THE MERCHANT OF VENICE - Stratford Festival

STUDY GUIDETools forTeacherssponsored byTHEMERCHANTOF VENICEBrian BedfordFESTIVAL THEATREThe Merchant of VeniceBy William ShakespeareDirected by Antoni CimolinoJULY 30 TO OCTOBER 18 – OPENS AUGUST 15Production support is generously provided byJane Petersen-Burfield & family,Barbara & John Schubert andCatherine & David WilkesSupport for The Merchant of Veniceprovided by:Production Sponsor

The PlaceTable of ContentsThe Stratford Festival Story .................................................................................................... 1The PlayThe Playwright: William Shakespeare .................................................................................... 3A Shakespearean Timeline ...................................................................................................... 4Characters in the Play .............................................................................................................. 6Plot Synopsis ........................................................................................................................... 7Sources ..................................................................................................................................... 8Production History .................................................................................................................... 9BackgroundWhy Study The Merchant of Venice? .................................................................................... 10Why is the Stratford Festival Presenting the Play? .............................................................. 11Prejudice and Hatred ............................................................................................................. 12Censorship & The Merchant of Venice ............................................................................ 12Things to Think About ...................................................................................................... 12When Discussing Issues Raised While Studying The Merchant of Venice ......................... 14Ghettos .............................................................................................................................. 14The Holocaust ................................................................................................................... 14Teaching About the Holocaust ......................................................................................... 14Genocide ............................................................................................................................ 16Putting Things into Perspective ........................................................................................ 16The ProductionArtistic Team and Cast ........................................................................................................... 17Director’s Notes: Testing Our Metals ........................................................................ 18Lesson Plans and ActivitiesPoint that Pronoun! ................................................................................................................ 19Shylock the Outsider .............................................................................................................. 22Portia’s Use of Language ....................................................................................................... 27Discussion Topics .................................................................................................................. 30Resources ...................................................................................................... 31

TheStratfordStoryThat Stratford, Ontario, is the home ofthe largest classical repertory theatrein North America is ultimatelyattributable to the dream of one man,Stratford-born journalist TomPatterson.In the early 1950s, seeing theeconomy of his home townendangered by the withdrawal of therailway industry that had sustained itfor nearly 80 years, Pattersonconceived the idea of a theatre festivaldevoted to the works of WilliamShakespeare. His vision won thesupport not only of Stratford CityCouncil and an enthusiastic committeeof citizens, but also of the legendaryBritish actor and director TyroneGuthrie, who agreed to become theproposed festival’s first ArtisticDirector. The Stratford ShakespeareanFestival of Canada was incorporatedas a legal entity on October 31, 1952.A giant canvas tent was ordered from afirm in Chicago, and in the parklandsby Stratford’s Avon River work beganon a concrete amphitheatre at thecentre of which was to be arevolutionary thrust stage created toGuthrie’s specifications byinternationally renowned theatricaldesigner Tanya Moiseiwitsch.discontent/ Made glorious summer bythis sun of York.” Those words markedthe triumphant end to what hadsometimes seemed a hopelessstruggle against the odds to turnPatterson’s dream into a reality – andthe beginning of an astonishing newchapter in Canadian theatre history.The other production of that inauguralsix-week season, a modern-dressversion of All’s Well That Ends Well,opened the following night, confirmingthe opinion of celebrated novelistRobertson Davies that the new Festivalwas an achievement “of historicimportance not only in Canada, butwherever theatre is taken seriously –that is to say, in every civilized countryin the world.”Time proved the truth of Davies’words, for the Festival’s pillared,porticoed thrust stage revolutionizedthe performance of classical andcontemporary theatre in the latter halfof the 20th century and inspired thedesign of more than a dozen othermajor venues around the world,including the Guthrie Theatre inMinneapolis, the Beaumont Theatre atLincoln Centre and, in England, theChichester Festival Theatre, theCrucible Theatre in Sheffield and theOlivier Theatre at the Royal NationalTheatre in London. Over the years, theFestival has made some amendmentsto the original design of Moiseiwitsch’sstage, without changing its essentialformat.From the balcony of that stage, on thenight of July 13, 1953, actor AlecGuinness spoke the opening lines ofRichard III: “Now is the winter of ourThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 1

At theend of the1956 season, thegiantcanvas tent that had housed theFestival’s first four seasons wasdismantled for the last timeto makeway for a new and permanent facilityto beerected around the existingstage. Designed by architect RobertFairfield, the newbuilding would beone of the most distinctive in the worldof theperforming arts: its circular floorplan and crenellated roof payingstriking tribute tothe Festival’s originsunder canvas.In theyears since its first season, theStratford Festival has set benchmarksfor the production not only ofShakespeare, Molière, the ancientGreeks and other great dramatists ofthe past, but also of such 20th-centurymasters as Samuel Beckett, BertoltBrecht, Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen,Eugene O’Neill and TennesseeWilliams. In addition to acclaimedproductions of the best in operetta andmusical theatre, it has alsoshowcased–andd in many casespremièred– works by outstandingCanadian and other contemporaryplaywrights.Its artists have included thefinestactors, directors and designers inCanada, as well as many from abroad.Among the internationally renownedperformers whohave graced its stagesare Alan Bates, Brian Bedford, DouglasCampbell, Len Cariou, Brent Carver,Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, ColmFeore, Megan Follows, Lorne Greene,Paul Gross, UtaHagen, Julie Harris,Martha Henry, William Hutt, JamesMason, Eric McCormack, LoreenaMcKennitt, Richard Monette, JohnNeville, Nicholas Pennell, ChristopherPlummer, Sarah Polley, Douglas Rain,Katee Reid, Jason Robards, PaulScofield, WilliamShatner, MaggieSmith, Jessica Tandy, Peter Ustinovand Al Waxman.Drawing audiences of morethan400,000 each year, the Festivalseason now runs from April toNovember, withproductions beingpresented in four unique theatres. Itoffers an extensive programofeducational andenrichment activitiesfor students, teachers and otherpatrons, and operates its own in-houseschool of professional artistdevelopment: The BirminghamConservatory for Classical Theatre.Stratford Festival Behind the ScenesApp. Contains interactive set models,exclusive images and slideshows,special audio and video content andphotos, stories and animations andinsights into theworld of theatre at theFestival. For more information seewww.stratfordfestival.ca/explore.For interactive classroom activitiesrelated to the Stratford Festival, go tothe CBC Digital Archives:http: ://bit.ly/Yy7eK6The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 2

The Playwright:William ShakespeareBorn in Stratford-upon-Avon, a smallWarwickshire town, in 1564, WilliamShakespeare was the eldest son of JohnShakespeare, a glover, and Mary Arden,the daughter of a wealthy farmer. Theexact date of his birth is unknown, butbaptismal records point to it being thesame as that of his death, April 23. Heprobably attended what is now the EdwardVI Grammar School, where hewould have studied Latin literature, andat 18, he married a farmer’s daughter,Anne Hathaway, with whom he had threechildren: Susanna, born in 1583, and,two years later, the twins Hamnet (whodied in childhood) and Judith.Nothing further is known of his life until1592, when his earliest known play, thefirst part of Henry VI, became a hit in London,where Shakespeare was now workingas an actor. Soon afterwards, an outbreakof the plague forced the temporaryclosure of the theatres, and Shakespeareturned for a while to writing poetry. By1594, however, he was back in the theatre,acting with the Lord Chamberlain’sMen. He quickly established himself asone of London’s most successful dramatists,with an income that enabled him, in1597, to buy a mansion back in Stratford.In 1599 he became a shareholderin London’s newly built Globe Theatre.his death on April 23, 1616. He is buriedin the town’s Holy Trinity Church.In the first collected edition of his worksin 1623, fellow dramatist Ben Jonsoncalled him a man “not of an age, but forall time”. Not only did Shakespeare writesome of the most popular plays of alltime, but he was a very prolific writer,writing 38 (canonically accepted) worksin 23 years. His work covered manysubjects and styles, including comedies,tragedies, histories and romances, allbearing his hallmark expansive plots, extraordinarylanguage and humanistthemes. Shakespeare enjoyed great popularityin his lifetime, and 400 years later,he is still the most produced playwrightin the world.In 1603, Shakespeare’s company wasawarded a royal patent, becoming knownas the King’s Men. Possibly as early as1610, the playwright retired to his homein Stratford-upon-Avon, living there – andcontinuing to invest in real estate – untilThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 3

