About the playwright.

William Shakespeare ( 1564-1616) was an English poet, and playwright. He is considered the greatest
writer in English language. He wrote 38 plays and 154 sonnets.

The Merchant Of Venice

Vocabulary

Words Meaning in English Meaning in Urdu

Accomplished Perfect,done,Successful in doing
Acquitted Set free, released
Adieu Farewell, good bye
Affliction Suffering, distress
Agony of distress Painful situation, tormenting
Altered Changed,amended
Ancestry Forefathers
Apparel Clothes,dress,garment
Arduous task Difficult task
Assisted Helped, supported
Awful Terrible, frightening
Badge Distinctive mark, symbol,insignia
Boast of To feel proud of something
Bond Agreement
Bosom Chest
Consented agreed
Cur A worthless dog
Currish Jew A jew who behaves like a foolish dog
Daniel Upright judge
Disguise To hide original character/self
Displeasured Annoyed,offended
Distressed Troubled.
Endeavour To try,To make effort,To struggle
Estate Property, riches
expedient Advantageous, helpful
Fault Mistake
Feast Splendid meal with good things
Forefeit To confiscate
Granted Gave, allowed
Gratis Free of cost
Gratittude Thankfulness
Gravely Seriously
Grieve To be sad
Grudge Enmity,tussle
Hazards Risk,danger
Immense fortune A lot of money, riches
Impatient Anxious,worried
In his stead In his place
Intention Will, determination
Mansion A wealthy person’s big house
Mediated Thought deeply
Meek Mild and patient,polite, humble
Merchandise Goods for trade
Merry Pleaseure,happy
Misfortune Trouble,bad luck
Modesty Decent,piety
Monarchs Supreme rulers
Musing Thinking
Offended Annoyed,
Paltry Useless,valuless
Peril Danger
Persuade Convince
Plead Advocate,To present an argument
Pretend To give a false show
Proceed To go ahead
Resolved Decided, made up one’s mind
Reward Prize
Riches Wealth
Robes Garments
Sagacity Wisdom
Scale A weighing/ measuring device
Severity Strictness, harsh
Shrug A shaking of shoulders to show
disinterest/indifference
Splendid Excellent, magnificent
Suitor A man wishing to marry a woman
Tarry Wait a bit, be patient
Temper Mood, temperament
Tender Fragile, soft
Thine Yours
Tidings News, information
Trial Proceeding of a case in a court
Usurer Money- lender on interest
Vowed Made a promise
Wants Needs
Wonder Surprise

Study Questions
1 Who was Shylock and where did he live?

Shylock was a noteworthy figure of The Merchant of Venice. He was the product of the circumstances
that he faced at Venice. He lent money to Christian merchants on high interest rates and earned a lot of
profit which made him one of the richest men at Venice Businessmen of Venice hated him due to his
way of making money and hard- heartedness. After an overall analysis of his character he can be
termed as the antagonist of the play. He lived at Venice.

2 Who was Anthonio? Why did he hate Shylock?

Antonio was quite opposite in nature and character to shylock. He was a generous merchant of Venice
who lent interest- free money to the needy. He hated Shylock because he did not have fellow feelings
for the merchants at Venice. Rather he sucked money from them by high interest rates and very strict
policy of recovery.

3 How did Anthonio help the needy in Venice?

Anthonio was a generous and kind hearted merchant in Venice who had great empathy for the needy.
So he always gave free of interest money to the borrowers. He did not impose strict conditions for
lending the money to the needy. He was a selfless person and gave preference to the needy over his
own needs. His loan to his friend Bassanio is a glaring example of his magnanimity.

4 Who was Bassanio and why did he need money?

Bassanio was a very close friend of Anthonio. He loved Portia, a beautiful and rich heiress. He wanted
to marry her and needed three thousand ducats to present himself as a rich suitor of Portia. He needed
money for the arrangements of the marriage as well.

5 Why did Anthonio and Bassanio go to Shylock?

Bassanio was a very close friend of Anthonio who loved Portia, a beautiful and rich heiress. He wanted
to marry her and needed three thousand ducats to present himself as a rich suitor of Portia. So Bassanio
requested Anthonio to lend him money which Anthonio unfortunately did not have as his merchandise
was on ships in the sea. Therefore they went to borrow money from Shylock for Bassanio on
Anthonio’s behalf.

6 Why did Shylock lend money to Anthonio?

Anthonio humiliated and insulted Shylock for his greedy nature and wrong doings. He was already
waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on him. Grabbing the oportunity, Shylock lent money to
Anthonio thinking if he could not pay he would have to give a pound of flesh from his body.Thus Shylock
would satisfy himself by making him suffer physically and mentally.

