Word: bassanio
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This play, written in 1596, is among the first of Shakespere's works comprising his second period--that of the comedies. It naturally divides itself into two parts, the story of the bond and the story of the casket, and the plot centres about Portia and Bassanio. The story of Shylock, although often considered the centre of the plot, in reality forms merely a supporting set of incidents. There is unhappily one great defect in the play, the anticlimactic effect of the last act. It was recognized by Booth, who omitted it in all his performances, and is generally attributed...
...second illustration of the lecture was drawn from the "Merchant of Venice," in the self-sacrificing affection of Antonio and Bassanio for one another,- an affection, the speaker said, which is often lost sight of between the grandeur of the Shylock theme and the romantic charm of the history of Portia and the caskets...
...skillful tongue, and a pleasant and graceful, though keen, wit. But she was what we should now call a little strong minded. She was the first dim prevision of the new woman. It must have been hard for her to give up the right hand of government when Bassanio returned from the trial. The character of Imogen is difficult to describe. Her nature was distinctly feminine. Though she was not witty, her words were to the point, and so better than wit. She was more constant than the others, and her character was not too bright and good for daily...
...support was, as a rule, good, - much better than that given him at his last visit. Mrs. Barry's Portia was a quiet, lady-like performance, erring, if it erred at all, on the side of mildness. The characters of Bassanio and Antonio were also well sustained, and Mr. Maguinnis deserves much credit for his rendering of Launcelot Gobbo. The mounting of the play was perhaps a little better than usual, and quite outshone the venerable scenery that has done duty at the Boston Theatre as long as any one can remember, and probably a good deal longer. The performance...