Act Four, Scene One- Line Study

Act Four, Scene One- Line Study

• Antonio gives us three short images of how useless any attempt by Bassanio to save his life will be

• What are they? Antonio says "You may question with the wolf Why he hath made the ewe bleat for lamb; You may as well forbid the mountain pines To wag their high tops and to make no noise When they are fretten with the gusts of heaven; You may as well do any thing most hard As seek to soften that-than which what's harder?-"

• What do they tell us about one of Shakespeare's interests  I think that he likes nature.

• Each example is an extreme and impossible, what influence

does this have on how you expect the rest of the scene to develop.

think that this was a good part Antonio said because it shows a picture in your head of what he said and

I think that's what Shakespeare wanted.

• Shylock uses vivid comparisons when he wants to make a point. What example does he use to illustrate the fact that the pound of flesh is his:"tis mine and I will have it"  Shylock uses the really bad living conditions to compare what he was saying.

• It is much longer comparison than the three used by Antonio

but do you think it is more striking/effective/convincing?  

I think it is because he is relating to Antonio more.