An Assignment on

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LITERATURE

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Year : 2020-21
“DRAMA”
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
 “ABOUT THE AUTHOR”

William Shakespeare was born at Stratford-on-Avon in the country of

Warwick.The third and the 1s t son, William was christened on 26t h
April,1564 in the parish church. His father John Shakespeare was a
prosperous business man. William got his education in a good grammar
school. His father’s business failed due to neglect so William couldn't
attend the University. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, the
daughter of an old family friend, and they had three children. At the
theatre company “CHAMBERLAIN'S MEN”, redounded in 1594, developed
into London’s leading company. Shakespeare became an important
member in it and this group later got the name of “KING’S MEN”.
He was an English Poet, Playwright and actor. He is often called as
“England’s national poet” and the “BARD OF AVON”. He wrote 38 plays ,
154 sonnets, two narrative poems and a few other verses. With exception
of “ROMEO AND JULIET”, Shakespeare’s first plays were mostly historical
dramas like Richard II, Henry I V and Henry V, He also wrote several
comedies in his early period :” A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM” , “MUCH
ADO ABOUT NOTHING”, “AS YOU LIKE IT” and “TWELFTH NIGHT”. It was
only after 1600, that he wrote tragedies like “ HAMLET”, “KING LEAR”,
“OTHELLO” and “MACBETH”. On 23r d April, 1616, Shakespeare died and
was buried in the same church where he was christened. His plays have
become world famous.

“BACKGROUND OF THE PLAY”

The play “The Merchant Of Venice” is a romantic
comedy written by William Shakespeare between
1596 and 1598. It contains some Shakespeare’s
most memorable and complex characters.
Audiences are inevitably fascinated by Shylock, the
Jew who sues Antonio for the lethal “pound of flesh”
in return for unpaid loans , and by Portia , the
wealthy heiress , who marries Bassanio, who is
Antonio’s closest friend and saves Antonio’s life in a
dramatic courtroom scene.
The play captures the imagination of the young with
the fairy tale element inherent in it and creates ,
through pure verbal magic , a world of enchanted
romantic love. At the same time the world of hard-
headed commerce is also represented , with its
precarious dependence on luck and on the whimsies
of individual nature.

“CHARACTERISATION”
SHYLOCK

Shylock is a rich moneylender of Venice .He is a Jew by religion. He ranks among one of the most powerful
male characters of Shakespeare. He is a complex character, who combines in himself both good and bad traits.
One hand, he appears to be blood thirsty, cunning and greedy , and on the other hand , an oppressed and
much hated alien.

Shylock lends money by charging exorbitant rates of interest. He has thus accumulated enormous wealth by
exploiting the financial crisis of others. He hates Antonio for lending money without charging any interest and
there by bringing down the interest rate in the market. His greed for money is so intense that even he forgets
blood relationships .He loves money more than his own daughter . When Jessica elopes with Lorenzo, taking
along with his money and jewels , he is worried more about the loss of his money than about his daughter. He
wishes that his daughter was dead at his feet and his ducats in her coffin.

Shylock has a revengeful nature. In fact, his life seems to be determined by his passion for revenge, money, his
race and religion. He keeps on planning to take revenge upon Antonio for the latter’s ill – treatment of him.
Antonio’s need for loan provides him with the opportunity to wreck his vengeance upon him. When Antonio
fails to repay the loan, Shylock shrewdly uses the bond as a weapon to take revenge . His passion for revenge is
so intense that it overcomes his love for money. The Duke’s appeal to Shylock to demonstrate mercy fails to
have any effect on him. Even Portia’s eloquent speech on mercy does not move him. He is in fact , jubilant
when the verdict of
the court seems to go in his favour.He seems himself as the wrong party in the dispute.

Shylock is a devout Jew, having passion for his race and religion. He is a champion of his race and speaks
eloquently about the injustice suffered by the Jews. He is a devout practitioner of his religion. He refers to his
people as ‘sacred’ and hide religious imagination; he is constantly back in Palestine with folks of the Old
Testament.