A Shakespearean Timeline1558 Elizabeth I crowned.1564 William Shakespeare born.1572 Actors not under the protection of a patron declared rogues andvagabonds.1576 “The Theatre,” the first public playhouse in London, opens.1577 “The Curtain,” London’s second playhouse, opens.1578 James VI (later James I of England) takes over government of Scotland.1579 Publication of North’s English translation of Plutarch’s Lives of theNoble Grecians and Romans.1580 Francis Drake returns in triumph form his voyage around the world;travelling players perform at Stratford.1582 Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway; Susanna is born six months laterand the twins Hamnet and Judith in 1585.1587 “The Rose” theatre opens in London. Mary Queen of Scots is executed.1588 Spanish Armada defeated.1589 Shakespeare finds work as an actor in London; he lives apart from hiswife for 21 years.1590-1591 The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Taming of the Shrew.1591 2 Henry VI, 3 Henry VI.1592 Thousands die of plague in London; theatres closed. 1 Henry VI, TitusAndronicus, Richard III.1593 The Comedy of Errors.1594 Shakespeare becomes a shareholder of his theatre company, the LordChamberlain’s Men.1594 Love’s Labour’s Lost.1595 Richard II, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.1596 Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, dies.1596-1597 King John, The Merchant of Venice, 1 Henry IV.1597-1598 The Merry Wives of Windsor, 2 Henry IV, Much Ado About Nothing.1598 “The Globe” theatre built.1598-1599 Henry V, Julius Caesar.1599-1600 As You Like It.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 4

1600-1601 Hamlet, Twelfth Night.1601 Shakespeare’s patron arrested for treason following the Essex rebellion;he is later pardoned.1602 Troilus and Cressida.1603 Queen Elizabeth dies and is succeeded by James I; Shakespeare’stheatre company becomes the King’s Men.1603 Measure for Measure, Othello.1604 Work begins on the King James Bible.1604-1605 All’s Well That Ends Well, Timon of Athens, King Lear (Q)1606 Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra.1607 Pericles.1608 Coriolanus.1609 The Winter’s Tale.1610 King Lear (F), Cymbeline.1610 Shakespeare retires to Stratford-upon-Avon.1611 The Tempest.1611 King James Bible published.1613 Henry VIII (All Is True), The Two Noble Kinsmen.1613 “The Globe” theatre burns down.1616 Shakespeare dies in Stratford-upon-Avon.1623 The first folio of Shakespeare’s collected plays is published.* Some dates are approximate.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 5

Characters in the PlayVeniceThe Duke of VeniceAntonio, a merchant of VeniceBassanio, his friend, and suitor to PortiaGratiano, friend to Antonio and BassanioSalerio, friend to Antonio and BassanioSolanio, friend to Antonio and BassanioShylock, a Jewish moneylenderTubal, Shylock’s friendJessica, daughter to ShylockLorenzo, in love with JessicaLauncelot Gobbo, a clown, servant to ShylockOld Gobbo, father to LauncelotLeonardo, servant to BassanioBelmontPortia, an heiress, of BelmontNerissa, her waiting-womanThe Prince of Morocco, suitor to PortiaThe Prince of Arragon, suitor to PortiaBalthazar, servant to PortiaStephano, servant to PortiaMagnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of Justice, a Gaoler, Servants and otherAttendantsThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 6

Plot SynopsisTo finance his wooing of Portia, a wealthy Belmont heiress, the improvident Bassanioseeks a loan from his merchant friend Antonio. His capital tied up in an overseastrading venture, Antonio offers instead to guarantee a loan from a third party. Shylock,a Jewish moneylender whom Antonio has often publicly reviled, agrees to advancethe money, free of interest – but with the supposedly jocular stipulation that, shouldAntonio default on the loan, he must forfeit a pound of his flesh. Confident that hisships will soon return laden with wealth, Antonio agrees.Under the daunting terms of her late father’s will, Portia may neither choosenor refuse a husband for herself. Instead, all suitors must elect to open one of threelocked caskets: one gold, one silver and one lead. If the chosen casket containsPortia’s portrait, the suitor wins her hand – but if he chooses wrongly he must departat once and never seek marriage with anyone again. Portia is overjoyed whenBassanio, reasoning that outward show is no reliable guide to true worth, correctlychooses the leaden casket. She gives him a ring and makes him swear never to partwith it. Meanwhile, Bassanio’s friend Gratiano and Nerissa, Portia’s maid, alsodeclare their love.When word arrives that Antonio’s ships have been lost at sea, and thatShylock – whose daughter, Jessica, has just eloped with Lorenzo, a friend ofBassanio’s – is angrily demanding his pound of flesh, Portia dispatches Bassanioback to Venice with money to pay the debt many times over. Meanwhile, she andNerissa, disguised as a lawyer and his clerk, secretly make their own way to Venice,where a court has been convened to rule on Shylock’s claim.Presenting herself as an eminent legal expert, Portia argues that, by the strictletter of the law, Shylock must have his pound of flesh. But, she continues, by thesame token, he is entitled only to flesh: no drop of blood is included in the contract.Moreover, he must be sure to cut off exactly one pound of flesh, not a fraction moreor less. Not only is Shylock’s suit thus defeated, but for conspiring to kill Antonio, heis ordered to convert to Christianity and to leave his wealth to Lorenzo and Jessica.Pressed by Bassanio to take some payment for saving Antonio’s life, the stilldisguised Portia asks for the ring he wears – the same one she gave him in Belmont.When he surrenders it, with the greatest reluctance, Nerissa decides to play thesame trick on Gratiano.Back in Belmont, Portia and Nerissa chide their returning husbands for havingbeen so unmindful of their vows as to part with their rings, before revealing to themwho the lawyer and his clerk really were. The couples’ happiness is completed by thenews that several of Antonio’s ships have reached port after all.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 7

SourcesABOUT THE PLAYBelieved to have been written between 1595 and 1598, The Merchant of Venice was firstpublished in quarto form in 1600. That text, apparently printed from Shakespeare’s own“foul papers” (or original manuscript), is considered the most authoritative; the version ofthe play that appears in the First Folio of 1623 is essentially that of the quarto, with someamendments.SOURCES AND ORIGINSChristopher Marlowe’s play The Jew of Malta (written around 1589) was the source of someof the details of The Merchant of Venice. In Marlowe’s play, the Jew, Barabas, is a monster– not surprising considering the rampant anti-Semitism in England at that time.The idea for Shylock’s bond came from Giovanni Fiorentino’s prose collection Il Pecorone(The Simpleton, 1558).The idea for the casket riddle came from Il Novellino (1476), a collection of short stories byItalian poet Masuccio Salernitano, and from Gesta Romanorum, a Latin story collectioncompiled at the end of the 13th or beginning of the 14th century and published in apopular English translation in 1577.The Merchant of Venice also reflects classic folk-tale motifs, such as the miser – a manwho loves money more than anything else – and the riddle in which a suitor’s correctchoice is rewarded with the hand of a maiden.THE MERCHANT OF VENICE IN PERFORMANCEThe first recorded performance of the play was at the court of King James I in the spring of1605, although the published version of the play in 1600 stated that it had already beenperformed “divers times.” The King liked it so much that he ordered a second performanceseveral days later.In 1889 Henry Irving and Ellen Terry presented the trial scene at Sandringham for QueenVictoria.In 1953, Peggy Ashcroft played Portia and Michael Redgrave played Shylock at Stratford-Upon-Avon.Laurence Olivier played Shylock and Joan Plowright played Portia at the Old Vic in 1970.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 8

