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Merchant of Venice Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Merchant of Venice Quizzes, Trivia

Merchant of Venice Trivia

Merchant of Venice Trivia Quizzes

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Maybe Antonio was unwise to have agreed to be guarantor for Bassanio's load from Shylock to enable his courtship of Portia. Fortunately, she's a clever lass.
7 quizzes and 95 trivia questions.
1.
  "The Merchant of Venice": A Fun Fill It    
Fun Fill-It
 10 Qns
You'll have to fill in Shylock's famous speech from this play; good luck!
Easier, 10 Qns, VBookWorm, Jun 23 23
Easier
VBookWorm
Jun 23 23
232 plays
2.
  Do You Know "The Merchant of Venice" Story?   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
Test your knowledge with these questions which are all about the action and the characters in "The Merchant of Venice".
Tough, 25 Qns, Philian, May 15 06
Tough
Philian
2345 plays
3.
  The Merchant of Venice Test    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
A quiz on Shakespeare's comedy "The Merchant of Venice".
Average, 20 Qns, GoAvsGo, Oct 29 21
Recommended for grades: 8,9,10,11
Average
GoAvsGo
Oct 29 21
3364 plays
4.
  The Merchant of Venice Quiz Challenge    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I find Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice' a fascinating play. If you like it too perhaps you would like to try this quiz.
Average, 10 Qns, Serenesh, Dec 16 18
Recommended for grades: 8,9,10,11
Average
Serenesh gold member
Dec 16 18
273 plays
5.
  Merchant of Venice    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
If you have ever had to read this book, I feel for you. "Why? Why do we read Shakespeare?" Oh well...thats why we do things like this for fun.
Tough, 15 Qns, ladylion329, Dec 13 13
Tough
ladylion329
1651 plays
6.
  10 Questions about The Merchant of Venice    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz on Shakespeare's rather dark comedy 'The Merchant of Venice'.
Tough, 10 Qns, meals, Apr 29 13
Tough
meals
1825 plays
7.
  Test yourself! The Merchant of Venice Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
This quiz is about Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice.
Average, 5 Qns, JsusFreak, May 15 06
Average
JsusFreak
2965 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What name from the Bible does Shylock use about the disguised Portia when he thinks she is advising judgement in his favour?

From Quiz "Do You Know "The Merchant of Venice" Story?"





Merchant of Venice Trivia Questions
1. Why does Bassanio want to borrow money from Antonio?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: To finance his quest to marry Portia

Portia is an heiress, and beautiful too, so Bassanio is very anxious to marry her, especially as he is in debt. However, she has many suitors, and he needs money to appear an equally good prospect as the others. Antonio is a wealthy middle aged man who readily agrees to help Bassanio, but unfortunately his fortune is founded on overseas trade, and is not as secure as he thinks.

2. What was portrayed in the picture found in the silver casket?

From Quiz Merchant of Venice

Answer: A blinking idiot

The Prince of Aragon chose the silver casket thinking that he deserved a lot.

3. Who is the merchant of Venice?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Antonio

Antonio is a merchant who is best friends with Bassanio. He appears to be a true and dedicated friend.

4. Which two men are trying to find out the reason for Antonio's sadness in the first scene of the play?

From Quiz Do You Know "The Merchant of Venice" Story?

Answer: Solanio and Salerio

Solanio and Salerio (some editions "Salanio" and "Salerino") are quite often used by Shakespeare to comment on the events of the play and to inform the audience what is going on.

5. How many ducats does Antonio borrow from Shylock?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: 3,000

6. Where does Portia live?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Belmonte

Belmonte Calabria is a hilltop town in the province of Cosenza. It is on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Before the unification of Italy it was simply known as Belmonte. Venice is in the north of Italy whereas Belmonte is in the south, and this explains the delay in the news of Antonio's plight reaching Bassanio.

7. What was the name of the girl who gave Shylock the ring that Jessica stole and traded for a monkey?

From Quiz Merchant of Venice

Answer: Leah

Shylock says he would not have traded it for a forest of monkeys.

8. Who needs money to suit Portia?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Bassanio

Bassanio seems to want to marry Portia for her money only early in the play. However, as the play progresses, his love seems to deepen.

9. Which "part" in the world does Gratiano say he wants to play?

From Quiz Do You Know "The Merchant of Venice" Story?

Answer: the fool

Gratiano offers this idea as a contrast to Antonio's declaration that he is suited to play a sad part in the world. Very early on we are give an indication of Gratiano's outward-going and light-hearted character. It is interesting that Bassanio has such contrasting friends.

10. What did Jessica receive in exchange for a turquoise ring that she stole from Shylock?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: A monkey

Jessica is what I call an ungrateful daughter. After running off with the Gentile Lorenzo (she's Jewish, and Lorenzo has been very mean to her father), she steals lots of Shylock (her father's) money and jewels. The ring was a present from Jessica's mother, Leah, to Shylock.

