of quotes tbh.

GERMAN ROCKS

this was my favourite shakespeare play. all i can advise is buy the modern version of it on dvd and watch more than 5 times after awhile you will just automatically know quotes from hearing them so often and use them. some good notes also in rapid revision higher level by john scally

coco-pop

hi, i'm doing the merchant of venice aswell and i couldnt make head nor tails of it:mad:....

i read it in 2nd yr and i still didnt understand it and i read it again this yr and i still didn't get the whole story line of it.

we watched the dvd in school and it really made me understand it, the play is on in the helix in November too so try go up and see that and it will be good help.

in refrence to the quoted i dont really have much help but if you make a spider graph for each character, but mostly the main ones, like shylock, portia bassanio an antonino, then in the spider graph write down what the person is like and a few bits about their role in the play. then on the same sheet as the spider graph write dowm the most important quotes from each character like when shylock says he hates christans and the bits about the flesh...etc.

thats all i can say for you because im in the same position and tats what i done....!!:D

good luck:)

Groe

I am doing it for the junior cert aswell and it is a stupid book imo. I'll worry about making sense of it next year,(3rd year).

samhail

sounds like homework

I did merchant of venice !!!
approx 12 years ago... so sorry
My dad did buy a video of it though. which was really handy !

Smartly Dressed

Groe wrote: »

I am doing it for the junior cert aswell and it is a stupid book imo. I'll worry about making sense of it next year,(3rd year).

It is not a stupid play.

If you're having difficulties, ask your teacher! Or you can even purchase books that come with notes, translations and useful tips beside the dialect. There are also resources available on the internet.

Fad

Smartly Dressed wrote: »

It is not a stupid play.

You're correct in saying that, it's not a stupid play per say, it is however a tediously boring play, that few can stand/tolerate.

Groe

But look at it through the eyes of a 14 year old who has a teacher that doesn't care if they understand or not and will not answer questions about what is happening and if your lucky enough that they do their answer doesn't tell you anymore about it. And I have a book with notes but don't find them helpful at all. And i also said that IMO it was a stupid play

And people are enthusiastic to learn if their teacher is enthusiastic about teaching but when this is not the case and you are reading what looks like jiberish then it is very hard to make sense of it

Smartly Dressed

Although I do not doubt that your teacher is ****e and I know how fantastic it is to have a teacher who is enthusiastic about their subject, don't be too quick to put your disinterest and lack of understanding of the play down to him/her/it.

Unfortunately I'm not a teacher and can't really help you so all I can say is continue to ask questions and look for good online resources. This may be of some use to your or at least to start you off. Watch videos and if you somehow get the chance to see a modern version of the play, grab it with both hands. It will more than likely help you a lot.

With time, maturity and a clear head you will look back and suddenly realize the 'deepness' of that play (and also thank the Gods you don't have to do it again:D).

Fad

Smartly Dressed wrote: »

Watch videos and if you somehow get the chance to see a modern version of the play, grab it with both hands. It will more than likely help you a lot.

The modern version is apparently very good, however unless you are absolutely lost with the play, avoid a video of it. Watching a video of something can kinda ruin your image of it, EG i read 'A Clockwork Orange" first, than saw the film, film kinda ruined what was, one of my favourite books. Same with "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas"

My advice:if you're in second year now, just read through it a few times, do whatever homework you get involving it, its a while until the Junior Cert.

If you're in third year, read through it carefully, maybe read some of the exam questions to see what you're looking for in the analysis of the play.

coco-pop

Groe wrote: »

I am doing it for the junior cert aswell and it is a stupid book imo. I'll worry about making sense of it next year,(3rd year).