Stratford Festival Production HistoryThis is the ninth production of the play at Stratford. In 1955, the play was performed in theFestival tent. In 1970, 1976, 1984, 1989, 2001 and 2007 the play was presented at theFestival Theatre. The 1996 production was presented at the Avon Theatre.1955 (Festival Tent): Tyrone Guthrie was the director and Tanya Moiseiwitsch was thedesigner. The cast included Robert Goodier as Antonio, Frances Hyland as Portia andFrederick Valk as Shylock.1970 (Festival Theatre): Jean Gascon was the director and Desmond Heeley was thedesigner. The cast included Leo Ciceri as Antonio, Donald Davis as Shylock and MaureenO'Brien as Portia. A pre-season tour of the production visited Chicago, Montreal and Ottawa.1976 (Festival Theatre): Bill Glassco was the director and Susan Benson was the designer.The cast included Jackie Burroughs as Portia, Hume Cronyn as Shylock. and Lewis Gordonas Antonio.1984 (Festival Theatre): Mark Lamos was the director and Christina Poddubiuk was thedesigner. The cast included Domini Blythe as Portia, John Neville as Shylock and RichardMonette as Antonio.1989 (Festival Theatre): The director was Michael Langham and the designer wasDesmond Heeley. The cast included Brian Bedford as Shylock, Seana McKenna as Portiaand Nicholas Pennell as Antonio.1996 (Avon Theatre): The director was Marti Maraden, the set designer was Phillip Silverand the costume designer was John Pennoyer. The cast included Susan Coyne as Portia,and Roland Hewgill as Antonio and Douglas Rain as Shylock.2001 (Festival Theatre): Richard Monette was the director and Ann Curtis was the designer.The cast included Donald Carrier as Bassanio, Douglas Chamberlain as Tubal, Sarah Doddas Nerissa, Peter Hutt as Antonio, Lucy Peacock as Portia, David Snelgrove as Lorenzo, PaulSoles as Shylock and Nicolas Van Burek as Gratiano.2007 (Festival Theatre): Richard Rose was the director, Phillip Clarkson was the costumedesigner and Gillian Gallow and Douglas Paraschuk were the associate set designers. Thecast included Scott Wentworth as Antonio, Sean Arbuckle as Bassanio, Gareth Potter asGratiano, Bruce Dow as Solanio, Ron Kennell as Launcelot Gobbo, Bernard Hopkins as OldGobbo, Sara Topham as Jessica, Brian Tree as Tubal, Severn Thompson as Portia andGraham Greene as Shylock.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 9

WHY STUDY THE MERCHANTOF VENICE?ABOUT THE PLAYThe Merchant of Venice is a Shakespearean comedy with an edge: shadows of racialand religious prejudicee darken its primary storylines of romantic pursuit,and theparallel revenge plot nvolving Shylock takes thee play to the very brink oftragedy.The anti-Semitic comments in the play have caused controversy, particularly in the20th and 21st centuries since we know of the horrific manifestation thisracism cantake – themurder of six million Jews in the Holocaust of 1933-45. The anti-Semiticremarks inthe play arenot confined to one or two ‘villainous’ characters: indeedPortia, Antonio and their friends, who are otherwise good people, all contribute racistremarks tothe play (and not solely directed at Shylock and the Jews). From the racistand harshh comments made by all characters in the play, against many faiths andreligions, it seems clear that Shakespeare wanted to exposee and exploree thesuffering and behaviorwhich results from racial prejudice. Shylock’s “Hath not a Jeweyes?” speech is a plea of supremee eloquence for our common humanity.The Merchant of Venice cannot be taught without taking a serious look at the issuessof racism and anti-Semitism presented in the play. Our awareness todayof racismand genocide makes itimperative for us to address these issues in the text withsensitivity and understanding. In the past, thesee issues were ignored or notaddressed, however, this provides a unique opportunity for both teachers andstudents to take a more exploratory approach and delve into the reasons for theintolerance and difficult issues presented in thee play.EXAMPLES:ooIn England, most Jews had been expelled from the country in 1290, and theones that remained, practiced their faith in secret. There was, however, alingering bias against Judaism which Shakespeare would have been awareof. The British public had loved Christopher Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta,whose title character was a villain that likely influenced Shakespeare’sdepiction of Shylock. His depictions of the black Prince of Morocco and theSpanish Princeof Arragon are similarly negative – again exposing the feelingsof the British public at that time.In the 16th century there was a negative view towards Jews as they practicedusury (i.e. lent money and charged interest) – one of the few things they wereallowed to do. Generally, it was prohibited for Christians to practice usury(although many of them relied on borrowing from the non-Christians who did).Since Christians were against the practice, Shakespeare chose this as anegative trait for his Jewishcharacter.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 10

WHY IS THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL PRESENTINGTHIS DIFFICULT PLAY?In Shakespeare's time, there was, of course, anti-semitism. And Shakespeare is writing, in asense, about Elizabethan England and coming out of the theatrical traditions of his time.Before Shakespeare—the little we know about how Jews were portrayed on the stage—theywere portrayed as comic villains. They were dressed in terrible red wigs; they had big noses;they were simply representatives of greed and evil. Now Shakespeare comes along and doessomething very different. He still has Shylock in a kind of villain role, but he humanizesShylock by explaining that Shylock, very clearly in the play from very early on, is treated by theChristians of his world as not a human. They call him "dog;" they spit at him; they call him"cur." And the two things that Shylock has for his life, well three things, are his daughter, hisreligion, and the money that he's earned. And those things, through the play, are taken awayfrom him.Michael Kahn, Voices on Anti-Semitism – A Podcast Serieshttp://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/antisemitism/voices/transcript/index.php?content=20111201The Merchant of Venice is a challenging play; however, the Festival has a mandate tostage the works of William Shakespeare. We therefore have a responsibility to produceMerchant and discuss it openly with our patrons.Antoni Cimolino, our Artistic Director, consulted with members of Jewish communitiesbefore including Merchant in the 2013 playbill. He found considerable support forstaging this production.The play depicts racism but does not necessarily condone it. Its moral complexity makesit difficult to sympathize with either Shylock or the Christians.Shakespeare makes a point of telling us that Shylock has not only been discriminatedagainst but also physically and verbally abused, and that he is seeking retribution. Hisdemand for a pound of the merchant’s flesh is extreme, but we can understand thepsychology of it.Meanwhile, even though the Christians may seem to be the nominal “heroes” of thestory, the audience can’t fully identify with them because they’re prejudiced – not justtoward Shylock, but also toward Portia’s suitors. At different moments in the play, Portiacomes across as a heartless conniver, and Shylock as the sympathetic favourite, whoseactions spring from an understandable response to his mistreatment.What we’re left with is a troubling situation where no one is without fault. It prompts us toask questions about how we relate to people who are different from us.This season, The Forum at the Stratford Festival, will provide many and variedopportunities for people to talk about The Merchant of Venice and what they’ve seen onThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 11

stage. Forum events include a panel discussion on the play with a member of the Centrefor Israel and Jewish Affairs, a Holocaust historian and an expert on Shakespeare.PREJUDICE AND HATREDThe Merchant of Venice is relevant today because of the continuing existence of anti-Semitism, racial intolerance, prejudice and hatred in our society and in our worldToday the skilled and aware teacher approaches the play with sensitivity; it cannot beread in isolation but in tandem with a look at the history of racial prejudice and withfull awareness of the diversity of the class and a respect for the individual’s dignity.Rather than a liability, the teaching of The Merchant of Venice can be a vehicle tostudy the nature of racism and look for ways to better understand one another andpromote tolerance.CENSORSHIP & THE MERCHANT OF VENICE?No! … Let’s put this into context. Youth in this digital era are exposed to much moreunfiltered information shown on television, the movies, through Facebook and othersocial media outlets.We need to address the prejudices and fears found in The Merchant of Venice.The Merchant of Venice sheds light on the “psychology of racism.”It delves into the complexities of varying shades of love, mercy and justice.Confronting the difficult knowledge in the play gives us pause and perspective.THINGS TO THINK ABOUT ! This is a great opportunity to investigate and weigh the ambiguities and hypocrisy ofthe characters in the play:oThe medieval church forbade the lending of money at interest as it wasconsidered a sin. Jews were not bound by these laws and as they werebarred from practicing other professions and people needed money, theyThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 12