Shylock is quite suspicious, he can neither trust his servants nor his daughter. When he sees Launcelot
whispering some words into Jessica’s ears, his suspicion is aroused. He suspects Launcelot of compromising
with Jessica .He looks with suspicion upon Bassanio ‘s invitation for dinner. When he goes out for dinner, he
orders Jessica to close the windows of his house and warns her that he might come back any time. However he
is to some extent , justified in mistrusting them for his servants detest him and so does his own daughter. She
goes to the extent of running away from home with a considerable amount of money.

P0RTIA
 Portia is the female protagonist of the play. She is wealthy heiress from Belmont and is gifted with
both beauty and intelligence. Bassanio describe Portia to Antonio, as the one who is fair, and even
fairer than the word. Portia not only has a outer beauty but also the beauty of character and thought
.She possesses sharp intellect and understanding .Her criticism of the various suitors shows the
power of her intellect. It is in the trial scene that her intellect shines forth the most. She defeats
Shylock with the same weapon – The Letter Of Law.

Portia is a dutiful daughter and is genuinely devoted to the memory of his dead father. Though she
complains about the restrictions imposed by her father’s will saying :” so is the will of a living
daughter curbed by the will of a dead father.” She is determined to carry out the terms . She has
faith in her father’s wisdom.

Portia has a cheerful and optimistic disposition and a strong sense of humour . She has something
amusing to say about her suitors. The way she answers them, shows her sparkling wit, which
though sharp , is inoffensive. Portia’s comments on various suitors also show his power of
observation and her penetrating judgement of human character.

As an intellect lady Portia is quite resourceful and confident. She can take
quick decisions and put them into action with intelligent plans. After marrying Bassanio , she,
without having a second thought about her wedded life , gives him money and sends him to rescue
Antonio.

Portia has a compassionate nature .Despite her adverse feelings for the Prince of Morocco, Portia
answers him politely .Although she does not like the Prince of Arragon because of his vanity , she
addresses him with due respect .Portia’s compassionate nature comes out clear from her speech on
‘ Quality Of Mercy’ in the court .She describes mercy as divine blessing which benefits both the man
who shows it and the one who receives it.
BASSANIO

Bassanio represents a typical Elizabethan young man , who leads a splendid and extravagant lifestyle
, much beyond his means. In the beginning of the play, he appears to spend – thrift , who has wasted
whatever inheritance he might have had. He acts like an mercenary adventurer who uses Antonio’s
generosity and wealth to lead a life of luxury.

Bassanio is an ardent and sensitive lover , with the qualities of a poet in him .His description of Portia
to Antonio speaks much about his desire to marry Portia and his poetic imagination as well. In the
beginning , Bassanio appears to be self – confessed fortune hunter and his love for Portia seems
rather mercenary . It seems that he wants to marry Portia so that he can inherit her wealth and
repay his debts . However , later in the play Bassanio puts everything he has at stake to win Portia’s
hand.

Bassanio is a true- friend of Antonio and has genuine affection for him . He shows his generosity
when he learns that Antonio has fallen into the clutches of Shylock. He is extremely concerned over
his friend’s fate and is anxious to do everything possible to save him . He responds immediately to
Antonio’s written request and goes to Venice , leaving behind her newly wedded wife.

Bassanio enjoys the company of jovial, talkative , boisterous fellow. His ever- optimistic nature is in
sharp constrast to Antonio’s reserved and melancholic disposition . However , though he appears to
be a happy go-lucky person, he is worldly wise and understands human nature.

Bassanio appears as a bundle of contradictions. His motives, though modest , are questionable . He
loves his friend Antonio deeply but his actions nearly costs his life. He is prepared to spend large
sums of money and run up debts when neither money nor credit is his. Thus, he is a carefree,
nobleman, apparently frivolous , but in reality , noble and generous – capable of profound love and
friendship.
ANTONIO

Antonio is the central character of the play “The Merchant Of Venice” , and the entire plot revolves
around him. He is a merchant of Venice , after whom the play is titled. A wealthy merchant of the
city, Antonio commands great respect and popularity and leads a comfortable life. He is respected
by one and all for his qualities of head and heart.

