‘My little body is aweary of this great world.’ (Portia, 1:2)

At the start of the play Portia feels overwhelmed by her current situation.

‘An unlessoned girl, unschooled, unpractised.’ ‘She is not bred so dull but she can learn.’ (Portia, 3:2)

Portia considers herself to be says she is uneducated and inexperienced, but with great potential to learn.

‘I could teach you how to choose right but then I am forsworn. So will I never be.’ (Portia, 3:2)

Although Portia is tempted to help Bassanio choose the correct casket, she is determined to remain loyal to the terms of her father’s will.

‘I have within my mind/A thousand raw tricks of these bragging jacks/Which I will practise.’ (Portia, 3:4)

Portia is full of ideas about what she will do when she goes to Venice dressed as a man.

‘Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth.’ (Bassanio, 1:1)

Portia is famous for her beauty and wealth. If Portia’s beauty is highlighted by other characters, we need a stronger example.

'You would be, sweet madam, if your miseries were in the same abundance as your good fortunes are.’ (Nerissa, 1:2)

Nerissa, Portia’s waiting woman thinks Portia has far more good luck than bad!

‘Thrice fair lady […] you have bereft me of all words.’ (Bassanio, 3:2)

Bassanio is overwhelmed by his love for Portia.

‘You have a noble and a true conceit/Of godlike amity.’ (Lorenzo, 3:4)

Lorenzo considers Portia to be almost goddess-like in her goodness.

‘I owe you much, and like a wilful youth/That which I owe is lost.’ (Bassanio, 1:1)

Bassanio is unable to repay for Antonio previous debts.

‘As I am, I live upon the rack.’ (Bassanio, 3:2)

Bassanio is so in love with Portia that until he knows whether he has won her hand in marriage or not, the uncertainty is as painful as torture to him.

‘How much I was a braggart.’ (Bassanio, 3:2)

Once Bassanio has won Portia’s hand in marriage he admits that he pretended he had more wealth than he did and admits that he boasted about something he didn’t have.

‘He, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes looked upon, was the best deserving a fair lady. ’(Nerissa, 1:3)

Nerissa considers him to be superior to the other suitors who have visited Portia so far.

‘He bringeth sensible regreets:/To wit, besides commends and courteous breath/ Gifts of rich value.’ (Messenger, 2:9)

Bassanio has spent some of the money he has borrowed on gifts for Portia and he sends a messenger ahead who behaves politely and charmingly when he announces Bassanio’s arrival at Belmont.

‘In sooth I know not why I am so sad.’ (Antonio, 1:1)

Antonio is melancholy at the start of the play but does not know say what the cause of his sadness is.

‘My purse, my person, my extremest means/ Lie all unlocked to your occasions.’ (Antonio, 1:1)

Antonio is prepared to do whatever he can to help his friend Bassanio.

'You look not well, Signior Antonio’, ‘you are marvellously changed’ (Gratiano, 1:1)

There has been a marked change in Antonio’s appearance and his friend Gratiano is worried about him.

‘You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,/ And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine.’ (Shylock 1:3)

There is a history of animosity between Shylock and Antonio and Antonio has insulted Shylock on account of his religion.

‘A kinder gentleman treads not the earth’ (Salarino, 2:8) ‘How true a gentleman’ (Lorenzo, 3:4) ‘The dearest friend to me, the kindest man’ (Bassanio, 3:2)

Antonio is enormously well respected by a number of Venetian citizens

‘I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.’ (Shylock, 1:3)

Shylock’s determination to punish Antonio comes from a longstanding hatred between them.

‘The villainy you teach me I will execute.’ (Shylock, 3:1)

Shylock wants people to know that he behaves as a ’villain’ because he has learnt this bad behaviour from the way others have treated him.

‘I’ll have my bond, speak not against my bond.’ (Shylock, 3:3)

Shylock is completely determined to take Antonio’s pound of flesh.

‘You take my life/When you do take the means whereby I live.’ (Shylock, 4:1)

Shylock’s money is so important to him, that without it, he feels life is not worth living.

'An evil soul.’ (Antonio, 1:3)

Antonio has a deep seated hatred for Shylock.

‘Never did I know/A creature that did bear the shape of man/So keen and greedy to confound a man.’ (Salerio, 3:2)

Salerio considers Shylock to be less than human (‘a creature’) that is not actually a man, but looks like one.