ecame the accepted money lenders that both Church and State reliedupon (in other words, they were the early form of commercial bankers).Ironically, as the merchant class grew in Europe with the growth of trade,people were becoming more dependent upon the investment of capital –something that is now an accepted norm in our modern age.oooThe Jews were driven out of England by Edward I in 1290 so Shakespearewould have had little to no interaction with Jews in his time. Indeed, theywere not allowed to return to England until 40 years after Shakespeare’sdeath. His knowledge of Judaism was, therefore, deeply flawed.Shylock is stereotyped as a figure who values money over love. However,Bassanio needs money to get a rich wife and he allows his friend Antonio tomake the “pound of flesh” bargain in order to access the money needed toachieve Portia.There is a lot of name-calling of Shylock comparing him to the devil and adog. However, look closely at the Christians in the play and the depiction oftheir intolerance, revenge, hatred and understanding of “mercy” in the play.They are by no means being held up as exemplars of behavior. Lookcarefully at Portia’s (mis)application of mercy for all her grand words on thesubject and at Antonio’s demand that Shylock convert to Christianity; it isshocking and inhumane, robbing someone of his faith and dignity.There’s no question that The Merchant of Venice is a challenging play. It may be irrelevantwhether or not Shakespeare was anti-semitic but it’s clear that many of the play’s charactersare. If students of the play choose to merely mouth the words of anti-semitic characterswithout looking at the broader message of the play, hatred may well be the result. But,there’s plenty within the text to point out the inconsistencies and hypocrisies of those whohate Jews. And, by exposing the flaws of the Christian characters, Shakespeare questions theso-called superiority of Christian teachings and consequently, disapproves the stereotypesabout Jews….The Merchant of Venice continues to provoke us to examine our own hatredsand prejudices, either as victims or oppressors. It also pushes us to acknowledge how eachof us has participated in the creation of a world continuing war and violence.Susan Hundertmark, An Invitation to DialogueThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 13

WHEN DISCUSSING ISSUES RAISED WHILE STUDYINGTHE MERCHANT OF VENICEGHETTOSThe word “ghetto” probably originated from the Venetian/Italian dialect “ghèto” (meaningslag or waste from the copper and bronze foundry on that site). The term was given to thesegregated Jewish quarter in Venice. The Venetian authorities in 1516 forced the Jews to livein that sector. Various cities throughout Europe adopted this method in the 16th and 17thcenturies but this idea of restricting the Jewish inhabitants to one section can be found asearly as the 11th century and carried through to the 20th century. During World War II NaziGermany forced the Jewish populations to live in restricted sections under inhumaneconditions throughout many German-occupied and annexed sectors in Europe. The Nazisused this to control and segregate the Jewish population. By 1941 the Germans began their“Final Solution” (a plan to murder all European Jews). The ghettos were destroyed and Jewishcitizens were shot or relocated to either forced-labour camps or concentration camps, wheremany of them were brutally murdered.THE HOLOCAUST“The Holocaust was the systematic, state-organized persecution and murder of at least sixmillion Jews--as well as other targeted groups--by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. Theyslaughtered two-thirds of Europe's Jews and one-third of the world's Jewish population. Inaddition, Nazi Germany's genocidal policies destroyed millions of other defenseless people,including Roma and Sinti (Gypsies), Polish citizens, Soviet prisoners of war, homosexuals, thehandicapped, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other political and religious dissidents withinGermany itself. “The Holocaust Chroniclehttp://www.holocaustchronicle.org/StaticPages/57.htmlTEACHING ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST“The Holocaust provides one of the most effective subjects for an examination of basicmoral issues. A structured inquiry into this history yields critical lessons for an investigationof human behavior. Study of the event also addresses one of the central mandates ofeducation in the United States [and Canada], which is to examine what it means to be aresponsible citizen. Through a study of these topics, students come to realize that:Democratic institutions and values are not automatically sustained, but need to beappreciated, nurtured, and protected.Silence and indifference to the suffering of others, or to the infringement of civil rights inany society can—however unintentionally—perpetuate the problems.The Holocaust was not an accident in history—it occurred because individuals,organizations, and governments made choices that not only legalized discrimination butalso allowed prejudice, hatred, and ultimately mass murder to occur.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 14

The Holocaust was a watershed event, not only in the twentieth century but also in theentire course of human history.Study of the Holocaust assists students in developing an understanding of the roots andramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping in any society.Thinking about these events can help students to develop an awareness of the value ofpluralism and encourage acceptance of diversity in a pluralistic society.The Holocaust provides a context for exploring the dangers of remaining silent, apathetic,and indifferent in the face of the oppression of others.Holocaust history demonstrates how a modern nation can utilize its technologicalexpertise and bureaucratic infrastructure to implement destructive policies ranging fromsocial engineering to genocide.A study of these topics helps students to think about the use and abuse of power, andthe roles and responsibilities of individuals, organizations, and nations when confrontedwith civil rights violations and/or policies of genocide.As students gain insight into the many historical, social, religious, political, and economicfactors that cumulatively resulted in the Holocaust, they gain awareness of thecomplexity of the subject and a perspective on how a convergence of factors cancontribute to the disintegration of democratic values. Students come to understand thatit is the responsibility of citizens in any society to learn to identify danger signals, and toknow when to react.”From Guidelines for Teaching About the Holocausthttp://www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/guideline/For further information about the Holocaust, visithttp://www.ushmm.org/holocaust/andhttp://www.holocaustcentre.com/museumThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 15

GENOCIDEIn 1948 the United Nations legally declaredd that genocide is a crimeunder international lawwith the Convention on the Prevention andPunishmentt of the Crime of Genocide. In it, Article2 defines genocide as follows:In the present Convention, genocide means anyy of the following acts committed withintent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national ethnical, racial or religious group, assuch:(a) Killingmembers ofthe group;(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about itsphysical destruction in whole or in part;(d) Imposing measures intended toprevent births within the group;(e) Forcibly transferring children ofthe group too another group.PUTTING THINGSINTO PERSPECTIVEExploring Cases of Crimes Against Humanity~Examples:Historical Aboriginal treatmenttEastt Timoraround the worldRwandaArmeniaSudanBosniaUkraineCambodiaNOTE: It is possible to discuss one genocide case with another. However, care must be takenthat the class not compare thesuffering ofindividual victims or groups. This establishes a“hierarchy” of suffering, trivializes the other group’s pain and devalues the needfor collectiveunderstanding and respect forall of humankind.CONNECT WITH STRATFORDFor further exploration and interactive activities check out the following:The Forum, a series of remarkablee events to enrich the play-going experience:http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/forum/ .Stratford Festival’s YouTube channel for behind-the-sceness videos, photos andinterviews: http://www.youtube.com/user/stratfordfestival.Stratford Festival’s Flickr pages: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stratfest/.Stratford Festival Twitter: https://twitter.com/stratfest .Stratford Festival Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StratfordFestival .Stratford Festival Behind the Scenes App. Contains interactive set models, exclusiveeimages and slideshows, special audio and video content and photos, stories andanimations and insights into the world of theatre at the Festival. For moreinformation see: https://www.stratfordfestival..ca/explore.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 16

THE PRODUCTIONFestival TheatreJuly 30 to October 18Artistic TeamDirector ........................Antoni CimolinoSet Designer ................Douglas ParaschukCostume Designer…….Charlotte DeanLighting Designer ........Robert ThomsonComposer…………………Keith ThomasSound Designer ...........Todd CharltonCastThe Duke of Venice……………………………………………………… Wayne BestAntonio, a merchant of Venice……………………………………… Tom McCamusBassanio, his friend, and suitor to Portia………………………. Tyrell CrewsGratiano, friend to Antonio and Bassanio……………………… Jonathan GoadSalerio, friend to Antonio and Bassanio……………………….. Anand RajaramSolanio, friend to Antonio and Bassanio………………………. Steven SutcliffeShylock, a Jewish moneylender……………………………………. Brian BedfordTubal, Shylock’s friend……………………………………………….. Robert KingJessica, daughter to Shylock……………………………………….. Sara FarbLorenzo, in love with Jessica……………………………………….. Tyrone SavageLauncelot Gobbo, a clown, servant to Shylock……………… Ron PedersonOld Gobbo, father to Launcelot……………………………………. Victor ErtmanisBelmontPortia, an heiress, of Belmont………………………………………. Michelle GirouxNerissa, her waiting-woman………………………………………… Sophia WalkerThe Prince of Morocco, suitor to Portia……………………….... Michael BlakeThe Prince of Arragon, suitor to Portia…………………………… Tom MacDonaldBalthasar, servant to Portia……………………………………....... Chick ReidMagnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of Justice, a Gaoler, Servants and otherAttendants: Skye Brandon, Daniel Briere, Lally Cadeau, Shane Carty, NehassaiudeGannes, Andrew Lawrie, Kaitlyn Riordan, Andrew Robinson, Sabryn Rock, AntoineYared, Roy Lewis, Maddox Keller, Gabriel Long, Brent McCready-Branch.For more information and company bios visit: www.stratfordfestival.ca. You can alsocheck out our Stratford for Students magazine at:http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/education/teachers.aspx?id=8609The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 17

