illustrations of “the merchant of venice”. richard parkes bonington. bassanio and portia, c....
TRANSCRIPT
Illustrations of Illustrations of “The Merchant of Venice”“The Merchant of Venice”
Richard Parkes Bonington. Bassanio and Portia, c. 1826.
Although other titles have been suggested for this small picture, the source is clearly Act III, Scene ii, of The Merchant of Venice. Bassanio has wisely chosen the lead casket on the table behind them and found inside it Portia's picture. He now claims her with a kiss as he has been directed by the poem that accompanies "fair Portia's counterfeit":You that choose not by the viewChance as fair, and choose as true.Since this fortune falls to youBe content and seek no new.If you be well pleased with thisAnd hold your fortune for your bliss,Turn you where your lady is,And claim her with a loving kiss.
In the background of the picture stand Portia's maid Nerissa and Bassanio's friend Gratiano, two lovers who have had no need of caskets or poems to make their choice of mates.
Sir Samuel Luke Fildes. Jessica, exhibited in 1888.
By permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library"There will come a Christian boy, will be worth a Jewess' eye" (The Merchant of Venice, Act II, Scene v). Fildes's Jessica was shown in 1888 in an exhibition of twenty-one paintings sponsored by the newspaper Graphic. The series of pictures was entitled Shakespeare's Heroines.
Sir John Gilbert. Shylock After the Trial. Steel engraving, approximately 6.5 x 10.5 inches, by G. Greatbach. The engraving is from Charles Knight's two-volume Imperial Edition of The Works of Shakespere(London: Virtue and Company, 1873-76).
The title of Gilbert's painting is a misidentification and is thus misnamed. After the trial (Act IV, Scene i), Shylock leaves the stage and we hear no more of him. The action Gilbert illustrates occurs in Act II, Scene vii after Shylock learns that his daughter Jessica has eloped with Lorenzo--and a sizeable portion of his money. Salerino and Salanio, friends of Antonio's, describe Shylock running madly through the streets lamenting his lost daughter and money.
Salanio: The villain Jew with outcries raised the duke,Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship.
Salarino: He came too late, the ship was under sail:But there the duke was given to understandThat in a gondola were seen togetherLorenzo and his amorous Jessica:Besides, Antonio certified the dukeThey were not with Bassanio in his ship.Salanio: I never heard a passion so confused,So strange, outrageous, and so variable,As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:'My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter!A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats,Of double ducats, stolen from me by my daughter!And jewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones,Stolen by my daughter! Justice! find the girl;She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats.'
Frederic Leighton. Two Venetian Gentlemen, c. 1862-3.
Oil on canvas, 38.5 x 28.5 inches. Private collection.
Thomas Sully. Portia and Shylock, 1835.
By permission of the Folger Shakespeare LibraryOil on canvas, 29 x 38 inches. The Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D. C.
An inscription on the back of the canvas says it illustrates The Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Scene i, lines 230-232. The relevant passage is "Be merciful. / Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond." In Sully's painting Portia is poised to tear the bond in two, but Shylock, holding the scale with which he intends to weigh the pound of flesh cut from Antonio, looks harshly upon her and points to the bond. The painting seems unconcerned with fidelity to the text; Portia is not disguised effectively as a judge and Sully is more intent on depicting the merciful, feminine Portia than a "Daniel come to judgment."
Henry Woods. Portia, exhibited in 1888. By permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library
"Tarry, Jew: The law hath yet another hold on you" (The Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Scene i). Portia was shown in 1888 in an exhibition of twenty-one paintings sponsored by the newspaper Graphic. The series of pictures was entitled Shakespeare's Heroines.
Welcome to Welcome to Renaissance Renaissance
EnglandEngland
It’s
Time!
It’s time to don your doublet!
Tighten your trussing!
Get on your galligaskins!
Females, fit on your farthingales!
Smooth your stomachers!
Remember your ruffs!
Slip on your shoes!
And grab your gloves!
Ladies?
Gentlemen?
Is everybody ready?
We’re going to the theatre!
ShakespeareShakespeare
1563-16161563-1616Born: Stratford upon Avon, EnglandBorn: Stratford upon Avon, EnglandWrote 37 plays and 154 sonnetsWrote 37 plays and 154 sonnetsHe started out as an actorHe started out as an actor
Stratford upon Avon
•Shakespeare’s birthplace and burial place
•Shakespeare’s residence outside of London
•Anne Hathaway’s cottage still stands here along with other monuments
•Home of the Royal Shakespeare Company
London
•Shakespeare’s workplace as an actor and playwright
•Home of the Globe Theatre (1599) which was built by (and for the performances of) ‘The Lord Chamberlain’s Men’ until it burnt in 1613.
