The first scene of the play introduces us to a world of wealthy, upper-class Christian men living in Venice . Their conversation reveals that they are men of business who take great risks with money and are careful to avoid seeming overly concerned about their investments.
What is the significance of opening scene of Tempest?
The opening confrontation between Gonzalo and the boatswain reveals one of the most important themes in The Tempest: class conflict , the discord between those who seize and hold power and those who are often the unwilling victims of power.
What is the significance of the opening scene of The Merchant of Venice?
The opening scene of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare establishes the friendship of Antonio and Bassanio which depicts that the two are devoted to each other . For Antonio, Bassanio becomes more important than the other friends he is surrounded by.
What is the significance of Act 1 Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice?
1. Antonio offers to act as Bassanio’s guarantor (Act 1, Scene 1) Antonio, a prosperous Venetian merchant, is unable to explain his sadness to his friends, who suggest he must have business or love worries. When Bassanio arrives with Lorenzo and Gratiano, he asks his close friend Antonio to lend him some more money.
What important background information is established in the first scene of Merchant of Venice?
The first scene indirectly introduces Portia as well and it is learned that she is rich, single and of noble birth . The exposition of the characters and their differing financial statuses helps to set the plot up around money, law and tradition which are all played out through the play.
Why does Shylock hate Antonio?
Shylock hates Antonio because Antonio has the privilege of being a wealthy Venetian who charges no interest on his loans , and he also hates Antonio for being a Christian. ... Antonio not only loans money interest-free to many, he has also covered the loans of Shylock’s victims without charging them interest to repay him.
Why do salerio and solanio leave Antonio?
Answer: Solanio and Salarino leave when Bassanio, Gratiano and Lorenzo arrive. Solanio cites that he will take his leave because the others are better comapny , whereas, Salarino says he would have stayed if Antonio’s worthier (nobler) friends hadn’t shown up.
Why does boatswain lose his temper?
(ii) Why does the boatswain lose his temper? Answer : The boatswain loses his temper when the royal passengers begin to order him and the other crew members . He does not like to be ordered at this crucial moment. So he asks every passenger to go back and remain in his cabin.
What gender is Ariel in The Tempest?
Ariel is widely viewed as a male character, although this view has wavered over the years, especially in the Restoration when, for the most part, women played the role.
What is the impact of the storm on the passengers on board?
Explanation: Prospero, with his power of magic, creates the Tempest in the sea. The shipwreck, the passengers will part away on the island where Prospero lived and main theme of forgiveness will take place in a chronological way which develops the plot.
What is the most striking theme in Act 1 Scene 1 Merchant of Venice?
Friendship . The theme of friendship drives most of the action in The Merchant of Venice. Bassanio needs money and turns to Antonio, who has already offered him substantial financial support in the past.
What is the reason for Antonio’s sadness in Act 1 Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice?
Some commentators have suggested that Antonio’s sadness probably stems from the fact that he realizes that he will soon lose the company of his best friend and companion, Bassanio, to that of a seemingly beautiful and wealthy young maiden, Portia with whom Bassanio has become infatuated .
What is the summary of the Merchant of Venice?
Antonio, an antisemitic merchant, takes a loan from the Jew Shylock to help his friend to court Portia . Antonio can’t repay the loan, and without mercy, Shylock demands a pound of his flesh. The heiress Portia, now the wife of Antonio’s friend, dresses as a lawyer and saves Antonio.
Can the audience believe Shylock when he says he would offer the hand of friendship to Antonio?
In Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, the audience should not believe Shylock’s expression of friendship in his shaking of Antonio’s hand. There is no question that there is “bad blood” between Antonio and Shylock.
What is ironic about Shylock’s reference in Scene III to feeding his grudge toward Antonio?
There seems to be a play on words here, between “feed” and “mouths,” but what I see as ironic is that while Shylock refuses to eat or drink with Antonio, a Christian, he refers to his revenge in terms of “feeding fat ,” and then speaks to this Christian as being worshipped (complimented) “in his mouth.” Even as a figure ...
Why is Portia unhappy?
Like Antonio, Portia announces her sadness, but unlike Antonio’s, Portia’s sadness is clearly due to the conditions imposed on her by her dead father’s will: in the matter of her marriage, she must abide by the test of the choice of the three caskets ; she can “neither choose who I would nor refuse who dislike [as a ...