Director’s NotesTesting Our Metals : How The Merchant of Venice invites us to examine our ownvaluesBy Shira Ginsler, Education and Editorial CoordinatorThe beautiful Portia, heroine of The Merchant of Venice, can only marry the man who solvesa puzzle invented by her father. Each suitor must choose among three caskets made ofdifferent metals, and if he chooses the one that contains Portia’s picture, he wins her hand.After her undesirable wooers make unsuccessful attempts, Bassanio chooses the rightcasket, passing over “gaudy gold” and silver, the currency of exchange, in favour of “meagrelead.”Antoni Cimolino, the Festival’s new Artistic Director and director of the 2013 season’sMerchant, says that the caskets reflect the thinking of various characters in the play. Somelive in the golden world of ideals: Bassanio idolizes Portia; Antonio, the merchant of the title,wants to martyr himself for his friend by giving that famous pound of flesh when he can’t payback the money he borrowed on Bassanio’s behalf. Others live in the silver world ofcommerce and legislature, knowing “the price of everything and the value of nothing.”And through their examples, says Mr. Cimolino, we learn that “the only true value in the worldis that of the basest matter, lead. Shakespeare invites us to realize that all the things thatare really worth anything in life are free.”Mr. Cimolino is setting his production in the Italy of the 1930s, with a cast that includes BrianBedford as Shylock, Tom McCamus as Antonio, Michelle Giroux as Portia and Jonathan Goadas Gratiano. “The great thing about the ’30s,” he says, “is that there’s both a sense ofbeauty” – an important ingredient in bringing the play to life – “and a sense of looming chaosbecause of the imbalance in the world. I think that serves this play well – a play thatShakespeare wrote in a pre-revolutionary time.”The catastrophe looming over Europe in the 1930s, of course, was World War II, which ispractically synonymous with ethnic and religious hatred, another theme in The Merchant ofVenice. Shylock, the Jew, isn’t the only object of discrimination: citizens of England, France,Scotland, Germany, Spain and North Africa are the butts of jokes too. “It seems to me thatShakespeare is really trying to understand how we make some people the ‘Other,’ ” Mr.Cimolino says.And that “we” is important. The characters are people we would like to know: young, smart,fashionable. To give them a veneer of vanity or shallowness “would be to ask the audience totake a stupid pill and say, ‘Those people on stage have prejudices, and they’re beingportrayed as idiots; whereas we in the audience do not have prejudices, and we are muchbetter.’“I think Shakespeare is trying to surprise you into discovering your own racism. You laugh atthe joke about the drunken German; then Portia, the heroine, turns and says of the Arabsuitor, ‘Let all of his complexion choose me so.’ It should stun you for a moment.”The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 18

Imaginative Ways to Approach the TextTHE MERCHANT OF VENICEPoint that Pronoun!Lesson Overview:In this lesson, the students will explore Shakespeare’s use of pronouns. Through this activitythe students will gain an understanding of character development and how language canincrease the heightened emotional state of the character.Grade Level(s) 9-12Subject Area(s) English, DramaCurriculum By the end of the lesson students will be able to:Expectations& Analyse text, focusing on ways it communicates information andemotions and influences the listener’s/viewer’s response;LearningEnglishOutcomes (Oral Communication): 1.7 (Reading & Literature Studies): 1.3, 2.3 (Writing): 1.4Drama: A2.1, B1.1, C1.1 Make and explain inferences about the text and what it indirectlyor implicitly reveals about the character;English (Oral Communication): 2.1 (Reading & Literature Studies): 1.4 (Writing): 1.3Drama: B1.3 Explain how dramatic exploration helps develop awareness of acharacter’s emotional state.English (Oral Communication): 1.1, 1.3 (Reading & Literature Studies): 3.2 (Writing): 1.4, 2.4Drama: B2.2Time Needed 1 class periodSpaceDesks in groups, then open spaces for exploring the textMaterials Handout: Point that Pronoun!The Activity: Divide the class into pairs and distribute the handout “Point that Pronoun” whichlooks at Portia’s speech in Act III, scene 2. Working in pairs, have the students stand facing each other and read the speech. Have the students read through the speech aloud and underline all the pronouns andproper names. The students are to read through again; this time when Portia says a pronoun orproper name, have them point to who or what she is talking about. Make sure thepoint is big enough to see.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 19

Have them read it again but this time have them verbally emphasize the pronounsand proper names.Post Activity: After the activity, have the class discuss the following:What patterns do you see to the pointing?What pattern do you see in verbally emphasizing the pronouns and propernames?How does Portia feel about Bassanio?What does this tell you about her state of mind?Optional: Each group will write a journal response on what they discovered/felt while doing theexercise.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 20

Point that Pronoun!HandoutPoint that Pronoun!The Merchant of Venice, Act III, Scene 2Activity: Working in pairs, stand facing each other and read the speech below. Read aloud through the speech and underline all the pronouns and proper names. Read through again; this time when Portia says a pronoun or proper name, point towho or what she is talking about. Make sure the point is big enough to see. Read it again but this time verbally emphasize the pronouns and proper names.Act III, scene 2, at Belmont (edited excerpt)PORTIAYou see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand,Such as I am: though for myself aloneI would not be ambitious in my wish,To wish myself much better; yet, for youI would be trebled twenty times myself;A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times more rich;That only to stand high in your account,I might in virtue, beauties, livings, friends,Exceed account; but the full sum of meIs sum of something, which, to term in gross,Is an unlessoned girl, unschooled, unpractised;Happy in this, she is not yet so oldBut she may learn; happier than this,She is not bred so dull but she can learn;Happiest of all is that her gentle spiritCommits itself to yours to be directed,As from her lord, her governor, her king.Myself and what is mine to you and yoursIs now converted: but now I was the lordOf this fair mansion, master of my servants,Queen o'er myself: and even now, but now,This house, these servants and this same myselfAre yours, my lord: I give them with this ring;Which when you part from, lose, or give away,Let it presage the ruin of your loveAnd be my vantage to exclaim on you.Questions:What patterns do you see to the pointing?What pattern do you see in verbally emphasizing the pronouns and propernames?How does Portia feel about Bassanio?What does this tell you about her state of mind?The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 21

Imaginative Ways to Approach the TextTHE MERCHANT OF VENICEShylock the OutsiderLesson Overview:In this lesson the students are investigating the character of Shylock in the play and gaining a deeperunderstanding of what it means to be an outsider by connecting the personal knowledge (a microlevelview) to the notion of the “other” (Shylock) and finally to the world around them by examiningother voices of the marginalized and oppressed (a macro-level view).Grade Level(s) 9-12Subject Area(s) English, DramaCurriculum By the end of the lesson students will be able to:Expectations&Learning Outcomes Identify and analyse in detail the perspectives and/or biases in thetext, commenting with understanding and increasing insight on anyquestions they may raise about beliefs, values, identity and power;English (Oral Communication): 1.6, 1.8, 2.1 (Reading & Literature Studies): 1.8, 2.1, 2.3, 4.1 (Writing): 1.3, 1.5, 2.5Drama: A1.1, B1.2, B2.3, C2.1 Analyse texts focusing on the ways in which they communicateinformation, ideas, issues, and themes and influence thelistener’s/audience’s response;English (Oral Communication): 1.7, 2.2, 2.4 (Reading & Literature Studies): 1.6, 2.1 (Writing): 1.3, 2.7Drama: A2.1, A3.2, B1.2, B3.2 Identify ways in which drama can influence the broader community anddevelop awareness of global issues.English (Oral Communication): 2.3 (Reading & Literature Studies): 1.5, 4.1 (Writing): 2.2, 2.5Drama: A2.2, B2.2, C1.1Time Needed 4-5 class periodsSpaceMaterialsDesks in groups, then open spaces for rehearsalPaper, pen/pencils, computers , Handout: The Outsider in The Merchant ofVenice; Backgrounders: Prejudice and Hatred and When Discussing IssuesRaised While Studying The Merchant of VeniceNote: This is a three-tiered lesson plan that can be done separately or together, going from a microlevelunderstanding to the macro-level response by having the students connect to the world aroundthem.Setting Up the Activity:(Prior to the Activity) Discuss with the class what the meaning of rhetoric is (the art of effective or persuasivespeaking or writing) and rhetorical devices.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 22

