A Suggested Plan for Writing the Shakespeare Essay Remember the question you are answering is:

Keep focusing on the audiences response in your answer and remember to structure your paragraphs as Point, Example and Explain. For example, In Shakespeares use of an aside, the audience gain a clear insight into Shylocks true feelings about Antonio. For example, Shylock states that he hates Antonio, for he is a Christian and furthermore because Antonio, brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice. In this short monologue, the audience, certainly an Elizabethan audience, would think that Shylock is both bigoted and greedy as the only reason Shylock appears to hate Antonio, at this stage in the scene, is because Antonio is a Christian and reduces Shylocks profit. This would make Shylocks ancient grudge seem motivated purely by prejudice and greed. However later in the scene the audience discover that. Remember your word count is limited to 650 words, which is approximately 3 pages of A4 paper so I would limit your answer to roughly 2 to 3 paragraphs on each scene. You could follow this plan: A very brief one sentence introduction: for example, throughout the play the audiences response to Shylock changes. Act 1 Scene 3 Paragraph 1: write about what the audiences response to Shylocks monologue in the aside. Paragraph 2: which Shylock write about the audiences response to the way in has been treated by Antonio.

Paragraph 3: write about the way in which the audience responds to Shylocks suggestion that in a merry sport he can take an equal pound of Antonios fair flesh from any part of Antonios body.

Act 3 Scene 1 Paragraph 4: write about how Shakespeare uses persuasive language (rhetoric) to make the audience think about the way in which Shylock has been treated and his justification for revenge. Paragraph 5: write about what the audience think of Shylock when he seems more concerned about the loss of his money than he does with the loss of his daughter. Act 4 Scene 1 Paragraph 6: write about how the audience responds to Shylock when they see him sharpening his knife or when he refuses to allow a doctor into the court. Paragraph 7: write about how the audience responds to Shylock when he has lost all his wealth and has been forced to convert to Christianity. Remember you need to discuss the difference between an Elizabethan and a modern audiences response at some point during your essay, so choose one part of the play and compare the difference. You can, if you wish, write about only 2 scenes rather than 3 but you must amend your title accordingly.