The Merchant of Venice Act 2 scenes 6 & 7

This PowerPoint lesson guides the class through two important scenes that focus on money/gold - Act 2 scenes 6 & 7 of The Merchant of Venice. Jessica’s departure with Lorenzo is considered in the context of the financial language established already in the play (with particular focus on the wealth she is stealing from Shylock). Scene 7 switches focus to Belmont and the three casket riddles, with students encouraged to consider the riddle meanings, spotting the odd one out of the three phrases. The language and ideas surrounding gold, wealth and its use are explored, contrasting the way in which the theft from Shylock is seen as rightful whereas the message within the gold casket warns against the pursuit of money and gold. The language and context of racial differences is also considered. The lesson closes with a formal question to interrogate the presentation of the theme of money in the play so far. Ideal for Edexcel, AQA and OCR GCSE courses.