One of the most distinguishing traits of Antonio’s character is his boundless generosity. That lends
money to the needy without charging any interest from them , speaks of his kind heartedness and
philanthropy. In fact , it is because of his generosity that he becomes the object of Shylock’s hatred.

Antonio is a friend in need. It is because of his profound affection for Bassanio that, when he himself
has no cash in hand , he is willing to secure a loan for Bassanio. He doesn't hesitate to sign a bond
with Shylock , in spite of the potential danger to his life. This shows Antonio’s willingness to risk his
life for the sake of his friend.

When the play opens, Antonio is in a melancholic mood; he seems to suffer from an inner sadness.
He tells his friend that melancholy is something natural to him. This melancholy shows itself in the
brevity of his speech and his lack of interest in his life and his business. He is a gambler who stakes
everything on fair weather at sea. It is perhaps because of his temperamental melancholy that he
resigns to his fate in the trail scene.

He is a passive character. He is the one who always acted upon and seldom takes any initiative on his
own . In fact, he acts like a pivot, which itself does not move but turns the entire machinery around
him. He lacks vitality and will to live.

In spite Antonio’s nobility, there is a serious flaw in his character . He is prejudiced against Shylock
and goes out of the way to insult him. He abuses Shylock and even spits on him. The racial
discrimination is a human weakness which Antonio cannot overcome. On the whole Antonio is a
dignified character and through him Shakespeare has portrayed a thorough gentleman of his times.
Towards the end, Antonio’s courage and goodness are finally rewarded as his ships return home
safely. Thus Antonio appears to be a credible human being.
SUMMARY
” ACT – 1
SCENE: I

The opening scene gives the exposition, the situation on which the story is based. We are
introduced to Antonio, the merchant , who gives the title to the drama . Interest is heightened by
showing him in melancholic mood .Salarino and Salanio , his friends, give reasons for his sadness and
try to bring him out of it. Bassanio , the closest friend of Antonio, asks for a loan from him in order to
present himself as an eligible suitor to Portia , a rich heiress of Belmont . Antonio’s ships are still at
sea; he has no ready cash with him; but he authorizes Bassanio to use his good name for credit and
get a loan from the moneylenders.

SCENE: II
This scene opens in Belmont where Portia , the rich and beautiful heiress resides. She shares with
her maid Nerissa, her doubts concerning her future , due to strange provisions of her father’s will.
According to the will, she is to be won by the suitor who chooses correctly from among the three
caskets made of earlier to try their luck, showing her disapproval.When Nerissa reminds her of
Bassanio , she remembers him and renders thought for him.The scene is in prose and deals in direct
explanations and characterisation.

SCENE 3
In this scene, Shylock, the jewish moneylender, is introduced . He is the most powerful dramatic
figure in the figure in the play. Shylock’s hatred for Antonio intensifies the drama. Having being
ridiculed by Antonio for years , he doesn't want to lend money to his friend Bassanio.But foreseeing
an opportunity takes his revenge on Antonio , he agrees to give the loan on a bond which would
allow Shylock to cut off a found of flesh , if he fails to repay the loan in time.
Act- 2
SCENE 1
The scene begins with a lot of pomp- both visual and verbal. It is marked by the entrance of the
Prince Of Morocco, one of the suitors to Portia. He is a dark complexion, yet confident of his charm
and valour. Portia forewarns him that if he fails in his choice of the casket , he would never in his
lifetime woo a lady. This scene provides all the necessary information about the lottery of caskets
and the conditions attached to those who make an effort . It also highlights the theme of based on
racial and religious differences along with gambling , games and chance.