Groe, that's a stupid idea....wory about making sense of it next year..?? as if you wont have enough on your hands. do your best at it this year and try understand it as best you can, learn your quotes aswell this year, then next year you'll just have to refresh your memory which wont be hard at all..!!:)

danoboy254

i thought it was ok for the j.c. i got the A in english but that was because i had an excellent teacher


these are some of the top quotes

-shylocks soliloquy
-portias courtroom speech on mercy
-shylocks hath not a jew.....
-jessicas speech about being ashamed to be her fathers daughter.
-solanio/salerios's paising of " the good antonio the honest anttonio"


these should get you through and also to have one quote from every character.

callaway92

Its only J.C..Nothing to worry about tbh

Aerb

To explain Antonio's character, his outlook, personality, how he regards others, and so on, "I have much ado (trouble) to know myself" "I hold the world but as the world...a stage where every man must play a part, and mine a sad one".

If asked about important relationships, like between Antonio and Bassanio, you can quote Antonio, "Your worth is very dear in my regard," "My purse, my person, my extremest means are all unlock'd to your occassions".

I think you should focus mostly on Antonio and Shylock, because you can apply their situations to lots of questions. For instance, hostility between two characters, a relationship that you found interesting (the actions of Shylock in the relationship cause our feelings to undulate (move from being sympathetic to being disdainful) and you found that refreshing, maybe), a personality that you found interesting: "I found Shylock's personality interesting because I felt involved in his emotions and this gripped me as a result". You can use quotes from other characters, but focus mostly on Antonio and Shylock. "How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Christian...If I can catch him once upon the hip I will feed fat the ancient grudge I beart him". You could say, "Shylock's aspersions (hateful remarks) capture the tension in the relationship/capture Shylock's personality - a scornful (hateful), destructive, pernicious (evil) one".

Antonio has a realistic, down-to-Earth personality "I am as like to call thee so again, to spit on thee again, to spurn thee too". Both of them are obdurate (stubborn; unwilling to change opinions) in the name of their religion. Antonio hates Shylock because he's a jew; Shylock to Antonio because he's a Christian. Bassanio's "I like not fair terms and a villain's mind" could be used to link points. "Bassanio's speech acts as a premonition (forewarning) and creates an atmosphere of discomfort".

If asked about atmosphere, the entire relationship between Antonio and Shylock and be written about again. "The relationship between Antonio and Shylock is the chief source of tension in this play... (then write about the relationship, making sure to refer back to the atmosphere it creates and use synonyms to make the writing appear more fresh (tense atmosphere, discomforting atmosphere, atmosphere of pessimism, and so on))".

You can convey Shylock's prejudice through his saying "To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces...let not the sound of shallow foppery enter my sober house". So, he merely doesn't rebuke(express disapproval) Antonio for his actions, but all Christians for their religion. If asked about, for example, "Write about a play where the setting (time and place) were important, you could write about the Merchant of Venice being set in a time of anti-semitism (anti...jewness?) and this creates hostility between two main characters. If it weren't for the setting, there'd be no plot in the play, therefore, the setting is imperative (essential).

It's also important to mention Shylock's monologue (where he says "hate not a jew eyes..." and whatever).

I'm sure you can find other relative quotes toward the back of the play that you can use, but you'd only need about four or five quotes in your answer. Try to include quotes from other characters to make the answer appear more varied.

So, as you can see, you can really condense the amount you have to learn by just studying Shylock and Antonio, and you can focus more on this relationship to really perfect the way you write about it. Find some more quotes that you might think are as, or more, important and create your own reasons for why they're important. Don't rely just on what I've told you. You'll be fiiiiine.

KateF

I remember the the Quality of Mercy speech being important

elainepie

check out you tube links also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Autc0-wK_7E.

this is a great (though anti semetic ) story of love, betrayal but mostly revenge..
try narrow down what happens in each act.. there are many sites you can use as study aids also - here is one that lays out each scene by scene.. pm me for any other advice you may need and ill help where i can..

http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-merchantvenice/chapanal001.html

Craig-S

To be honest its not as important as teachers make it out to be

Heres a good quote

"Dont stress out about it just do the work"