大学英语复习资料：The Merchant of Venice

1、Shakespeare：The Merchant of Venice,Lecture Outline,1. Lead-in: Summary of the plot: Two worlds and three plots 2. who was merchant of Venice? 3. Characterization: Antonio(good) vs. Shylock(evil)? 4. Dramatic type: comedy vs. tragedy 5. Humanistic puzzle: material affluence = happiness? 6. Conclusion

2、: the greatness of Shakespeares drama 7. Assignment,I. Summary of the plot,Antonio,Portia,Bassanio,Shylock,bond,Three plots,Casket plot (Act I III) Resolved with marriage of Portia and Bassanio Pound of Flesh plot (Act I IV) Resolved with Court scene Ring plot (Act III V) Resolved with reconciliatio

3、n scene between Portia and Bassanio, Nerissa and Gratiano,Connection between plots,Casket plot Bassanio needs money to woo Portia, thus borrows money from Antonio who need to borrow from Shylock, the Pound of Flesh plot Bassanio fulfills Portias fathers requirements but says contract isnt final “unt

4、il ratified by you.” Portia has fulfilled duty to father by marrying Ring plot tests whether Bassanio was really willing to risk and hazard all he had for love.,Connection between plots,Pound of Flesh plot Antonio borrows money from Shylock so Bassanio can woo Portia, the Casket plot Portia also is

5、the justice who pronounces sentence on Shylock for his attempt on Antonios life, the Pound of Flesh plot Portias role in saving Antonio and their desire to show their gratitude allows her the opportunity to request the ring from Bassanio as payment, affecting the Ring plot,Bassanios plan to pursue P

6、ortia the strange bond between Antonio and Shylock (3000 ducats= a pound of flesh) Antonios shipwreck and arrest Portia disguised as a doctor of law, Nerrissa a clerk one exact pond of flesh and no blood to be shed the crime of conspiring to kill a Venetian citizen loss of property and convert from

7、Judaism to Christianity,Connection between plots,Ring plot Portias role in rescuing Antonio allows her to request the ring as payment from Bassanio, connecting it to the Pound of Flesh plot,Two World,Venice Language of money, commerce Male friendship Justice / letter of law,Belmont Poetic language L

8、ove / marriage bonds Mercy / spirit of law,Who was Merchant of Venice?,Antonio Has many ships in various parts of the world Shylock Lends out money for profit Bassanio Gentleman, but the one who ends up with the “Golden Fleece”: Portia, her fathers fortune,Lecture Outline,1. Lead-in: Summary of the

9、plot 2. Characterization: Antonio(good) vs. Shylock(evil)? 2.1 First impression 2.2 A second view 2.3 Background: Anti-semitism 3. Dramatic type: comedy vs. tragedy 4. Humanistic puzzle: material affluence = happiness? 5. Conclusion: the greatness of Shakespeares drama 6. Assignment,Old vs. New Test

10、ament,Judaism Justice / Retribution,Christianity Mercy / Forgiveness,Recognizable characters,Heroine Portia, disguises herself as man; teaches men about love (womens concern), also about law (mens concern) Villain Shylock, personal grudge, revengeful Hero- Antonio, straightforward and virtuous,2.1 F

11、irst impression on Antonio and Shylock,Antonio： Christian， generosity, Kindness, ,Shylock： heretic, greed, Mercilessness, ,Good,evil,?,Is Antonio straightforward and virtuous, as he claims? Does he treat Shylock fairly and justly?,2.2 A second view of Antonio and Shylock,Shylock: Fair sir, you spit

12、on me on Wednesday last, You spurnd me such a day; another time You calld me dog; and for these courtesies Ill lend you thus much moneys?,Antonio: I am as like to call thee so again, To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too. If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not As to thy friends But lend it rat

13、her to thy enemy,. -Act 1, Scene 3,Is Shylock totally a bad guy, a bloodthirsty villain? Why is Shylock so revengeful? What has he suffered?,Questions:,Shylocks burst-out :,Shylocks anger and sadness,1). the servant Launcelot Bobbos leaving from shylock to Bassanio,2). daughter Jessicas elopement wi

14、th Lorenzo,3). deprivation by the Christian world represented by Antonio, both financially and psychologically,Penalty upon Shylock,Balthasar-Portia: If it be proved against an alien That by direct or indirect attempts He seeks the life of any citizen, The partys gainst the which he doth contrive Sh

15、all seize one half his goods; the other half Comes to coffer(treasure) of the state; And the offenders life lies in the mercy Of the Duke -Act4, Scene1,Shylock is abandoned materially and spiritually.,Is Shakespeare anti-semitic?,Did Shakespeare show sympathy towards the sufferings of Jews in this p

16、lay? Is Shylock a man more sinned against than sinning, more wronged than wronging others? Whats the cultural background for Antonios contemptuous treatment towards Shylock and Shylocks tragic life?,Questions:,2.3 Background: Anti-semitism (排犹主义）,The death of Jesus Usury,Ghetto Red hat,Jews in Europ

17、e,Jewish communities existed across Europe. In hard times, Christians persecuted the Jews, blaming them for economic problems, illness, and disasters. Prejudice against Jews is called antisemitism. In response to growing persecution, thousands of Jews migrated from Western to Eastern Europe.,3,Many

18、attributed the plagues to an angry God blame Jews for spreading plague Other “cures”,Sketch of Jews poisoning wells to cause the black death (1349),Anti-semitism was in fashion in London at the time Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice in 1596-98.,Lecture Outline,1. Lead-in: Summary of the plot

19、2. Characterization: Antonio(good) vs. Shylock(evil)? 3. Dramatic type: comedy vs. tragedy 4. Humanistic puzzle: material affluence = happiness? 5. Conclusion: the greatness of Shakespeares drama 6. Assignment,3. Drama type: Comedy vs. tragedy,why did the author write this story into a comedy instea

20、d of a tragedy in which Antonio would have a tragic and sublime ending?,Then, is it possible to rewrite this comedy into a tragedy with Shylock as the hero at that time? Why?,What is a tragedy? Whats the purpose/function of tragedy?,On the one hand, influenced and limited by the anti-semitic traditi

21、on, the author has to make Shylock a comic villain, a stereotypical figure to some extent. On the other hand, in such a period when Anti-semitism was in fashion, the humanist Shakespeare is brave enough to show sympathy towards Shylock and depicts him as a human being with dignity. We may say that t

22、he wronged Shylock is a mirror to reflect the social injustice at that time.,Shakespeares humanistic idea rose far above the prejudices of his time!,Lecture Outline,1. Lead-in: Summary of the plot 2. Characterization: Antonio(good) vs. Shylock(evil)? 3. Dramatic type: comedy vs. tragedy 4. Humanistic puzzle: material affluence = happiness? 5. Conclusi