SCENE 2
The scene is divided in three sections. The first section is dominated by the antics of Launcelot
Gobbo Shylock’s servant. In the beginning , he found debating with his conscience whether he
should leave Shylock’s household and take Up service with Bassanio.Ultimately, he decides to leave
the Jew’s service exhibiting his racial prejudice and his false expectations of Bassanio’s wealth. He
teases his poor father taking advantage of his blindness and urges him to plead to Bassanio to
employ him. In the second section, Gratiano requests Bassanio and enters his service . In the third
section , Gratiano requests Bassanio to let him accompany him to Belmont.

SCENE 3
This scene introduces us to Shylock’s daughter , Jessica ,and to her love affai with Lorenzo. Shylock is
not present in this scene, but the eagerness which Jessica manifests to leave her father’s home, adds
to Shylock’s image of a miserly tyrant. Jessica’s plan to elope with Lorenzo gives Shylock another
reason to hate Christians. Jessica gives Launcelot a message to be delivered to Lorenzo .She then
expresses her plan to end the conflict between her love for Lorenzo and loyalty to her father by
marrying Lorenzo.

SCENE 4
This short scene carries to the subplot of Jessica’s elopement with Lorenzo. In Venice, Bassanio’s
friends have planned the celebrations at his dinner party. Launcelot delivers Jessica’s letter to
Lorenzo. Lorenzo informs Gratiano how Jessica , disguised as a torch bearer,would escape from her
father’s house with money and jewels to elope with Lorenzo. The scene provides contrast to the
serious business world of Venice and dwells on the subject of disguise, loyalty and frivolity.

SCENE 5
This scene has a dramatic irony- Shylock trusts his deceitful daughter with his possessions while she
is making plans to betray him. Shylock is not included to attain the dinner hosted
 by Bassanio but ultimately decides to feed at the expenses of a prodigal Christian. He feels that all is
not well and gives instructions to Jessica to lock and guard his house .Launcelot reveals to Jessica ,
Lorenzo’s plans for eloping at night.

SCENE 6
The scene takes place outside Shylock’s house .Jessica , disguised as a boy, elopes with Lorenzo
taking some of Shylock’s possession. She is quite ashamed of her boy’s disguise and of her boy’s
thievery. At the end of the scene, Antonio informs Gratiano of the winds favourable for the sail and
of Bassanio’s departure to Belmont before the scheduled hour. The scene emphasizes the mutual
desires of Jessica and Lorenzo which bridge religious and cultural differences.

SCENE 7
This scene is the first of the three scenes where the suitor makes his choice of the three caskets .
Here the Prince Of Morocco is attracted by the gold casket and he is dazzled by the outward
appearance of gold and chooses the wrong casket which contains a skull . Thus he loses the lottery
and leaves at once with a heavy heart . Portia is relieved of having got rid of a suitor whom she
doesn't like.

SCENE 8
In this scene , Shylock discovers the elopement of his daughter with a Christian and her theft of gold
and jewels while fleeing. This intensified his hatred for Christians and his desires for revenge
.Salarino and Salanio talk about a shipwreck and hope that it is not Antonio’s . The scene further
highlights Antonio’s love for Bassanio as he bids farewell to him with tearful eyes.

SCENE 9
The scene shifts to Portia’s house at Belmont where the Prince Of Arragon makes his choice of the
caskets. He selects the silver casket which contains an idiot’s head, Silver stands for conceit, vanity
and self – deception all three traits of Aragon's personality .Portia is quite relieved with Arragon’s
departure.She is then informed of the arrival of a Venetian suitor . Nerissa prays that the new suitor
should be Bassanio.
ACT - 3

SCENE 1
In this scene, the plot begins with a crisis. The rumours about Antonio’s shipwreck and his losses
become more definite ; and so does Shylock’s thirst for revenge. Shylock, distracted by his
daughter’s betrayal and taunted by Salanio, makes a powerful speech about universal
humanity.Shylock is simultaneously grieved and elated- grieved because of Antonio’s loss of ships.

