Literary Technique
What is a metaphor?
A comparison between two unlike things by saying one is the other.
Name one individual and one collective experience in The Merchant of Venice.
Individual: Shylock’s loss; Collective: societal prejudice in Venice.
Why does Antonio borrow money from Shylock?
A: To fund Bassanio’s pursuit of Portia.
Give one example of a metaphor used by Shakespeare. Hint,there is one about Portia
Portia was described as “a golden fleece.”
Name the central moral conflict of the play.
Mercy vs justice.
What is antithesis?
A type of contrast where opposite ideas are placed together in a balanced or parallel structure.
Define an anomalous human experience with an example from the text.
An experience that challenges normal expectations—e.g., Antonio’s sadness without reason
Why is the casket test important?
It reveals Bassanio’s values and highlights themes of appearance vs reality.
What is the effect of dramatic irony in the court scene?
Audience knows Portia’s real identity; characters do not.
How does Shakespeare portray prejudice?
Through Christian hostility toward Shylock.
What is verisimilitude?
The appearance or illusion of truth in a text, created so that events and characters feel believable within the narrative world, but may actually not be
How does Portia’s “quality of mercy” speech reflect paradox in human behaviour?
It highlights that mercy is divine, yet humans often seek revenge.
What motivates Shylock’s insistence on the “pound of flesh”?
Desire for revenge and retribution for years of discrimination.
Provide a quote of antithesis in the play.
Hint, Shylock says one
“The villainy you teach me, I will execute” (Shylock).
Explain how the play critiques materialism.
Characters use wealth to gain love, status, or power.
What is polysyndeton?
A stylistic device where multiple conjunctions are used in close succession to create emphasis, rhythm, or a sense of accumulation.
Explain the tension between public and private experiences in the play.
Characters have public reputations but private motives.
Explain how Portia’s actions challenge Jacobean gender expectations.
She disguises herself as a male lawyer and outwits the court.
How does Shakespeare use imagery to highlight risk in the casket test? Find 1 quote
“Gilded tombs do worms enfold” emphasises deception.
Which theme would Shakespeare probably turn into a modern tweet, and why?
“Don’t judge by appearances” because the gold casket literally catfished people.
What is metonymy?
A figure of speech in which something is referred to by an associated attribute or concept (e.g., “the crown” for monarchy).
Which character undergoes a relatable human experience of “doubt and anxiety,” and how?
Bassanio: He agonises before choosing the lead casket because he realises that if he’s wrong, he has no girlfriend and no money and cannot live with uncertainty.
Which character makes the worst financial decision, and why?
Antonio: he guarantees a loan with literal body parts. Bad investment strategy.
Explain the effect of biblical allusion in Shylock’s speeches (hint: why does he do this)
He invokes shared religious texts to challenge Christian hypocrisy.
How does The Merchant of Venice reveal the contradiction between outward appearance and inner values, and what does this suggest about the universality of human experience?
Shakespeare uses the casket test, character disguises, and public vs private motivations to show that humans often mask their true selves. This reveals the universal tension between what society expects and what individuals feel internally.