GCSE characters Flashcards
Antonio Generosity
“My extremest means lie unlocked to your ocassion”
Antonio would give anything to Bassanio . He risks his life so that Bassanio can make his journey to Portia
Antonio
Prejudice
Antonio has called Shylock as "Cut throat dog" "Cur" "Misbeliever" And has spat on Shylock
Bassanio
Greed
Bassanio has “disabled” his estate and asks Antonio for money .
He wants to go and court portia. His motives seem to be driven by greed as he describes her as “richly left” his first priority is to get her money
Bassanio does care for Antonio
“The jew shall have my flesh”
Offers his life so that Antonio is saved
He is also shocked and reluctant to accept so much money.
“You shall not seal such a bond to me”
Portia
Controlled
Portia is controlled by her Fathers will . Before his death he made a test that would choose who would be the husband to Portia.
Portia is displeased yet still respects her father
“Curbed”
Portia
Wit
Portia demonstrates her independence multiple times throughout the play.
She is the heroine of the play and does save Antonio.
Her wit is perfectly displayed through the mockery of her suitors
She claims she will “die as chaste” before marrying one of them
Describes one of her suitors as “vile”
Portia does have a softer side
She describes herself as “weary”
She also devotes herself to Bassanio “one half of me is yours and the other is yours”
Portia and mercy
“Quality of mercy is not strained”
“Let it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven”
She is the only one to show any mercy to Shylock and does warn him that he should show mercy to Antonio
Shylock as the villian
“Devil jew”
“Hell” to live with
When his daughter has gone missing and some of his money it seems that looking for his money is just as important as finding his daughter
Shylock as the victim
“If you prick us do we not bleed”. Shylock stresses that despite his faith all Jews are humans to.
“Sufferance is the badge of all our tribe” his motives (while not justified) can be understood. He is not just taking revenge for himself but for all Jewish people
Jessica
Victim
Jessica is opposed by her father
“Do as i bid you”
She describes living with Shylock as “hell”
Contemporary audiences would sympathise with her as she feels “ashamed” for being the daughter of a Jew
Jessica
Spiteful
She sells the ring that her mother gave her father . She does not care for him at all.
She tries to cut all association with him
“I am not his manners”
Nerissa
Trusted advisor
She reminds portia that her fortunes outweigh her “miseries”.
Nerissa puts portia’s happiness before herself and refuses to get married until Portia finds a suitor
Gratiano
Prejudice
“Must be hanged”
“Be thou damned”
Described as “too rude”
Lancelet
Comedic source of the play
His speech is in prose . This highlights his lower status ,
His comedic scenes release tension for the audience .
He confuses his words saying “reproach instead of “approach”. These malopropism add humour