7 Who was Nerissa and whom did she marry?

Nerissa was Portia’a waiting maid who secretly loved Gratiano. She married Gratiano when Portia
married Bassanio. She gave a ring to Gratiano as a token of her true and deep love and enjoined upon
him not to part with it.

8 What was the condition of the bond?

The condition stated in the bond was if Anthonio failed to pay back three thousand ducats in stipulated
time , Shylock would have a legal right to cut a pound of flesh from Anthonio’s body.

9 Who was Portia and whom did she marry?

Portia was a beautiful ,wise and intelligent heiress who lived at Belmont near Venice. She inheretited a
great deal of wealth from her father. She was impressed by Bassanio’s behaviour and married him at the
end.

10 Why did Shylock refuse to take back the money he lent to Anthonio?

Anthonio humiliated and insulted Shylock for his greedy nature and wrong doings. He wanted to take
revenge on him. When he got a chance of cutting a pound of flesh from Anthonio’s body, he refused to
accept money because he had got a long waited chance to take revenge on Anthonio. Revenge was
more important for Shylock than his money.

11 What role did Portia play in the court?

Portia played a pivotal role in the court. She appeared disguised as a lawyer in the court and pleaded
Anthonio’s case very intelligently and convinced the court in favour of Anthonio. She even outwitted
Shylock by interpreting the true application of the bond that allowed Shylock to take only flesh without
shedding blood.

12 How was Anthonio’s life saved?

Portia appeared disguised as a lawyer in the court and pleaded Anthonio’s case very intelligently. She
initiially offered Shylock money and asked him to let Anthonio free. When Shylock insisted upon taking a
pound of flesh she re- read the bond and interpretted its true application that allowed Shylock to take
only flesh without shedding a drop of blood. Thus Shylock lost his case and Anthonio’s life was saved.

13 Was, in your opinion, verdict of the court just and fair?

I believe that the verdict of the court was just and fair because Shylock was not actually seeking justice
rather he was bent upon taking revenge on kind hearted Anthonio. Under the cover of justice he was
trying to take the life of a gentleman. So if a cruel person like Shylock is punished in a court, it is quite
just and fair.
 Objective Questions

I Shylock hated Anthonio because he gave money :

(a) on high interest (b) free of interst (c) on cheap interest

(d ) double interest

II Shylock was a :

(a) usurer (b) shopkeeper (c) bank agent (d ) mayor of Venice

III Anthonio met Shylock :

(a) at the bank (b) on a shop (c) on the Rialto (d ) on his office

IV Bassanio needed …….ducats.

a) 2000 (b) 2500 (c) 3000 (d ) 3500

V Bassanio needed money to:

(a) to start a business (b) to pay loan (c) to go on a trip (d ) to marry

VI Shylock lent money to Anthonio to:

(a) to help him (b) to trap him (c) to oblige him (d ) to start a partenership with him

VII The bond had a condition that if Anthonio could not pay the money, Shylock would take:

(a) double amount (b) actual money (c) actual amount and one pound of Anthonio’s flesh

(d ) one pound flesh of Anthonio

VIII Portia appeared disguised in the court as a :

(a) judge (b) clerk (c) lawyer (d ) witness

IX After reading a letter from Anthonio, Bassanio bacame…..

(a) happy (b) sad (c) ill (d ) pale

X Portia sought legal advice from…..

 (a) Belario (b) Bassanio (c) Gratianio (d ) Nerissa

Answers

1 b 2 a 3 c 4 c 5 d
6 b 7 d 8 c 9 b 10 a

King Lear

1 How many daughters king Lear had? What were their names?
Gonerill, Regan and Cordelia were the three daughters of king Lear. Gonerill was married to
the duke of Albany and Regan was wife of the duke of Cornwall. Cordelia was unmarried
when she was denied her due share in the kingdom of her father.She, later on, became wife
of king of France.

2 What did the old king decide to do before his death?

King Lear realizing that he had grown old and was unable to carry out the affairs of the
kingdome, decided to divide his kingdom among his daughters before his death. He dicided
to bestow upon her daughters the share of his kingdom proportionate to their love that
they possess for him.

3 How did the king test the love and loyalty of his daughters?
The king adopted a trouble- asking and vague yardctick to test the love and loyalty of his
dsaughters. He asked them to express their love which they had in their heart turn by turn
for him.

4 Why did the king disinherit Cordelia?

When Cordelia told the king that she loved his majesty according to her duty as a sincere
and loyal daughter, the king got furious because these words fell like bomb shell on his ears.
He expected coaxing words from Cordelia as he had heard from his other two daughters.
Thus the kings’s displeaure made him decide to disinheit Cordelia.

