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Tag: Junior Cycle English
Staging a Scene
A common question in the Junior Cycle exam is being asked to stage a scene, either from an unseen extract you have just read or a scene from your studied Shakespearean text. When you are answering this question, you must back up your decisions with references to your drama extract or text. A good way Read More …
The Merchant of Venice-Act 3, Scene 1
After the drama of Bassanio appearing in Belmont, Shakespeare moves the focus of the play back to Venice, where Salerio has confirmed that one of Antonio’s ships has been wrecked ‘on the narrow seas.’ Shylock interrupts Salanio and Salerio, accusing them of knowing the whereabouts of his daughter. They mock the fact that his daughter Read More …
The Merchant of Venice-Act 3
Act 3, Scene 1 Act 3, Scene 2 (Key Scene) Act 3, Scene 3 Act 3, Scene 4 Act 3, Scene 5
The Merchant of Venice-Act 2, Scene 9
In the final scene of Act 2, we are brought back to Belmont, where the Prince of Arragon has come to try his luck with the lottery for Portia’s hand. Portia tells the Prince to make his pick and that if he picks the right casket, they will be married immediately, but if he chooses Read More …
The Merchant of Venice-Act 2, Scene 8
We go back to Venice, where Salerio and Salanio give an update on the happenings in the Italian city. They tell us how Shylock went to Bassanio’s ship to search for his daughter but that the ship had already set sail. He wakened the Duke to help him search for Jessica. But he was too Read More …
The Merchant of Venice-Act 2, Scene 7
The focus of the play shifts back to Belmont, where the Prince of Morocco is about to make his decision on what casket to pick. This is the first time we have seen the lottery in action and the prince spends a lot of time deliberating on each of the caskets. The prince tells us Read More …
The Merchant of Venice-Act 2, Scene 6
Gratiano and Salerio are outside Shylock’s house, waiting for Lorenzo who arrives, in the hope of taking Jessica from the house. He calls up to the upstairs window and Jessica, dressed in boy’s clothes responds. She tells Lorenzo to catch the casket, she is throwing from the upstairs window, which contains Shylock’s gold and jewels. Read More …
The Merchant of Venice-Act 2, Scene 4
This is a very short scene (Note how short the scenes are at the minute, as Shakespeare picks up the pace and brings the plot along) where Lorenzo is making preparations for a masque at Bassanio’s feast. Launcelot enters and gives Lorenzo the letter from Jessica and Lorenzo sends a message with Launcelot to Jessica. Read More …
The Merchant of Venice-Act 2 Scene 2
We meet Launcelot in this scene, who is a servant of Shylock’s, who is considering running away from him because he no longer wishes to be his servant. He is unsure whether or not he should go and is conflicted by this decision. The fact that Shylock is a Jew seems to play a big Read More …