Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this bundle of close reading activities covering each scene of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these materials, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Determine the functions of given excerpts Describe tone in context Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Consider the motif of the guest-host relationship and argue whether Portia conforms to the expectations of a good host, or whether she fails to meet expectations and represents a bad host Compare and contrast characters (Antonio and Shylock; Portia and Antonio; Jessica and Portia) Apply knowledge of many literary devices with emphasis on metaphor, oxymoron, onomatopoeia, allusion, personification, symbolism, invective, euphemism, juxtaposition, hyperbole situational irony, and dramatic irony Conduct brief online research (if necessary) to determine the symbolic value of a particular object Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about Shakespearean drama with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss dramatic works