GCSE: English Literature: Drama: By Author: William Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice Coursework

About The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare.

The plot of "The Merchant of Venice" develops around the debt owed by Antonio, a Christian merchant, to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. If Antonio can not repay the money in time then he owes Shylock a pound of his flesh. A court case is held to consider if this is a fair contract. The speeches in court deal with one of the major themes in this play - how to balance justice and mercy.

Shakespeare also uses "The Merchant of Venice" to consider relationships between the Christians and Shylock, a Jew. A common essay question for GCSE English Literature is "Is Shylock a victim or a villain?" Coursework.info has lots on this, and other topics related to the play.

Finally, "The Merchant of Venice" has several love stories which allow Shakespeare to discuss appearances and reality. You'll find women disguised as men, eloping lovers and a guessing game used to find a husband.

The Merchant of Venice: What Will I Study?

GCSE English Literature usually asks you to write essay type answers to questions set on extracts of the play. If you want to score high marks you'll need to know about the plot and characters in the whole play so you can show how the extracts fit in. The questions will ask you about the characters' relationships and actions. You should also think about how the play would be performed and what the audience's reaction might be.

Several film versions of "The Merchant of Venice" have been made. You may have to watch and write comparisons of some of them.

The Merchant of Venice... What Can I Study Next?

If you've enjoyed studying this play then you'll get to cover more Shakespeare if you take A Level English Literature or go on to an English Literature degree. Some drama courses may let you work on scenes from Shakespeare if you fancy a performing role.

More About Shakespeare and the Merchant of Venice.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/shakespeare/60secondshakespeare/themes_index.shtml

http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/intro/introsubj.html