11. Antonio realizes he can't pay back the loan. What does Shylock demand of him?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: A pound of flesh

He demands a pound of flesh from Antonio, closest to his heart.

12. Which childhood activity does Bassanio talk about when justifying how he wants to spend more money in pursuit of Portia's wealth?

From Quiz Do You Know "The Merchant of Venice" Story?

Answer: Shooting one arrow after another and following the second more carefully.

Bassanio does not really have to explain to Antonio for his friend will do all he can for him anyway.

13. What was the pseudonym that Portia used to be Antonio's lawyer?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Balthazar

Bellario was the name of the lawyer who was originally supposed to help {Antonio;} Cesario was Viola's pseudonym in 'Twelfth Night'.

14. Portia's father has left three caskets (one gold, one silver and one lead) for her suitors to choose between. The man who opens the casket which contains Portia's portrait may marry her. What must they promise if they open the wrong casket?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Never to court or marry another woman

The gold casket represents greed and too much preoccupation with outside appearances. The silver is also greed but in a less overt form. The lead is plain, and at the moment Portia is beautiful, but as she grows older she may lose her beauty but she will still be beautiful inside. The suitor who chooses the lead casket recognises that it is inner worth and not outward show that matters. Portia confides to Nerissa that she resents the arrangements her father has put in place, and wishes that she could chose for herself. However she is pleased with the result and that Bassanio will be her husband.

15. Which Biblical character is Portia likened to during the court scene?

From Quiz Merchant of Venice

Answer: Daniel

She is compared to Daniel because of her wisdom in the courtroom.

16. Who marries Shylock's daughter, Jessica?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Lorenzo

Jessica runs away from home, dressed as a torchbearer at a masque, and marries Lorenzo.

17. To what does Bassanio compare the Golden Fleece found by Jason?

From Quiz Do You Know "The Merchant of Venice" Story?

Answer: Portia's hair

Bassanio clearly indicates that there is a lot to admire about Portia as well as her wealth. He compares her also to the Portia who was the wife of Brutus, probably referring to her loyalty, courage and high moral character.

18. What line, originally from 'The Merchant of Venice', can be translated as: 'All that glitters is not gold'?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: All that glisters is not gold

This quote is often misattributed to Shakespeare but was in fact used in an earlier Elizabethan manuscript. It is in the gold casket that the prince of Morocco opens.

19. What is the name of Shylock's rebellious daughter?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Jessica

20. With whom does Jessica, Shylock's daughter elope?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Lorenzo

Lorenzo, who is a Christian, runs away with Jessica. With them they take a large amount of Shylock's gold, and other treasures including a ring given to him by his late wife. In Elizabethan times, when this play was written, it would have been considered very funny that the Jew Shylock loses his money and his daughter.

21. How much money did Bassanio offer to pay Shylock for the release of Antonio?

From Quiz Merchant of Venice

Answer: 6000 ducats

Shylock refuses, saying that he will have his bond, even though this is twice the amount of the loan.

22. What is Shylock's profession?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Usurer

Shylock is a usurer or moneylender. He lends money and charges interest on it.

23. Which character speaks the last line of the play?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Gratiano

You would have thought it would be Portia, wouldn't you. And it's not even a very spectacular line: 'So sore as keeping safe Nerissa's ring'.

24. In the 1973 movie version, who plays Shylock?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Laurence Olivier

The correct answer is...(drum roll)...Sir Larry Olivier! He's one of my favorite actors.

25. What was the name of Shylock's wife?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Leah

Shylock hears that Jessica has exchanged the ring for a monkey. He is very upset and says that he would not have given it for a hundred monkeys because it was given to him by Leah, his late wife. It is a moment in the play that shows a softer side to Shylock and that he is a person capable of love.

26. What religion is Shylock?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: Jewish

Shylock is hated by almost every character because he is a Jew and a moneylender (see above). Jews were mistreated in the 16th century.

27. Why won't Shylock accept Bassanio's invitation to dine with him?

From Quiz Do You Know "The Merchant of Venice" Story?

Answer: He suspects he might be given pork which is against his religion

Shylock is a very cautious man who seems to trust nobody. He also believes strongly in his Jewish faith and tries to uphold its principles and practices at all times.

28. The Prince of Morocco choses the gold casket. What does the note inside say?

From Quiz The Merchant of Venice

Answer: All that glisters is not gold

'All that glitters is not gold' has become a popular saying and is a misquote of this line in 'The Merchant of Venice'. There are many every day sayings which have come from Shakespeare's work. In fact, wanting 'a pound of flesh' is used to mean exacting as much revenge as possible.

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Last Updated Dec 21 2024 5:46 AM
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