Merchant of Venice - Examine Act 4 Scene 1 and comment on how dramatically effective you found this

Dramatic tension is induced when Portia, disguised as a young man, cross-examines Shylock in court. Lulling him into a false sense of security, she allows him to believe she is on his side. Shylock is absolutely determined to have his bond and to have his pound of "carrion" flesh.

Before Portia presents her argument, Bassanio asks Shylock-

"Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?"

And Shylock replies - "To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there"

Shylock is actually sharpening his knife in preparation to murder Antonio! His serious tone brings forth images of grotesqueness, yet the crowd in the court are expecting to see blood, and this horrific suggestion by Shylock is possibly met with approval by the crowd. Images of blood and horror are continued when Gratiano portrays images of wolves - "Governed a wolf…bloody, starved and ravenous"

This causes dramatic thoughts and images to be conjured in the minds of the audience, images of a bloodthirsty monster that will stop at nothing short of murder.

When Portia enters the courtroom, she asks-

"Which is the Jew and which is the merchant?"

Perhaps she is trying to create a sense of justice by not wanting to show any favourites, but on an Elizabethan stage set, she would immediately recognise the Jew from his distinctive d ...