1. Feature Article
Preparation

2. TASK
You are to write a feature article for a contemporary newspaper, persuading readers of the following statement:
Shakespeare’s play “The Merchant of Venice” is still relevant in contemporary society.
You are to use this statement as your thesis for your article.
You are to prove this statement by referring to the play and discussing specific characters within the themes of gender, stereotypes or prejudice.

3. Step 1
Read William Shakespeare’s play “The Merchant of Venice” and consider:
the cultural context of Elizabethan Venice in the 1500s (attitudes, values and beliefs)
the events of the plot
the themes of gender, stereotype, prejudice
representations of different characters within the text

4. Step 2 Plan your Feature Article considering:
read other Feature Articles from current newspapers to understand the necessary tone for your writing.
revise Persuasive Language Techniques needed in your article.
choose a specific theme to refer to in your article which is still relevant in contemporary society. (eg gender, stereotypes, prejudice, racism etc)
which events from the play will allow you to show clear relevance to contemporary society in proving the thesis.
which characters from the play will allow you to show clear relevance to contemporary society in proving the thesis.
what quotes or language could be used to persuade and/or prove the thesis.

5. Gender: Events and Characters
Jessica and Portia – Their influence on how the plot plays out eg. The trial scene is probably the most prominent / important scene because Portia essentially ‘saves the day’ – overrules the ‘evil’ Shylock’s plan to kill Antonio (she is smart – uses her brain and wits)
The women are in positions of power in the play, and this is very unusual for women in Elizabeth Venice / England because at that time in history women were :
Powerless in all facets of society
Relegated to the domestic sphere in live – expected to be wives, mothers, chattels (object/property)
Had no legal rights whatsoever – they couldn’t own anything.
Portia is very powerful - she undermines these cultural attitudes , values and beliefs because: she has wealth (inheritance), but no major male figure in her life (neither husband nor father who would normally ‘own’ her). However, her father still manages from the grave to control her via the casket challenge.

6. Gender: Scenes from play
The trial scene – Portia’s ‘speech’ and actions etc.
Jessica – absconding from her father’s house (took money). Was she a rebel? Investigate her relationship with Lorenzo? Was it typical of male/female relationships at that time? Were they equal? Were they together for love? Religion in their case didn’t stop their love – are they the Merchant of Venice’s equivalent to Romeo and Juliet???
The scene where Portia and Nerissa discuss the possible suitors for Portia - the women (usually seen as second class citizens / silenced / marginalized / they can’t give their opinions freely or loudly), however, in this scene Portia’s opinions are very loud, very clear and pretty negative of men.

7. Religion Shylock’s revenge speech
The trial scene – Christians’s represented as merciful / kind etc. while Jews represented as wicked ‘curs’
The Doge’s words at the trial etc. etc.

8. Stereotyping / Discrimination
Solanio and Solarino’s ‘street gossiping’ street scene - relevant to prejudice and reinforcing and maintaining discrimination.- race? Religion? Sexism? Harrassment?

9. Step 3 Make sure that your Feature Article includes:
persuasive language suitable to convince readers of a contemporary newspaper.
language features suitable for a Feature Article in creating the persuasive tone.
accurate knowledge and reference to events and characters in the play (both before, during and after the trial scene).
attitudes, values and beliefs of a Venetian cultural context from the play, along with that of contemporary society.
headline; byline; column format and images (graphics, infographics, photos etc)