SCENE 2
This scene finally brings the casket story to the climax . Bassanio’s correct choice and wins Portia .
Gratiano declares his love for Nerissa and seeks Bassanio’s permission for marriage .Lorenzo and
Jessica arrive with Salario to announce the loss of Antonio’s ships. Thus, the happy atmosphere of
Belmont is disrupted by the news of Antonio’s ships having got wrecked and he having been reduced
to bankruptcy . Portia suggests Bassanio to hasten their marriage and leave for Venice with her
money to save his friend’s life.

SCENE 3
This brief scene with Antonio in custody ,serves to make more vivid the audience’s impression of
Antonio’s predicament. Antonio tries to placate Shylock so that the Jew may change his attitude .
But Shylock is delighted at seeing his enemy helpless and insists that he wants nothing less than the
bond. Antonio can do nothing except to pray for the arrival of Bassanio to bid him last farewell.

SCENE 4
The themes of loyalty to friends , disguise , deceit from the subjects of this scene . Portia conceives
of a plan to rescue Antonio from the clutches of the Jew. She entrusts Lorenzo and Jessica with the
charge of her house. She sends a messenger to Dr. Bellario in Padua seeking from the eminent
doctor of law a letter recommending her to the Duke of Venice , disguised as a lawyer.

SCENE 5
The scene begins with humorous dialogue from Launcelot. The arrival of Lorenzo cut short
Launcelot’s foolery; for Lorenzo orders him to go in. Left alone, Lorenzo asks Jessica how much she
likes Portia , to which she replies that there are no women in the world equal to her. The scene is set
in a lighter vein which refreshes and amuses, and thus heightens by contrast the seriousness of the
trial scene.
ACT - 4
SCENE 1
This is the famous trial scene in which Antonio is tried in a Venetian court of law. The judge, who is
the duke himself, appeals to Shylock to show mercy and Bassanio offers double the amount to
Shylock but the Jew does not relent in the least. Portia disguised as a lawyer, makes the famous
speech on ‘ Quality Of Mercy’ urging Shylock to be merciful towards Antonio. However , Portia’s
request too fails to slacken the determination of Shylock, the heartless villain. She then turns the
tables on him and allows him to have a pound of flesh and that too without shedding a single drop of
blood . Thus, Shylock caught on his own trap , loses the bond and has to depart with his half of his
goods, and the other half has to be kept in trust on the condition that he becomes a Christian and
bequeaths his property to Lorenzo and Jessica . Eager to offer anything to express gratitude to the
lawyer , Bassanio gives away his wife’s ring to him which leads to the ring episode. In this scene right
is justified in the fullest measure and malice falls into the trap laid for others.

SCENE 2
This scene develops the comedy of rings one step further. Nerissa plays the same trick as used by
Portia to take away Gratiano’s ring which she had given to him at the time of their marriage . Portia
and Nerissa then hasten back to Belmont , anticipating the fun they will have by accusing their
husbands of giving away their rings.
 Poems

BANGLE SELLERS

The “BANGLE SELLERS” is a poem exploring the life of the Indian

women, and the Indian culture and traditions revolving around
women. In most of her poems , Sarojini Naidu writes on the theme of
Indian culture and people . Her poems are focused on Indian setting
and this poem makes no exception . This poem revolves around the
bangles , which is an important ornament for ‘ embellishment’ of
women in Indian society. In the poem , the bangle sellers are at the
temple fair and they shout out of the people passing by to have a
look at their bangles. They urge them to buy bangles for their
daughters and wives . It shows us the Indianness of the poem where
the bangles are bought on special occasions and are associated with
happiness and prosperity
“ABOUT THE POETESS”
Sarojini Naidu was a great patriot, freedom fighter and poet of
modern India. She was born in aBengali family on February 13,
1879 at Hyderabad and was educated in Chennai , London and
Cambridge .She married Dr. Govindarajulu Naidu and settled
down in Hyderabad. She took part in the

