Character Sketches

Shylock

One of the most villainous characters Shakespeare ever created! The duke sums Shylock up as:

A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch’

Uncapable of pity, void and empty

From any dram of mercy”

(Act 1v scene 1 lines 3-6)

v Evil man

v Full of hate and desire for revenge.

v Very pretentious.

v Knows no mercy.

v Shrewd business man.

v In conflict with the Christians.

v Despised by the Christians.

v Not prepared to surrender.

v Eventually revenge is more desirable than money.

v His final humiliation is:

He is forced to change his religion and become a Christian.

v Villain and a sinner.

v Shows signs of human feeling from time to time.

v Outcast in society.

v Part of the underprivileged minority.

v Material loss is more important than human loss

Bassanio

Bassanio on his friend’s high spirits:

Thou art too wild, too rude and bold of voice:

Parts that become thee happily enough

And in such eyes as ours appear not as faults:

But where thou art not known, why, there they shoe

Something too liberal. Pray thee, take pain

To allay with some cold drops of modesty

Thy skipping spirit… Act 2 scene 2

v Friendship for Antonio has depth and reality

v True love for Portia

v Aware of the dangers of judging by appearances

v A sympathetic hero

v Handsome young man

v Chivalrous, sociable and generous-spirited

v No money of his own yet he has an extravagant lifestyle

v A true gentleman and a loving friend

v Warm and honest character

Portia

In praise of Portia:

In Belmont is a lady richly left,

And she is fair, and, fairer than that word,

Of wondrous virtues: sometimes from her eyes

I did receive fair speechless messages:

Her name is Portia

v Beautiful and extremely rich

v Intelligent and quick-witted

v A very capable lady

v Generous in love and money

v She is sharp in summing-up the suitors

v Ability to reason with a legal approach

v a modest woman

v Loyal to her dead father’s wishes

v Tactiful

v Merry-hearted and sensible

v Confides in Nerissa

Antonio

Antonio the Merchant of Venice

v Not the most dominant character

v He is a catalyst

v Qualities of friendship and generosity

v A good-natured person

v Does not value much

v Accepts his loss of money

v Portrays a sad figure

v Noble

v Unselfish

v Stands in contrast to Shylock

v A man of wealth

v Careless about money

v Melancholy character