5 How did Goneril and Regan treat the old king, their father?
Goneril and Regan treated the old king harshly by showing their mean and selfish nature.
After getting their share by flattrey , Goneril and Regan turned nasty and began talking back
to the poor old king. Goneril told him to cut off the number of his knights. At this the king
 got annoyed and left for Regan’s palace. There too, he met similar circumstances and
treatment. Both the daughters treated him like dirt and dust after wangling his kingdom
from him.

6 What role did the Earl of Kent, Caius play in the play “ King Lear”?

The Earl of Kent played a noble role in the play. When the king left the houses of her
daughters, it was a stormy night. There was no one with the king but this man, the Earl of
Kent, named Caius. He tried to protect the king from his own reckless nature, he disguised
as an ordinary man to protect the king. He took great care of the king till his last days. He
informed Cordelia about king’s illness and helped the king restore his health.

7 How did Cordelia take care of her father in his last days?
King Lear not is senses, out of castle Dover, happened to fall into the hands of Cordelia. She
showed great compassion and concern for her father.She arranged a doctor, promising him
gold and jewels for the recovery of the king. She even involved England to take revenge on
her sisters because she thought that they were responsible for the ruin of the king.

8 Who was Edmund and whom he wanted to marry?

Edmund was the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester. He was an attractive but a
cunning person. He tricked his brother and father and created a gulf between them.Thus he
became the Earl of Gloucester. He wanted to marry Regan whose husband had died in a
fight.

9 Why did Goneril decide to kill Regan by poison?

Goneril decided to kill her sister Regan because she did not want Edmund to marry Regan
whose husband had died in a fight. Goneril herself was in love with Edmund and in return
he had professed love to her several times. She became jealous and killed Regan by mixing
poison in her drink.
10 Why did Goneril put an end to her life?

Goneril ended her life because her husband learnt about her evil designs of killing her sister,
Regan and planning to marry Edmund. Her husband read her letter that she wrote to
Edmund showing the intention to kill her husband. Having read the letter he imprisoned her
where she killed herself.

11 Who ascended the throne of Britian after the death of king Lear?

Goneril’s husband, the duke of Albany ascended the throne of Britain after the death of
king Lear. He never supported her wife in her evil desingns against the king and Cordelia.
12 How should old parents be treated specially in their old age?

Old parents should be treated with love and kindness in their old age as king Lear was
treated by Cordelia. One should not be rude and harsh with them. They rightfully deserve
our infinite affection and kindness. They should be respcted and honoured in their old age.

13 “Greed is the root of all evils” does this maxim apply to Goneril and Regan, the daughters of
king Lear?
Yes, the maxim “ Greed is the rioot of all evils” truly applies to Goneril and Regan who
became blind in greed and ruined the house of Lear.

14 How was Cordelia rewarded for her innocent nature?

Cordelia received her first reward due to her virtues when the king of France married her.
Whatever she had lost at the house of her father, she gained it at the palace of the king of
France. She was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to serve her father well. Her two
sisters lost tis opportunity. This was her second reward.

15 How can we lead a life free of greed and avarice?

We can lead a life free of greed and avarice by contriling our wishes. There is a great
difference between needs and wishes. We should fulfill our needs and control our wishes.
We should not follow undue rituals and rites. We should follow our religion in true letter
and spirit and keep our life simple. True worship of God can guarantee a greed-free life.

Objective Questions

1 King Lear wanted to hand over the affiars of the state to younger ones because he was:
a old b sick c mad d injured
2 Goneril was married to….

a king of France b duke of Cornwell c duke of Albany d Edmund

3 Regan was married to….

a king of France b duke of Cornwell c duke of Albany d duke of Burgundy

4 Cordelia was accpted as a wife by…..
a king of France b duke of Cornwell c duke of Albany d duke of Burgundy
5 Cordelia was denied inheritance because she :
a was unmarried b was not real daughter of Lear c was blind d could not
impress the king with her love
6 The king had….. hundred knights for himself.

a one b two c three d four

 7 Who named himself Caius?

a Edmund b Goneril c Kent d Cordelia

8 Lear sent …….with a letter to Regan.

a Caius b Goneril c Edmund d duke of Burgundy

9 Caius was put in the stocks because he:

a stole from the palace b was rude to Regan c disobeyed the king.

d beat the steward

10 When the king left Regan’s palace it was a….

a bright day b rainy day c stormy night d pleasant cool night

` 11 Cordelia’s men found Lear near……

a France b Dover c Burgundy d Albany

12 Who got the king cured?

a Regan b Goneril c Cordelia d king of France

13 Edmund was a…… earl.

a noble b brave c ideal d wicked

14 Who poisoned Regan?

a earl of Gloucester b Goneril c Cordelia d king of France

16 Regan’s husband died …….

a an accident b in a war c a fight d of disease

1 a 2 c 3 b 4 a 5 d
6 a 7 c 8 a 9 d 10 c
11 b 12 c 13 d 14 b 15 c