The Globe!
Shakespeare’s theatre is located just outside of London, England.
The Globe Theater 1599The Globe Theater 1599
Burned in 1613
The TheatreThe Theatre
Plays produced for the general Plays produced for the general publicpublic
Roofless- open airRoofless- open airNo artificial lightingNo artificial lightingCourtyard surrounded by 3 levels Courtyard surrounded by 3 levels
of galleriesof galleries
The New Globe Theater 1999The New Globe Theater 1999
SpectatorsSpectators
Wealthy got benchesWealthy got benches““Groundlings”- poorer people Groundlings”- poorer people
stood and watched from the stood and watched from the courtyard (“pit”)courtyard (“pit”)
All but wealthy were All but wealthy were uneducated/illiterateuneducated/illiterate
Much more interaction than Much more interaction than todaytoday
Staging AreasStaging Areas Stage>platform that extended into Stage>platform that extended into
the pitthe pit Dressing & storage rooms in Dressing & storage rooms in
galleries behind & above stagegalleries behind & above stage Second-level gallery> upper stage> Second-level gallery> upper stage>
famous balcony scene in R & Jfamous balcony scene in R & J Trap door>ghostsTrap door>ghosts ““Heavens”> angelic beingsHeavens”> angelic beings
DifferencesDifferencesNo sceneryNo scenerySettings > references in Settings > references in
dialoguedialogueElaborate costumesElaborate costumesPlenty of propsPlenty of propsFast-paced, colorful- 2 hours!Fast-paced, colorful- 2 hours!
ActorsActorsOnly men and boysOnly men and boysYoung boys whose voices had Young boys whose voices had
not changed play women’s not changed play women’s rolesroles
Would have been considered Would have been considered indecent for a woman to indecent for a woman to appear on stageappear on stage
A white flag is flying. There’s a
play today!
It’s afternoon, time for the play to start.
The groundlings have paid their penny and are standing to watch
the play.The young men are dressing up to take the female roles.
The stage is a lower class profession, and no women will
appear there.
Poetry is a higher class
of art than play writing is.
The wealthy are in the upper decks.
The play is about to begin!
We’re in for a real treat!
It’s one of Shakespeare’s tragedies!
It’s good the plague is over and the theaters are open again.
William Shakespeare
What do we know about Shakespeare?
He was born in 1564.
His hometown is Stratford-on-Avon.
His father was a middle class butcher, mayor, & glovemaker.
He married Anne
Hathaway when he was 18 years old.
She was 26!They had three children, including
a set of twins.He moved to London and became an actor, playwright,
and theater owner.
His acting company was called “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men.”
Later it became “The King’s Men.”
He wrote 37 very successful
plays.Even Queen Elizabeth enjoyed his plays!
His vocabulary was huge: 17,000 to
34,000 words!
He purchased a coat of arms to
make his family upper
class.
When he retired he went back to
Stratford-on-Avon and bought the best
house in town.
He has a monument in Westminster
Abbey though he’s buried in Stratford-
on-Avon.
He died in 1616.
What do we know about Shakespeare?
He has had an amazing influence on our English language.
Shakespeare Shakespeare wrote:wrote:
ComediesComediesHistoriesHistoriesTragediesTragedies
Have you heard these phrases?Have you heard these phrases?
I couldn’t sleep a wink.I couldn’t sleep a wink.He was dead as a doornail.He was dead as a doornail.She’s a tower of strength.She’s a tower of strength.They hoodwinked us.They hoodwinked us. I’m green-eyed with jealousy.I’m green-eyed with jealousy.We’d better lie low for awhile.We’d better lie low for awhile.Keep a civil tongue in your head.Keep a civil tongue in your head.
They are just some of the many expressions coined by that master of language, William Shakespeare.
Now, let the show begin!
Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s LanguageLanguage
Using the handout provided, write the Using the handout provided, write the following definitions on your sheet.following definitions on your sheet.