‘The most impenetrable cur/That ever kept with men.’ (Salanio, 3:3)

Like Antonio and Salerio, Salanio also has an extremely strong dislike for Shylock.

'A stony adversary, an inhumane wretch,/ Uncapable of pity, void and empty/From any dram of mercy.’ (The Duke, 4:1)

The Duke is so alarmed by Shylock’s refusal to show pity towards Antonio that, like other Venetians, he considers Shylock to be not to fully human.

‘I’ll see if I can get my husband’s ring,/Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.’ (Nerissa, 4:2)

Nerissa is determined to test how trustworthy Gratiano is.

‘This fair one here.’ (Gratiano, 3:2)

Gratiano considers Nerissa to be very beautiful.

'Nerissa teaches me what to believe.’ (Portia, 5:1)

Portia is influenced by Nerissa’s opinions and advice.

‘Good sentences and well pronounced.’ (Portia, 1:2)

Portia thinks highly of what Nerissa has to say.

‘What heinous sin it is in me/To be ashamed to be my father’s child’ ‘though I am a daughter to his blood/I am not to his manners.’ (Jessica, 2:3)

Jessica is humiliated by her father and determined that beyond being related genetically, their characters and personalities values/traditions/cultures? are completely different.

'I am glad ‘tis night you do not look on me,/For I am much ashamed of my exchange.’ (Jessica, 2:6)

Jessica is insecure about how Lorenzo will respond to her outward appearance when she is disguised as a man.

‘I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian.’ (Jessica, 3:5)

Jessica is aware of her difference from Lorenzo but makes light of it in joking with Lancelet Gobbo.

‘Gentle Jessica/I will not fail her.’ (Lorenzo, 2:4)

Lorenzo is determined to keep his promise to Jessica and will help her to escape from her father’s house.

‘Wise, fair and true.’ (Lorenzo, 2:6)

Lorenzo thinks Jessica is clever, beautiful and honest.

‘I fear you’, ‘I think you are damned.’ (Launcelet, 3:4)

Although Launcelet is immensely fond of Jessica, he thinks says that she will not go to Heaven because she is Jewish. He’s a clown

‘I will not fail her.’ (Lorenzo, 2:4)

Lorenzo is determined to keep his promise to Jessica.

‘Not I, but my affairs have made you wait.’ (Lorenzo, 2:6)

Lorenzo had lots of business to sort out before he escaping Venice with Jessica.

‘O Lorenzo, if thou keep promise,/ I shall end this strife,/Become a Christian and thy loving wife.’ (Jessica, 2:3)

Lorenzo and Jessica have made a secret pact to marry, which also involves Jessica converting to Christianity.

‘It is marvel he out-dwells his hour.’ (Gratiano, Act 2, Scene 6)

He is surprisingly late for important matters!

'My consience will serve me to run from this Jew my master.' (Launcelet, 2:2)

Launcelet is troubled by having Shylock as his master and is keen to leave and work elsewhere.

'I will try confusions with him.' (Launcelet, 2:2)

Launcelet enjoys playing tricks on his father.

‘I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so.’ (Jessica, 2:3)

Jessica is very fond of Launcelet and it upsets her when he goes.

‘What a wit-snapper are you.’ (Lorenzo, 3:5)

Launcelet takes any opportunity to make a joke.

‘Let me play the fool.’ (Gratiano, 1:1)

Gratiano enjoys being the person who cheers others up.

‘I’ll fear no other thing/So sore as keeping safe Nerissa’s ring.’ (Gratiano, 5:1)

At the end of the play Gratiano is determined to prove his loyalty to Nerissa, and is afraid of what she’ll do if he loses her ring.

‘Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing.’ (Bassanio, 1:1_

Bassanio thinks that Gratiano speaks an awful lot of rubbish.

‘Thou art too wild, too rude and bold of voice.’ (Bassanio, 2:2)

Bassanio considers Gratiano’s behaviour to be too outlandish and unpredictable to take him to Belmont.

'I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her.' (Tubal, 3:1)

Tubal has worked hard trying to find Jessica for Shylock, but has not had any luck.

'I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck.' (Tubal, 3:1)

Tubal has been trying to find out what is happening to Antonio's ships.

'Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,/ Will furnish me.' (Shylock, 1:3)

Shylock and Tubal's friendship must be close enough that Shylock knows Tubal will help him out, even before asking him to do so.

'Here comes another of the tribe.' (Solanio, 3:1)

Solanio sees Tubal and Shylock as part of the same group and one that is separate and different from him.