Stephanie Lozano

Douglas
English 1 1st period
28, April 2016
M.O.V Dialectical Journal Act 4-5
Act 4: Scene 1
Character Analysis:
Antonio
Lines 115-119
Antonio: I am a tainted
wether of the flock,
Meetest for deathso let
meYou cannot better be
employed, Bassanio, Than
to live still and write mine
epitaph.

Paraphrase
Antonio: Im like the frail
weak sheep in a flock of
healthy ones, the one that
needs to be put down. So
please let me be.
Bassanio, itd be best if
youd stay out of it and the
best thing you could do for
me is to live on and write
for my gravestone.

Theme Analysis: Hate

Theme Statement: In the
Merchant of Venice Act 4
Scene 1, it displays a
theme of hate and reveals
that hatred is a strong
feeling that can corrupt our
sense of mercy or

Shylock: I honestly cant

give you a reason except
for the fact that I have a
strong hate and loathing
for Antonio.
Duke: How can you hope
for mercy when you have
none to give?

Commentary
(A) I found this quote very
interesting adding onto
how Antonios character is.
In the beginning, we
learned that Antonio was
depressed for reasons that
he did not know why and
had a slight negative
approach on his sadness
and what could happen
next. Now, we see that
Antonio has ultimately
given up and told Bassanio
to just leave him be
because he accepts what
is going to happen. This
shows that Antonio is a
quitter because he has
given up his will to live and
his will to stand up to what
he lives for. He explains
that he is similar to a frail
sheep that is better to be
put down. This also shows
that Antonio probably does
not think much of himself
and probably does not see
who he really is as a
person and does not value
his life or anything for that
matter.
(C) From this theme of
hatred, I found it a bit ironic
that Shylock hated Antonio
so much that he did not
even have a reason to do
so. As we know, Shylock is
Jewish and Jews follow the
Old Testament which is

forgiveness.
Lines 59-89
Shylock: So I can give no
reason, nor I will not (More
than a lodged hate and a
certain loathing I bear
Antonio.)
Duke: How shalt thou
hope for mercy rendering
none?

Act 4: Scene 2
Character Analysis: Portia
Lines 19-21
Portia: Thou mayst, I
warrant. We shall have old
swearing That they did
give the rings away to
men. But well outface
them, and outswear them
too.

known as the Torah, it

focuses on the principle
that says Love thy
neighbor as thyself
Meaning that they are
supposed to love them no
matter the hate. This is
ironic because Judaism
came before Christianity
and Jewish tradition taught
this principle and it is
considered one of the
greatest principles in the
Torah. Shylock would be
contradicting this principle
and essentially going
against what his religion
says. So that his loathing
for Antonio goes far
beyond his ability to be
true to his religion.
Paraphrase
Portia: I bet hell give it to
you. They would probably
swear that they gave the
rings away. But lets deny
that and outswear them as
well.

Commentary
(E) Portias character has
been previously depicted
as beautiful while at the
same time clever. She set
up a trial for Bassanio to
test his loyalty by seeing if
she can obtain the ring she
had given Bassanio. While
reading this part of the
book, I almost saw it as
some sort of practical joke
towards Gratiano and
Bassanio just to make
things interesting. Nerissa
even does the same to
Gratiano. Maybe
Shakespeare was trying to
depict his main female
characters as very witty in
this play as back then, in
the Elizabethan era,
women were generally not
educated, but because

Theme Analysis: Loyalty

Theme Statement: In The
Merchant of Venice Act 4
Scene 2, it depicts a
theme of Loyalty and
reveals that loyalty can be
tested through trials.
Lines 15-21
Nerissa: Ill see if I can get
my husbands ring, Which I
did make him swear to
keep for ever.
Portia: Thou mayst, I
warrant. We shall have old
swearing That they did
give the rings away to
men. But well outface
them, and outswear them
too.

Nerissa: Im going to go
see if I can get my
husband to give him the
ring that I made him swear
to keep forever.
Portia: I bet hell give it to
you. They would probably
swear that they gave the
rings away. But lets deny
that and outswear them as
well.

Act 5: Scene 1
Character Analysis:
Bassanio
Lines 240-243
Bassanio: Portia, forgive
me this enforcd wrong,
And in the hearing of these
many friends I swear to
thee, even by thine own
fair eyes Wherein I see
myself-
Portia: Mark you but
that!...Swear by your

Paraphrase
Bassanio: Forgive me for
this terrible mistake I had
to make. But as my friends
as my witnesses I swear to
you by your beautiful eyes
where I see myself
reflectedPortia: Are you serious?
He should swear by his
two-faced self and then Ill
believe whatever hes
saying!

Portia grew up as a
daughter of a rich man,
she must have had some
education while growing up
and learned to have a
knack for practical jokes
and wit.
(A) Loyalty is shown in this
scene and can reveals that
Bassanio and Gratianos
loyalty to Portia and
Nerissa was tested
because of the trial they
gave the two. Previously,
the two had sworn that
they would never give the
rings because those were
their wedding rings
basically a symbol of what
marriage means and what
being together meant to
them. Almost as if it were a
test, they tried seeing if
they could obtain the rings
from them. Ultimately, they
did and found that they
tested their loyalty. Its not
that they failed while doing
so, it was almost as to see
how much they could give
for saving their friend who
had their life on the line.
Commentary
(E) Bassanio tends to add
in a couple of unnecessary
words to whatever he is
trying to explain. This was
previously seen when
Bassanio was trying to get
Antonio to lend him some
money by telling him an
extremely long story about
when he was a young boy
shooting arrows and what
not. He starts his

double self, And theres an

oath of credit!

Theme Analysis:
Friendship
Theme Statement: In The
Merchant of Venice Act 5
Scene 1, it displays a
theme of Friendship and
reveals that loyalty cannot
be tested when for the
sake of a friend.
Lines 214-217
Bassanio: Even he that
uphold the very life Of my
dear friend. What should I
say, sweet lady? I was
enforced to send it after
him. I was beset with
shame and courtesy.

Bassanio: He saved my
best friends life what
couldve I had said? I gave
the ring to him and I was
ashamed to want to show
my best manners.

explanation to Portia in
which he is already adding
a bunch of words in a
poetic way thinking he can
persuade Portia by his
charm. This does not work
however because he is cut
off by Portia midsentence
and proceeds to mock
Bassanio which I thought
was pretty hilarious. He
underestimated the ability
to which he could use his
charm and in the end failed
while doing so.
(A) The theme of
friendship is displayed in
this part of the act through
Bassanio who tries to
defend himself from being
tested of his loyalty to
Portia by giving the ring to
the civil law expert. In his
defense, he explains that
he gave the ring because
the man practically saved
the life of his best friend
and he was very grateful
towards him. His gratitude
towards him did not cause
him to give him the ring but
more so he had to
because that was the only
thing that the man could
have accepted. This
continues on to prove that
Bassanio could not have
done anything else for his
best friend and also his
decision to give the ring to
the guy who defended his
best friend in court.