What is Act 4 about in Merchant of Venice?

What is Act 4 about in Merchant of Venice?

In Venice, the Court convenes for Antonio’s trial. The duke of Venice greets Antonio and expresses pity for him, calling Shylock an inhuman monster who can summon neither pity nor mercy. Bassanio, who has arrived from Belmont, attempts to argue with Shylock, but Antonio tells him that his efforts are for naught.

What is the irony in Act 4 Scene 1?

What’s ironic about the conversation between Juliet and Paris in act 4, scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet is that Paris has no clue that Juliet’s words have a double meaning that alludes to her and Romeo’s secret marriage.

Where does Act 4 Scene 1 take place tempest?

On a clothesline in Prospero’s cell, Prospero and Ariel hang an array of fine apparel for the men to attempt to steal, after which they render themselves invisible. Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano enter, wet from the filthy pond.

What is the importance of trial scene in Merchant of Venice?

Answer Expert Verified. The trial scene is an important scene of the play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ which sets the ground for logic, justice, and righteousness. Shylock, smitten by his prejudice, wants to ruin Antonio on the basis of the bond signed by Antonio.

What is the dramatic purpose of Act 4 Scene 4 Romeo and Juliet?

Shakespeare’s Act IV, Scene IV of Romeo and Juliet serves the dramatic purpose of creating dramatic irony. There are several different types of irony. Dramatic irony refers to moments when the audience, or readers, understand something beyond what the characters themselves understand.

What happens when the nurse finds Juliet the next morning?

Early the next morning, the Capulet house is aflutter with preparations for the wedding. Capulet sends the Nurse to go wake Juliet. She finds Juliet dead and begins to wail, soon joined by both Lady Capulet and Capulet.

What is Act 4 Scene 1 about in The Tempest?

Act 4 scene 1 Prospero has set Ferdinand free, saying ‘If I have too austerely punished you / Your compensation makes amends’. He tells Ferdinand and Miranda that he agrees to the marriage. He creates a magical show with the spirits to bless Miranda and Ferdinand’s ‘contract of true love’.

What happens in Act 4 of The Merchant of Venice?

Literature Network » William Shakespeare » Merchant of Venice » Summary Act 4. SCENE 1- Act 4 opens in a court room in Venice with the Duke, Antonio, Bassanio, Gratiano, Salerio, and others present. The Duke expresses sympathy for a having an enemy that is as empty of mercy as Shylock.

Why does the Duke pities Antonio in The Merchant of Venice?

In Venice, the Duke opens Antonio’s trial by saying that he pities Antonio because Shylock is an “inhuman wretch uncapable of pity” (4.1.3–4). The Duke has attempted to persuade Shylock to spare Antonio, but Shylock will not.

Why was Shylock summoned to the courtroom in The Merchant of Venice?

The duke summons Shylock into the courtroom and addresses him, saying that he believes that Shylock means only to frighten Antonio by extending this drama to the brink of performance. No one, the duke says, believes that Shylock actually means to inflict such a horrible penalty on Antonio, who has already suffered the loss of his ships.

How did Portia make a case for mercy in The Merchant of Venice?

Portia makes a stronger case for mercy as an alternative to either justice or revenge than the Duke did. But Shylock rejects what Portia has described as an attribute of the Christian god, insisting instead on a strict legal interpretation of his contract in order to get vengeance. Portia asks if Antonio has the money to repay Shylock.