| How are Belmont and Venice different from each other? | Venice is the city of commerce where wealth flows in and out. It is a city located on the sea’s coast. Belmont is the home of Portia and it is a place of romance and festivity. |
| Compare and contrast Portia’s relationship with Nerissa to Antonio’s relationship with Bassanio. How are the friendships similar? How are they different? Examine their speech. How is dialogue used to show differences in their personalities and social stature? | Both Nerissa and Antonio go to extreme lengths to aid their friends. In both relationships, one friend is weathier than the other. Portia seeks advice from Nerissa a lot. Bassanio seeks help from Antonio a lot. They are different because Bassanio is Antonio’s friend, but Nerissa is Portia’s servant that also plays the role of her friend. Bassanio and Antonio’s relationship towards each other was dry and boring, and Nerissa and Portia’s relationship towards each other is a little more joyful and exciting. |
| Compare Portia to Antonio at the start of Act 1, Scene 1? How are they similar? | They are both distressed when they are introduced into the story. |
| What is Portia’s opinion on how her father decided to choose a suitor for her? Has the method been effective so far? | Portia feels that she can’t make her own choice on who she wants to marry and she can’t turn down those men she doesn’t like if she follows her father’s way. She wants to be able to choose her husband herself. No, it has not. |
| How do Bassanio and Portia first encounter each other? What is his social status? | Bassanio went to Portia’s house when her father was alive. He was a Venetian, a soldier, and a scholar. He went to her house in the Marquis of Montferrat’s company. |
The Merchant of Venice- Act 1 – Scene 2
July 10, 2019