Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Merchant of Venice (final)

        "Don't take your friends for granted and give them what they want, thinking that they will do as they say."  Many of the characters in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare learned many life lessons as they developed throughout the play.  They have very unique personalities and style.   This includes characters such as Shylock, Portia, Antonio, and Bassanio. Shylock is one of the main characters in the Merchant of Venice.  He is selfish, cranky, and stubborn in his beliefs.  Shylock is an example of a greedy miser, meaning a person who hoards wealth and spends as little money as possible. Shylock also learned that doing business with a friend isn't always a good decision.

         Shylock is a selfish, greedy person who tries to make the cheapest deals he can possibly get, but doesn't always get what he wants.  Everything has to be perfect for him.  "Three thousand ducats for three months.  And Antonio as guarantor... I will be certain I can.  And to be certain, I'll think it over  May I speak with Antonio?" 1.3.10.  Shylock is being way too picky. If he really wanted the deal he would take it right away just in case they call it off.  He is a very  complicated character he should just say you want to make the deal even though it might cost him three thousand ducats.  Shylock has a thing about Christians. He can't stand them and does not stand to trust them.  "I've always shrugged this off, patiently, because suffering is the trade ark of our race."1.3.107-108 .  Shylock is not trying to be mean or racist about his dislike of Christians, it's just that he had a bad experience with them and they just don't get along.  Even though Shylock dislikes the Christians, he still has to make a choice whether or not to make the deal about the three thousand ducats.

          Shylock faces many conflicts throughout the play.  Many of his conflicts are due to his hatred of the Christians.  "I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you nor pray with you." 1.3.9.  Shylock is being crazy about having these thoughts about the Christians because he should trust his friend, who is the one setting up the deal. Christians just don't believe in the same things as the Jews.  He is also overreacting because it's just a deal, it's not like they are going to be best friends.  Another of the conflicts Shylock deals with is again about racism.  His daughter Jessica leaves him to change to be a Christian and runs off to marry a Christian, Lorenzo.  "I'm sorry thou wilt leave my father so." 2.3.1. Jessica wants nothing to do with her father because he is unreasonable, selfish, and demanding.  However, she is in way over her head right now because even though her father is like that doesn't mean she should just run away like that. Those are some of the conflicts that Shylock experiences.

         Shylock is a sad and lonely man, who is not that patient or likable.  When something looks like a really good deal or everything is going well it turns out to be the most depressing thing that could happen.  "All of Antonio's ship has been lost and he has defaulted on his loan from Shylock." 1.3.1. Shylock should be mad at Antonio, however, he learns that not everything is perfect and going to go his way and he is forgiving.  Many of his personalities are very complicated.  He can't tell if it is going to be good or bad.  For example when his daughter Jessica ran away he didn't think that his daughter would do that.  "I'm sorry tho wilt leave my father so." 2.3.1.  Shylock learns that you have to go with the flow. He also learns that not everything goes your way.  That's what the character of Shylock learns throughout the play.

       Shylock is a complicated character who starts as a selfish, greedy villain that doesn't care about others and what they think.  A lot was going on for Shylock like his daughter running away from him, marrying a Christian, and taking his three thousand ducats away with her, him being a careless person, and not thinking what anyone else thinks of him, and so many more.  He had many problems going on during that time.  From the beginning of the Merchant of Venice to the end, Shylock learns how to manage his problems better.  At the beginning of the play, everyone thought less of Shylock and what kind of character he is.  Towards the end of the play, you tend to see that you'll feel sorry for Shylock and that he just has too much going against him.  He endured much abuse, but was forgiving, and upheld the customs and laws.   

Poem (I am a puppy)


I am a puppy
Sometimes too nice
Hardly too mean

People see always
The good in me
But never
The bad
You may not
Know me
The Angry
and mean side

I am sweet
But yet sour

I can be shy
At first
But later I will be friendly

I can be active
And I can be lazy

If you threaten
My family
I will be fiesty
But other than that
I will be easy going
The end

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The merchant of venice (rough draft)

       In the play, the Merchant of Venice they have many different stories and characters.  Many of the characters, including Portia, Shylock, Antonio, and Bassanio, have similar problems and story lines in the play.  They all have to connect in some point of the story.  All the characters in the Merchant of Venice have unique personalities, Shylock, for example, is a very complicated person in the play.  This leads to many of his difficulties throughout the play.
       
      During the play of Merchant of Venice most of the characters had a disappointment in some way towards Shylock.  According to the book, many of Shylock's servants, family members, or friends had some kind of hatred in him.  This includes his daughter, Jessica.  Even though Jessica had some differences with her father, I don't think she should have left him. Jessica hated him because of the kind of person he was, and she was embarassed of him.  His servant also left him.  I don't think his servant should have left him because he's like the way he is because he was losing everything he owns.  This is the start of some of his difficulties. 

      The character of Shylock faces many conflicts throughout the play.  The conflict that he faces is that Bassanio can't pay back the three thousand ducats that he has to pay back to Shylock.  This is one of his conflicts because if Bassanio doesn't pay him back then he will lose another friend.  He shouldn't have loaned him the money, as this could affect their friendship doing business together.  Another conflict is that towards the end he has to cut off the flesh of Bassanio because he couldnt pay back the three thousand ducats.  If he couldn't do it they shouldn't have made that deal.  I think they could have made a more reasonable bet or deal.  Those are some conflicts that Shylock faced throughout the Merchant of Venice..

       Shylocks character teaches us many life lessons.  He teaches us that we shouldn't do business with other friends.  Doing business with other friends can lead to difficulties in your friendship with that friend. That's also a lesson because some people might want to run a business with a friend and they show how it changes your friendship.  A lesson that the character of Shylock teaches us is to be nice to everyone you know or else they will leave you.  That's a lesson to learn because if you are mean to everyone in your life no one will like you back.  I think this is a good lesson because you never know when someone in your life will leave you.  Also because  you have to be nice to everyone.  That is some lessons the character Shylock teaches us.  

      The merchant of Venice teaches us a lot of lessons, how the characters develop, and the conflicts that each of the characters face.  All the characters have struggles and problems during the story.  Shylock for example is a complicated person in this play.  I think shylock is a complicated person because he has many problems or disappointment.  Thats what the play is all about.  

Friday, March 28, 2014

Partner : Emree Sato (Merchant of Venice)


1) I agree with this statement.  I agree with their statement because you shouldn't judge someone by their appearances.  I don't really have any personal experiences.

2) I agree with this statement.  I agree with this statement because you I think justice is always blind and this statement is correct.  I don't have any personal expeirences

3) I agree with this statement.  I agree with this statement because two friends be strongly loved liked a men and women.  I don't have any personal experiences.

4) I don't agree with this statement.  I don't agree with this statement because once you promise you can't take it back even win a good excuse.  I don't have any experiences.

5) I agree with this statement.  I agree with statement because love is blind you'll never no when it will come

6) I agree with this statement.  I agree with this statement because stereotypes are