Have students discuss and brainstorm how rhetorical devices might be used in an argument(e.g., irony, metaphor, grammatical inversion, lists, repetition, rhythm, word power, etc.).The Activity:# 1 (micro – understanding the self as outsider: personal knowledge)Have the class take out a piece of paper and pen or pencil and for 1 ½ minutes do free-flowwriting on “I remember when I felt like an outsider.” The object is to have the student writesolidly for that time period, never taking the pen or pencil off the page. If they get stuck, havethem write, ”I am stuck but I remember when….”After the exercise, invite anyone who wants to (it is not mandatory) to share theirexperiences. The aim is not to trivialize or diminish these experiences but to have thestudents become aware from a personal perspective that being an outsider might be amomentary and isolated incident to a much more serious, pervasive and destructive one thatan intolerant society can create.# 2 (micro – understanding the “other” as outsider: Shylock)Distribute the two-page handout on The Outsider in The Merchant of Venice and read withthe class STEP 1 with Shylock’s speech in Act III, scene 1.Discuss the definitions and meanings of the following terms before analyzing Shylock:OutsiderAlienationScapegoatismMarginalizedExcludedCompromising choicesAnti-semitismIntoleranceSocial injusticeOppressedDiscuss what drives Shylock to act the way he does in the play. Give examples from theplay.Distribute the Backgrounders: “Prejudice and Hatred” and “When Discussing IssuesRaised While Studying The Merchant of Venice” to give the students a betterunderstanding of Shakespeare’s period and the historical perspective on anti-Semitism.Discuss the historical time frame with its prejudices and social injustices. How did myths,misinformation and stereotyping come about?Break the students into groups of 4 and have each group study Shylock’s speech, notinghis rhetorical devices. Each group will then walk around the room and read together,trying various ways of delivering the text (e.g. quietly, angrily, sarcastically, exaggeratedly,honestly, etc.). What discoveries did they make?Bring all the groups together to discuss their findings and impressions.What effect does a series of questions have on you?Why do you think this is in prose and not verse?What does the speech illustrate about the outsider?What does this reveal about Shylock’s humanity?Read the following to the class:The forfeit of the pound of flesh had been set in a moment of extreme irritation onShylock's part. If it had come to the touch it is conceivable that Shylock might haveThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 23

elented. But now, maddened by the conspiracy to rob him of possessions and daughterby the very men (as he was convinced) to whom he had supplied necessary money, hecould scarcely be expected to want anything but revenge – revenge to the uttermost. Andwhile the thought of the kind of revenge he anticipates is not something we cansympathize with, it is something we can understand if we can bring ourselves to occupy hisshoes for a moment in imagination.Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare,http://www.e-reading-lib.org/chapter.php/82971/25/Azimov_-_Asimov_s_Guide_To_Shakespear._Volume_1.html# 3 (macro – understanding “other” groups as outsiders: the world around them)Have the students review STEP 2 of the handout on The Outsider in The Merchant ofVenice. Each student will pick a speech or create their own after gathering informationabout the marginalized, oppressed and excluded on any one of the following topics:religion, gender, age, race, sexuality, environmental racism/ecological integrity oreconomic justice. They must edit the information so that it is more or less equal in lengthto Shylock’s speech (approx. 195 words). NOTE: Assign Shylock’s speech to one of thestudents or the teacher may play this role. If possible, have the students commit theirspeeches to memory. If the task of memorization is too difficult or there is a timeconstraint, have the students write their speeches on cue cards and deliver theirspeeches while walking around the room.Allow sufficient time for researching, editing and rehearsing the speeches.On the day of presentations/performances, clear the room and have everyone stand in acircle. Have the student or teacher playing Shylock stand in the centre and deliverhis/her speech once through (s/he will remain there for the duration of the otherspeeches). One by one each student will enter the circle and deliver his/her speech.Upon completion, the person playing Shylock may respond with one or two lines, words orphrases from his/her speech that they think resonate with the previous speech. NOTE: Ifthe class is large, you may want to split this over a period of two days, allowing some timeat the end of each session for discussion and reflection.Post Activity: After the presentations/performances, have the class discuss the following:What did you discover when you were researching your topic?What impressions did you, the audience, get from watching/hearing thesespeeches?By extending opportunities to experience the “otherness” or the voices of theimpoverished, denigrated, oppressed or marginalized, what new perspectives didyou gain about our society today?Did Shylock’s speech take on a new meaning when it was juxtaposed with othervoices who were/are marginalized?Optional:Create a “Wall of Understanding”: place Shylock’s speech in the centre and byway of a web chart have the students place their other speeches and any creativeimages that they see fit around Shylock’s speech so they may visually connectwith the global perspective.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 24

THE OUTSIDER IN THE MERCHANT OF VENICEShylock the OutsiderHandoutSTEP 1In The Merchant of Venice Shylock is a Jew and does some unpleasant things but his questionable actionsmust not be misinterpreted or mistakenly assumed to be a reflection of the Jewish faith or race. It is ratherone man’s response to the racial intolerance and insults he has suffered.Although Shakespeare is a product of the period he was living in and indeed reflects some of thoseprevailing prejudices, nevertheless the play is full of ambiguities and contradictions. It raises unansweredquestions and highlights historical and cultural complexities.Before analyzing the character Shylock, first look at the following terms and discuss the definitions andmeanings of each:- Outsider- Alienation- Scapegoatism- Marginalized- Oppressed- Excluded- Compromising Choices- Anti-Semitism- Intolerance- Social InjusticeTHINGS TO KEEP IN MIND‣ Look at the humanity of Shylock. What drives him to act the way he does?‣ Place the play in context of its historical time frame with its prejudices and examples of socialinjustice. For instance, there had been an expulsion of Jews in England in 1290 so Shakespeare andhis contemporaries had little interaction with the few remaining Jews and little actual knowledge ofJewish people. (See background notes for more details.)‣ Look at the history of racial prejudice to de-bunk the prevailing myths. For example, with regard toShylock’s bond requiring a pound of flesh, Jewish laws do not allow such things, however, ancientRoman law did permit debtors to be cut into pieces after repeated warnings. Ask yourself: How didthis misinformation and stereotyping come about?The Merchant of Venice - Act III, scene 1 – Shylock’s SpeechTo bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered mehalf a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooledmy friends, heated mine enemies - and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jewhands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the sameweapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winterand summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If youpoison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we willresemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew,what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me, I will execute,and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.STEP 2YOUR TASK: Pick a speech (see next page) or create your own speech gathering information about themarginalized, oppressed and excluded with regard to religion, gender, age, race, sexuality, environmentalracism* or economic justice. Edit the information so that it is more or less equal in length to Shylock’sspeech (approx. 195 words).The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 25