Elizabethan (QE1) Elizabethan (QE1) WordsWords
An,and:An,and: If IfAnon:Anon: SoonSoonAye:Aye: YesYesBut:But: Except forExcept forE’en:E’en: EvenEvenE’er: E’er: EverEver
Haply:Haply: PerhapsPerhapsHappy:Happy: FortunateFortunateHence:Hence: Away, from Away, from herher
Hie:Hie: HurryHurryMarry:Marry: IndeedIndeed
Whence:Whence: WhereWhereWilt:Wilt: Will, will youWill, will youWithal:Withal: In addition toIn addition toWould:Would: WishWish
Blank VerseBlank Verse
unrhymed verseunrhymed verseiambic (unstressed, stressed)iambic (unstressed, stressed)pentameter( 5 “feet” to a line)pentameter( 5 “feet” to a line)
ends up to be 10 syllable linesends up to be 10 syllable lines
ProseProseOrdinary writing that is not Ordinary writing that is not
poetry, drama, or songpoetry, drama, or songOnly characters in the lower Only characters in the lower
social classes speak this way social classes speak this way in Shakespeare’s playsin Shakespeare’s plays
Why do you suppose that is?Why do you suppose that is?
PlotPlot
The sequence of events The sequence of events in a literary workin a literary work
ExpositionExposition
The plot usually begins with this:The plot usually begins with this:introduces>>>>introduces>>>>
settingsettingcharacterscharactersbasic situationbasic situation
Inciting MomentInciting Moment
Often called “initial incident”Often called “initial incident”the first bit of action that the first bit of action that
occurs which begins the plotoccurs which begins the plotWhat is the inciting moment in What is the inciting moment in
‘The Merchant of Venice’?‘The Merchant of Venice’?
ConflictConflict
The struggle that developsThe struggle that developsman vs. manman vs. manman vs. himselfman vs. himselfman vs. societyman vs. societyman vs. natureman vs. nature
CrisisCrisis
The point where the The point where the protagonist’s situation will protagonist’s situation will either get better or worseeither get better or worseprotagonist>good guyprotagonist>good guyantagonist>bad guyantagonist>bad guy
ClimaxClimax
The turning point of the The turning point of the story>everything begins to story>everything begins to unravel from here unravel from here Thus begins the falling actionThus begins the falling action
ResolutionResolution
The end of the The end of the central conflictcentral conflict
DenouementDenouement
The final explanation or The final explanation or outcome of the plotoutcome of the plotIf this is included in If this is included in literature, it will occur literature, it will occur afterafter the resolution. the resolution.
ThemeTheme
Central idea or …Central idea or …Insight about life which Insight about life which
explain the downfallexplain the downfall
Dramatic FoilDramatic Foil
A character whose purpose is A character whose purpose is to show off another characterto show off another characterCan you think of any in ‘The Can you think of any in ‘The Merchant of Venice’?Merchant of Venice’?
Round Round characterscharacters
Characters who have Characters who have many personality traits, many personality traits, like real people.like real people.
Flat CharactersFlat Characters
One-dimensional, embodying One-dimensional, embodying only a single traitonly a single traitShakespeare often uses them Shakespeare often uses them
to provide comic relief even in to provide comic relief even in a tragedya tragedy
Static Static CharactersCharacters
Characters within a story who Characters within a story who remain the same. They do not remain the same. They do not change. They do not change their change. They do not change their minds, opinions or character.minds, opinions or character.
Dynamic Dynamic CharacterCharacter
Characters that Characters that changechange somehow during the course somehow during the course of the plot. They generally of the plot. They generally
change for the better.change for the better.
MonologueMonologue
One person speaking on One person speaking on stage- may be other stage- may be other character on stage toocharacter on stage tooFind an example from the text.Find an example from the text.
SoliloquySoliloquy
Long speech expressing the Long speech expressing the thoughtsthoughts of a character alone of a character alone on stage.on stage.Find an example from the text.Find an example from the text.
AsideAside
Words spoken, usually in an Words spoken, usually in an undertone not intended to be undertone not intended to be heard by all charactersheard by all characters
PunPun
Shakespeare loved to use them!!!Shakespeare loved to use them!!!Humorous use of a word with two Humorous use of a word with two
meanings > sometimes missed by meanings > sometimes missed by the reader because of Elizabethan the reader because of Elizabethan language and sexual innuendolanguage and sexual innuendo
Dramatic IronyDramatic Irony
A contradiction between A contradiction between what a character thinks and what a character thinks and what the reader/audience what the reader/audience knows to be trueknows to be true
Verbal IronyVerbal Irony
WordsWords used to suggest the used to suggest the opposite of what is meantopposite of what is meant
Situational IronySituational Irony
An event occurs that directly An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations contradicts the expectations of the characters, the of the characters, the reader, or the audiencereader, or the audience
Comic ReliefComic Relief
Use of comedy within literature Use of comedy within literature that is NOT comedy to provide that is NOT comedy to provide “relief” from seriousness or “relief” from seriousness or sadness. sadness. Find an example from the text.Find an example from the text.