《威尼斯商人》的情节结构 .docVIP

【标题】《威尼斯商人》的情节结构 【作者】张赛云 【关键词】结构?;??情节?;?线索;?高潮;?冲突? 【指导老师】李雪顺 【专业】英语 【正文】Ⅰ. Introduction??? The Merchant of Venice is a well-known play by William Shakespeare in 1596. In the play, Antonio, a Christian, is a Venetian merchant. In order to help his friend Bassanio to woo Portia of Belmont, he borrows 3,000 ducats for three months from Shylock, a Jewish usurer, and signs a contract: if the money is not repaid on time, he will forfeit a pound of flesh. At that critical moment, Portia, disguised as a lawyer, wittily helps Antonio out of trouble and makes Shylock a convict.The Merchant of Venice has 5 acts 20 scenes, there are three threads of the plot: the main thread is the confrontation between the merchant Antonio and Shylock, a usurer in Venice; juxtaposes with the two minor threads: the love story of Portia with Bassanio and shylock’s young daughter Jessica with Lorenzo.The first thread is about Antonio who is a young merchant of Venice, engages in oversea trade. He is the kindest man that lived, and has the most unwearied spirit in doing courtesies, he used to lend money to people in distress, and would never take any interest for the money he lent; indeed, he is one in whom the ancient Roman honor more appears than in any that draw breath in Italy1. He is beloved by all his fellow-citizens; and therefore the antagonism is formed between the usurer Shylock and Antonio. Antonio borrows three thousand ducats from Shylock for helping his good friend Bassanio to travel to Belmont and convince her to marry him. Shylock has a grudge against Antonio—Antonio has interfered with his business, and insulted his religion at every opportunity. Shylock plans to use this opportunity to take revenge on him?.He loans Antonio the money on the condition that if he defaults on the loan, Shylock will get a pound of his flesh. In fact he wants Antonio to die. Antonio and Shylock, the former is ready for dieing so long as can help his friend; the later is ready for murder