Shylock the OutsiderHandoutSAMPLES OF SPEECHES ON THE MARGINALIZED AND EXCLUDED(You can find the following speeches on the internet or find your own.) Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream “UNiTE and RISE” speech by UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign manager, Aldijana Sisic, NewYork, 14 February 2013 Susan B. Anthony, Woman’s Rights to the Suffrage, 1873 (NOTE: This speech was delivered after Anthony wasarrested, tried, and fined $100 for voting in the 1872 U.S. presidential election.) Frederick Douglass, Fighting Rebels with Only One Hand, 1861 Frederick Douglass, What the Black Man Wants, 1865 Sojourner Truth, Ain’t I a Woman, 1851 Mahatma Gandhi, Statement in the Great Trail of 1922 Mahatma Gandhi, Quit India speeches of 1942 Mahatma Gandhi, Speech on the Eve of the Last Fast, 1948 Nelson Mandela, An Ideal for which I am prepared to die – statement from the dock at the opening of his trialon charges of sabotage, Supreme Court of South Africa, Pretoria, April 20, 1964 Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, 10 December 1989, Oslo, Norway Emmeline Pankhurst, Freedom or Death – speech delivered in Hartford, Connecticut, on November 13, 1913 Mary Fisher, A Whisper of AIDS, Houston, Texas, Aug. 19, 1992 Emile Zola, Appeal for Dreyfus – delivered in Paris, February 22, 1898, at the Zola trial for libelSAMPLE INFORMATION OR SPEECHES ON THE INTERNET ON THE MARGINALIZED, OPPRESSED AND EXCLUDED(Feel free to choose something else not listed on this page.) “Environmental Justice in Toronto Report,” April 2007 http://city.apps01.yorku.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2011/05/file_2_ej_report_fin.pdf “Stephen Lewis Says Uganda’s Anti-Gay Bill Must Go,”November 24, 2009http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/news-resources/speeches Stephen Lewis at the International AIDS Society Conference, July 20, 2009http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/news-resources/speeches?month=7&year=2009 Stephen Lewis, “Calling HIV-related Stigma What It Is: Racism, Classism, Misogyny,” July 26, 2012 – TheRobert Carr Memorial Lecture at the XIX International AIDS Conference delivered byhttp://www.aidsfreeworld.org/Publications-Multimedia/Speeches/Calling-HIVrelated-Stigma-what-it-is-Racism-Classism-Misogyny.aspx Revera Report on Ageism http://www.reveraliving.com/About-Us/Media-Centre/Revera-Report-on-Ageism/docs/Report_Ageism.aspxSee also▼ Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse http://www.cnpea.ca/ageism.pdf David Suzuki, “Are We Paving Over Our Natural Wealth?” February 21, 2013 -http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/science-matters/2013/02/are-we-paving-over-our-natural-wealth/ UNICEF – The State of the World’s Children 2007: Women and Childrenhttp://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HiIZr4QFkOMC&oi=fnd&pg=PR6&dq=un+gender+discrimination&ots=14NZNe2M9m&sig=MYwqBP0IGRuY2tQUR4U_KahJqIc#v=onepage&q=un%20gender%20discrimination&f=false UN Women – Countering Gender Discrimination and Negative Gender Stereotypes: Effective Policy Responseshttp://www.unwomen.org/2011/07/countering-gender-discrimination-and-negative-gender-stereotypeseffective-policy-responses/*environmental hazards and pollutants are located in communities where minorities, migrant workers and workingpoor liveThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 26

Imaginative Ways to Approach the TextTHE MERCHANT OF VENICEPortia’s Use of LanguageLesson Overview:In this lesson, the students will explore Portia’s style of language and use of words to gain abetter understanding of the nuances and delivery of the text. Through this activity thestudents will also extend their perception and awareness of the ideas and issues presentedin the text by connecting them to their own experiences and insights and the world aroundthem.Grade Level(s) 9-12Subject Area(s) English, DramaCurriculum By the end of the lesson students will be able to:Expectations Identify the important information and ideas is the text ;&EnglishLearning (Oral Communication): 1.4Outcomes (Reading & Literature Studies): 1.9, 2.2 (Writing): 1.3, 2.4Drama: A3.2, B1.2, C3.2 Extending understanding of the text by making appropriateconnections between the ideas in them, and personalknowledge, experience, insights and the world around them;English (Oral Communication): 1.5, 2.2, 3.2 (Reading & Literature Studies): 1.2, 1.6 (Writing): 2.2, 2.3, 2.5Drama: B3.2 Analyse the text to determine how they communicate ideasabout issues, culture and society and be able to comment withgrowing understanding on any questions it raises about beliefs,values, identity and power.English (Oral Communication): 1.3, 1.9 (Reading & Literature Studies): 2.3 (Writing): 4.2Drama: B1.2, B2.3Time Needed 1-2 class periodsSpaceDesks in groups, then open spaces for rehearsalMaterials Handout: Portia’s Use of LanguageSetting Up the Activity:(Prior to the Activity) Ask the students to come up with a sentence about mercy or justice. Invite the students to write these sentences on the board and ask them to choosethe three most important words in that sentence. Do the other students agree withtheir choices? (Answers may vary.)The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 27

Ask the students to state their reasons for choosing their three words.Do we all read and hear the same thing the same way?The Activity: Divide the class into small groups and distribute the handout “Portia’s Use ofLanguage” which looks at her courtroom speech in Act IV, scene 1. In small groups have them read Portia’s speech. Have them divide up the lines asevenly as possible, depending on the number of people in the group. Each group will first read through together the speech. Have the students underline three words in each line that they think are the mostimportant Each group will then do a second read-through of the speech but this time only readthe power words they have underlined. Each group will then do a third read-through of the whole speech but this timeemphasizing the power words. Have the groups present/perform their interpretations for the entire class (they caneither read or have this memorized). They can be as creative as possible.Suggestions:Echo the words the group has highlighted;Create a series of tableaux that encapsulate the words you’ve chosen;Create a physical movement to go with the highlighted words;Chant the speech, echoing the highlighted words;Write each chosen word on a 8 ½” X 11” paper (landscape side) and haveeach member of the group deliver their assigned lines and when they cometo the highlighted word, they or someone in the group will show the audiencethe word on the page.Post Activity: After the performances, have the class discuss the following:What words did you choose? Did some groups choose differently? Why?Did the different word emphases change your perspective on the text?What are some of the themes in this speech?Did you hear sounds or did the words conjure up a certain image or feeling?Compare the beginning, middle and end of Portia’s speech – what does thistell you about Portia’s thought process?Do you think that given our understanding of the implications of racialintolerance today, the words you’ve chosen would be different from that of anaudience member during Shakespeare’s time?Optional: Each group will write a new speech using the words they have chosen.What are the similarities and differences when you compare it to Portia’sspeech? What did you emphasize?The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 28

PORTIA’S USE OF LANGUAGEPortia’s Use of LanguageHandoutActivity: In small groups read Portia’s speech. Divide up the lines as evenly as possible,depending on the number of people in the group. First, read through the speech together. Underline three words in each line that you think are the most important (seeexamples below). Next, read through the speech again but this time read only the power words youunderlined. Finally, read through once again the whole speech, this time emphasizing the powerwords. Perform this for the other groups. Be creative!The Merchant of Venice . ACT IV, scene 1. The duke’s palace. (excerpt)PORTIAThe quality of mercy is not strained, possible examples, you may choose differentlyIt droppeth as the gentle rain from heavenUpon the place beneath. It is twice blest:It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.'Tis mightiest in the mightiest, it becomesThe thronèd monarch better than his crown.His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,The attribute to awe and majesty,Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;But mercy is above this sceptred sway.It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings,It is an attribute to God himself,And earthly power doth then show likest God'sWhen mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,Though justice be thy plea, consider this:That, in the course of justice, none of usShould see salvation. We do pray for mercy,And that same prayer doth teach us all to renderThe deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus muchTo mitigate the justice of thy plea;Which if thou follow, this strict court of VeniceMust needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.Questions: What words did you choose? Did some groups choose differently? Why? Did the different word emphases change your perspective on the text? What are some of the themes inhis speech? Did you hear sounds or did the words conjure up a certain image or feeling? Compare the beginning, middle and end of Portia’s speech – what does this tell youabout Portia’s thought process? Do you think that given our understanding of the implications of racial intolerancetoday, the words you’ve chosen would be different from that of an audience memberduring Shakespeare’s time?The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 29

Discussion Topics for Your ClassFor classes reading the play before seeing it:1. What do you expect to see on stage at the Stratford Festival? Have each studentmake a list of predictions about what they expect. Save these predictions. After yourStratford trip, revisit them to see how they compared to the actual production.2. Have your students make a story map or a story board outlining the main events ofthe play. (This may be used later in group activities.)After your Stratford trip:1. The Merchant of Venice has appealed to artists and audiences around the worldfor 400 years. What do you think the play’s message is?2. What parts did you respond to most?3. Were there parts you wished were different? How?4. Have your students create a character web showing how all the characters areconnected to each other. Discuss the complexity of these relationships and how theyaffect the progression of the play.For more classroom activities, complete with instructions, materials and Ontariocurriculum expectation links, visit stratfordfestival.ca/teachingmaterials. You canalso check out the following:The Forum, a series of remarkable events to enrich the play-going experience:www.stratfordfestival.ca/forum/ .Stratford Festival’s YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes videos, photosand interviews: www.youtube.com/user/stratfordfestivalStratford Festival’s Flickr pages: www.flickr.com/photos/stratfest/Stratford Festival Twitter: twitter.com/stratfestStratford Festival Facebook: www.facebook.com/StratfordFestivalStratford Festival Behind the Scenes App. Contains interactive set models,exclusive images and slideshows, special audio and video content andphotos, stories and animations and insights into the world of theatre at theFestival. For more information see www.stratfordfestival.ca/explore.CBC Digital Archives: http://bit.ly/Yy7eK6The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 30

