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Reading schedule · Grades 8–12

The Merchant of Venice in 5 Weeks: A Reading Schedule

A five-week plan for reading Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, one act a week. Each week gives the reading, a short summary of what happens, three discussion questions and the escape room that goes with it. For grades 8–12, in class or at home.

Pacing

One act a week suits most high school classes. Read the act across the first part of the week, in class or at home and ideally with some of it read aloud, then use the questions for discussion or a short written response and finish the week with the escape room. Acts vary in length, so give a long act an extra lesson if it needs one: nothing is lost by stretching a week.

Each week ends with an escape room on that week's reading: seven self-checking locks that run in any browser, with no logins, and progress is saved, so a room can be finished another day. Every room has free taster locks to try, and members can open them all.

Print this schedule Escape rooms on The Merchant of Venice

Week 1: Act 1

Read: Act 1

Antonio, a merchant, is sad without knowing why, and agrees to help his friend Bassanio woo the rich heiress Portia of Belmont. Portia and Nerissa discuss her suitors and her late father's test of the caskets, and Antonio borrows three thousand ducats from Shylock, with a pound of his flesh as the forfeit if he cannot repay.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Shylock propose such a strange bond, and why does Antonio accept it?
2. What do Portia's comments on her suitors reveal about her?
3. Is the casket test a fair way to choose a husband?

Escape room: Three Thousand Ducats (lockedlessons.com/rooms/merchant-of-venice-act-1/)

Week 2: Act 2

Read: Act 2

The Prince of Morocco chooses the gold casket and fails. Lancelet leaves Shylock's service, Shylock's daughter Jessica escapes with Lorenzo, taking money and jewels, and Shylock grieves; the Prince of Arragon chooses silver and fails too.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Jessica leave her father, and how should we judge her?
2. What do the gold and silver caskets teach about appearances?
3. How do we hear of Shylock's grief, and why does that matter?

Escape room: All That Glisters (lockedlessons.com/rooms/merchant-of-venice-act-2/)

Week 3: Act 3

Read: Act 3

News comes that Antonio's ships are lost. Shylock makes his speech on what Jews and Christians share and hears Tubal's report of Jessica's spending in Genoa; Bassanio chooses the lead casket and wins Portia, who gives him a ring, the bond falls due, and Portia makes a secret plan to help Antonio.

Discussion questions

1. What argument does Shylock make in his speech, and how does it change our view of him?
2. Why is the lead casket the right choice?
3. What does Portia's ring mean, and what does she ask in return?

Escape room: Give and Hazard (lockedlessons.com/rooms/merchant-of-venice-act-3/)

Week 4: Act 4

Read: Act 4

At the trial before the Duke, Shylock demands his bond. Portia, disguised as a young lawyer with Nerissa as her clerk, pleads for mercy and then turns the law against him: he may take flesh but no blood, he loses his wealth and is forced to become a Christian, and the lawyers ask for the rings as payment.

Discussion questions

1. Is the judgement against Shylock justice or revenge?
2. What does Portia mean by mercy, and does the court show any?
3. Why does Bassanio give away the ring?

Escape room: The Quality of Mercy (lockedlessons.com/rooms/merchant-of-venice-act-4/)

Week 5: Act 5

Read: Act 5

Lorenzo and Jessica talk in the moonlight at Belmont before Portia returns. Portia and Nerissa pretend to quarrel with their husbands over the missing rings, then reveal that they were the lawyer and his clerk, and Antonio learns that some of his ships are safe after all.

Discussion questions

1. Why does the play end in Belmont rather than in Venice?
2. What is the point of the joke about the rings?
3. Is this a happy ending for everyone?

Escape room: In Such a Night (lockedlessons.com/rooms/merchant-of-venice-act-5/)