BUDDY READS/ READ-ALONG - William Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice - Page 3

Yes. I am reading it!!

Originally posted by: LizzynDarcy

Yes. I am reading it!!

Have you already started reading the drama? I haven't yet begun.

Originally posted by: Shirsha

Are we going to start reading The Merchant of Venice from tomorrow? I'm ready for the buddy read!

I’ll be reading it tonight or maybe tomorrow? I’m excited too it’s been too long since I read Merchant of Venice; it’ll be fun to read it again

Yes I have started reading it. I finished reading Abhigyan Shakuntalam act I and started reading it.

Originally posted by: LizzynDarcy

Yes I have started reading it. I finished reading Abhigyan Shakuntalam act I and started reading it.

Oh okay, I'll start reading the drama tomorrow.

Originally posted by: Shirsha

Foreverlazy, do you want to buddy read The Merchant of Venice? You can join us if you want.

No plans to read it at the moment, but thank you!

Originally posted by: foreverlazy

No plans to read it at the moment, but thank you!

Okay, it's completely fine. Actually you expressed your interest in reading Macbeth and Twelfth Night. So, I thought about asking you about The Merchant of Venice because it was also written by William Shakespeare.

“A stage where every man must play a part,

And mine a sad one.”

Sums up Antonio’s character perfectly IMO

In school, we were told Antonio might be sad because of his unrequited love or maybe he’s suffering from depression. But now I wonder could his sadness come from something deeper, like guilt? He’s really cruel to Shylock, and maybe that kind of hate weighs on a person.

Scene 1.1 also shows how important his ships and wealth are but even with this amount of money, he still feels empty.

I completed reading Act 1 of the drama, The Merchant of Venice, today.

Analysis of Act 1:

Act 1: Scene 1

The opening scene introduces the protagonist, Antonio, and his friends. Antonio feels depressed and melancholic; however, he doesn’t know the reason behind it. His friends suggest that the reason behind his dejection is probably related to his ships. The opening scene sheds light on the strong bond and friendship between Antonio and Bassanio. Their conversation helps the readers understand they’re extremely close to each other and Antoniocan do anything for his friend. Bassanio’s love for a beautiful young woman named Portia is also revealed to the readers, and his romantic interest is a very important aspect of the play. The opening scene is filled with emotions such as sadness, romantic love, and deep affection for a friend.

Act 1: Scene 2

Unlike the opening scene, the tone of the second scene is humourous. A young woman named Portia is introduced in this scene. She discusses her suitors with her maid-servant, Nerissa, and tells her that she finds them uninteresting. The way she expresses her disdain for her suitors is quite amusing. She compares a suitor to a colt because he always talks about his horse. She says another suitor doesn’t smile even if he hears merry tales. The second scene successfully depicts the character, Portia, as a witty woman. This scene also makes the readers understand that Portia is a woman with a strong personality and critical eyes.

Act 1: Scene 3

The antagonist of the drama, Shylock is introduced inthis scene. He’s a moneylender, and Bassanio asks him to lend money. Bassanio says that Antonio will be the guarantor for the loan. It gets revealed thatShylock holds a grudge against Antonio for some reason and uses this opportunity to take revenge. Antonio knows Shylock isn’t a nice person and warns Bassanio saying, “Mark you this Bassanio, the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, – An evil soul producing holy witnessis like a villain with a smiling cheek, A goodly apple rotten at the heart. O what a goodly outside falsehood hath.” The third scene highlights the religious tension between Antonio and Shylock. It also uncovers certaincharacteristics of Antonio, Bassanio and Shylock. Antonio comes across as a reckless and overconfident man in this scene, while Bassanio seems to kind-hearted man because he refuses to take money, putting Antonio’s life in danger. Shylock isportrayed as a highly cunning and manipulative man whose hatred is rooted on deep-seated prejudice towards Christians. The third scene plays a crucial role in giving the readers a hint of the central conflict of the drama.