ResourcesSHAKESPEARE: HISTORY, CRITICISM and BIOGRAPHYBeckerman, Bernard. Shakespeare and the Globe, 1599-1609. 1962.Bentley, G.E. Shakespeare: A Biographical Handbook. 1951.Boyce, Charles. Shakespeare A to Z. 1990.Brown, Ivor. Shakespeare and the Actors. 1970.Brown, John Russell. Shakespeare and his Theatre.Burgess, Anthony. Shakespeare. 1970.Campbell, Oscar James, ed. The Reader’s Encyclopedia of Shakespeare. 1966.Dobson, Michael, ed. The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare. 2001.Epstein, Norrie. The Friendly Shakespeare. 1992.Frye, R. M. Shakespeare’s Life and Times: a Pictorial Record. 1968.Gurr, Andrew. The Shakespearean Stage, 1574-1642. 1980.Hodges, C. Walter. Shakespeare and the Players. 1948.Muir, Kenneth and Samuel Schoenbaum, eds. A New Companion to ShakespeareStudies, 1985.Nagler, A. M. Shakespeare’s Stage. 1985.Schoenbaum, Samuel. William Shakespeare: A Documentary Life. 1975.Taylor, Gary. Reinventing Shakespeare. 1989.Thomson, Peter. Shakespeare’s Theatre. 1983.Tillyard, E. M. W. The Elizabethan World Picture. 1943.Wells, Stanley, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies. 1986.TEACHING SHAKESPEAREAsimov, Isaac. Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare. New York, 1970.Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, New York, RiverheadBooks,1998.Edens, Walter, et al. Teaching Shakespeare. New Jersey, Princeton UP, 1977.Gibson, Rex. Secondary School Shakespeare. Cambridge, Cambridge UP, 1990.Gibson, Rex. Stepping into Shakespeare. Cambridge, Cambridge UP, 2000.Gibson, Rex and Field-Pickering, Janet. Discovering Shakespeare’s Language.Cambridge,Cambridge UP, 1998.O’Brien, Veronica. Teaching Shakespeare. London, 1982.THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and REFERENCE MATERIALSBloom, Harold (ed.). Shylock. New York, Chelsea House, 1991.Garfield, Leon. Shakespeare Stories. Puffin Books: 1985.Gibson, Rex. Teaching Shakespeare. 1998.Gibson, Rex & Field-Pickering, Janet. Discovering Shakespeare’s Language.Cambridge:The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 31

1998.Gross, John. Shylock: A Legend and its Legacy. New York, Touchstone Book, 1992.Kornestein, Daniel J. Shakespeare’s Legal Appeal, Princeton, Princeton UP, 1994.Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. Arden (Third Edition). 2011.Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. 2 nd Edition. Cambridge School. 2006.Shakespeare, William. HBJ Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (Teacher’s Guide).Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. 1988.Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. The Royal Shakespeare Company(TheModern Library). 2010.Shapiro, James, Shakespeare and the Jews. New York, Columbia UP, 1996.ONLINE RESOURCESBookRags.com Homepage, www.bookrags.com/The_Merchant_of_VeniceMr. William Shakespeare and the Internet, shakespeare.palomar.eduSh:in:E Shakespeare in Europe, www.unibas.ch/shineEncyclopaedia Britannica presents: Shakespeare and the Globe: Then and Now,search.eb.com/ShakespeareMIT Shakespeare Homepage: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, thetech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/Shakespeare’s Life and Times,web.uvic.ca/shakespeare/Library/SLT/intro/introsubj.htmlShakespeare Online, www.shakespeare-online.comThe Merchant of Venice Revision:www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramamerchantvenice/index.shtmlMovie Review Query Engline, www.mrqe.comInternet Movie Database, www.imdb.comONLINE RESOURCES ON RACISM and HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUESABC Teaching Human Rights: Practical Activities for primary and secondary schoolshttp://www.hrea.org/erc/Library/ABC.pdfAnti-Semitism and The Merchant of Venice: A Discussion Guide for Educators –provides a resources tool for teachers presenting The Merchant of Venice.http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/educationoutreach/Merchant_Venice_Discussion_Guide.pdfHolocaust, genocide, and crimes against humanity: Suggestions for classroomteachers – provides useful information, teaching points and links on genocide.http://holocaustcentre.com/cms_content/upload/holocaust_genocide_and_crimes_against_humanity.pdfHuman Rights – UN’s page on policies and treaties. http://www.un.org/rights/Human Rights – Educator’s Guides Downloadshttp://www.humanrights.com/educators/educators-guide-downloads.htmlThe Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 32

Human Rights Watch – provides discussion on human rights issues.http://www.hrw.orgSarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre - provides programs andteaching materials. http://holocaustcentre.com/HomeShylock and History by Jami Rogers.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/merchant/ei_shylock.htmlShylock – Canadian Adaptations of Shakespeare project – Film clips and articles thatexamine this history and the great Shakespearean actors who have played the role ofShylock through the ages, including performances by Laurence Olivier, DustinHoffman, and Orson Welles. It also discusses the modern attempts to adapt TheMerchant of Venice and confront its historical association with anti-Semitism. TiborEgarvari is filmed talking about his problems directing The Merchant of Venice, andhis decision to write Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice in Auschwitz.http://www.canadianshakespeares.ca/multimedia/video/nfb.cfmTeaching Human Rights in Ontario – Educational Guidehttp://www.ohrc.on.ca/sites/default/files/teaching%20human%20rights%20in%20ontario_accessible.pdfUnited Nations Human Rights – Training and Education Materialshttp://www.ohchr.org/EN/PublicationsResources/Pages/TrainingEducation.aspxUnited States Holocaust Memorial Museum - provides historical information andteaching materials. http://www.ushmm.orgVoices on Anti-Semitism – A Podcast Series - A discussion with Michael Kahn, ArtisticDirector of The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, D.C. (December 1,2011). Mr. Kahn has produced The Merchant of Venice three times and believes ithas “ever-evolving relevance for modern audiences.”http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/antisemitism/voices/transcript/index.php?content=20111201Youth For Human Rights – A study guidehttp://www.youthforhumanrights.org/sites/default/files/YHRI_ed-guide-Interior.pdfhttp://www.youthforhumanrights.org/educators/downloads.htmlTHE MERCHANT OF VENICE ON FILM, VIDEO AND DVD1973 (UK-TV), The Merchant of Venice. Directed by John Sichel; starring LaurenceOlivier, Joan Plowright, Jeremy Brett.1980 (UK-TV), The Merchant of Venice. Directed by Jack Gold; starring John Rhys-Davies, Gemma Jones, Warren Mitchell.1995 (Canada), A Taste of Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice. Directed by EricWeinthal; starring Ann-Marie MacDonald as Portia. A one-hour adaptation of the play.2001 (UK), The Merchant of Venice. Directed by Trevor Nunn; starring HenryGoodman as Shylock.The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 33

2004 (USA), The Merchant of Venice. Directed by Michael Radford; starring Al Pacino,Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes.CONNECT WITH STRATFORDFor further exploration and interactive activities check out the following:The Forum, a series of remarkable events to enrich the play-going experience:http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/forum/ .Stratford Festival’s YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes videos, photos andinterviews: http://www.youtube.com/user/stratfordfestival .Stratford Festival’s Flickr pages: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stratfest/.Stratford Festival Twitter: https://twitter.com/stratfest .Stratford Festival Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StratfordFestival .Oxford Next is an online learning environment dedicated to helping 21st centuryteachers and students with multimedia links on various Stratford Festivalproductions: https://www.oxfordnext.com .Stratford Festival Behind the Scenes App. Contains interactive set models, exclusiveimages and slideshows, special audio and video content and photos, stories andanimations and insights into the world of theatre at the Festival. For moreinformation see: https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/explore.CBC Digital Archives: http://bit.ly/Yy7eK6The Merchant of VeniceStudy GuideStratford Festival 2013 34