National Movement , became a follower of Gandhiji and fought

for the attainment of Swaraj .She became the president of Indian
National Congress and later she was appointed the Governor of
the United Provinces , now Uttar Pradesh.
Known as the ‘ Nightingale of India’ ,she composed poetry in
which swift thoughts and strong emotions sprang into lyrics by
themselves. She has given expressions to the joys as well as to
the sorrows of life. She was sensitive to the beauty of living
things. Her poetry includes children’s poems, nature poems,
patriotic poems and poems of love and death.
Her works: As a sensitive poet, Sarojini Naidu proved that English
language can

be made a vehicle of one’s creativity . She was influenced by

English Romanticism as well as by Persian and Urdu poetic
traditions. Her first volume of poetry “ The Golden Threshold”
was published in 1905. This was followed by “The Bird Of Time” ,
“The Broken Wing” and “The Sceptred Flute ”.
STANZA 1
The bangle sellers carry the shiny bangles to the temple fair to sell them. They invite people to come
and buy delicate bright and rainbow coloured bangles and symbolic of radiant lives of “happy
daughters and happy wives”.

STANZA 2
In the second stanza , the bangle sellers give an account of the bangles suitable for the maiden’s
wrist. They say that silver and blue coloured bangles which are like the colour of the mist of a
mountain will suit her . This suggests the blooming beauty of her growing age. Some of the bangles
have colours like the buds that are going to bloom on a woodland stream, while some are like the
glowing flowers or the clear dew drops on a new born leaves. All these colourful mist like, bud like
and flower like bangles are suitable for unmarried girls.

STANZA 3
In this stanza ,the bangle sellers describe the bangles suitable for a bride on her bridal morning .
Some of these bangles are yellow , like fields of corn while some are like the reddish yellow flame of
marriage .Not only this, even the bangles rich with the colour of ‘heart’s desires’ , i.e red will fit her.
These bangles are as tinkling,shining,,and clear as the happiness and sorrow that a bride
experiences.

STANZA 4
In the last stanza, the bangle sellers say that they possess some purple and gold coloured bangles for
a middle aged woman. These bangles are suitable for a mother who has cherished , loved and
blessed and cradled her sons and for a wife who takes care of her household and sits at her
husband’s side while worshipping,
“THEMES”
CELEBRATION OF INDIAN WOMANHOOD
Sarojini Naidu loved the common folk of India and their land. She celebrates their occupation , their
joys and sorrows in a number of lyrics. The pageantry of Indian life fascinated her and she sang of it
with zest. Her lyrics are, in fact,a portrait gallery of Indian folk characters.
The poem “The Bangle Sellers” is an expression of different stages of women ‘s life in traditional
Indian society . The entire concept of making a connection between different coloured bangles and
their role in imparting happiness to young maidens, brides, wives and mothers is rooted in Indian
cultures. The

bangles they wear have symbolic and religious importance and the different colours represent
various stages of their life.
The poem not only portrays the life of traditional Indian women, it also portrays the life of bangle
sellers . The bangle sellers uses a joyful voice and presents his ware(bangles) as tokens of happiness .
The heaviness of the bangles , i.e, “shining loads” is the only reference made to the hardships of
bangle sellers. Thus, presenting the folk of life of India is one of the striking features of Naidu’s
poetry. In fact, her poetry gained vitality through the folk inspiration.
 “EPILOGUE”
The entire poem has a structure where each stanza focuses on a particular theme. The poem
“Bangle Sellers” has a simple rhythmic scheme for each stanza. In Indian society , bangles have an
important cultural and religious place. Different coloured bangles are by women in different stages
of life. The poem is a celebration of female life. It shows us various stages of a women’s
life and attempts to represent the Indian culture and role of Bangle sellers.
“ BIBLIOGRAPHY ”

MORNING STAR
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (A.W VERITY EDITION)
EVERGREEN PUBLICATIONS ICSE TREASURE TROVE (A COLLECTION OF POEMS AND SHORT STORIES )
MORNING STAR
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (TEXT WITH PARAGRAPH )

MORNING STAR
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (WORKBOOK)
BEETA PUBLICATIONS
ICSE TREASURE TROVE; VOLUME: 1 ; POEMS