Shylocks First Scene Essays - Orientalism, The Merchant Of Venice

Shylock's First Scene Shylocks First Scene Shylocks first scene in The Merchant of Venice is important because it sets the tone for the audiences view of him throughout the play. I have never seen the play performed, but it has been my experience that an audience will form an opinion of a character upon first seeing them. There are many different ways of portraying Shylock in his first scene. I will be focussing on portraying Shylock as a villain. I understand that his role is villainous, but various actors and directors have actually portrayed him differently. I like to think of my way, as the way Shakespeare himself would have done it. During a production of Merchant the audience will see Shylock before they hear him, so I will start with his appearance. Shylock first appears in Act 1, Scene 3. He needs to be an old man stricken in years, but only in the face. It should be a little wrinkled, and his hair ought to be gray. It is important that in his first scene Shylock stands up straight and appears strong and confident. Shylock shall lose this confidence and posture by the end of my production, but for this scene he must be on the verge of arrogance. He should be outfitted in a Jewish garbadine, a garment of rich material but a dull shade and it must fit him well. This will give the appearance that he is rich, but not trying to brag about it. It is important to note here that Bassanio must appear in mild dress. He should not depict a commoner, but at the same time not be wearing anything flashy, this will add to the grandeur of Shylocks clothing. I would also have Shylock and Bassanio walk about the rear of the st age and appear to be speaking to each other. That way the audience will be able to begin forming their opinion before hearing Shylock speak. As the pair comes forward on the stage, the audience will then be able to hear what it is they are talking about. Shylocks first line is as equally important as his appearance is. Three thousand ducats, well? (The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, ed. Bevington, 1.3.1) should be said in a manner that portrays a love of money. The audience must believe that Shylock is greedy from the very beginning. If they believe he is greedy, and after they hear the conditions of the loan, then they will anticipate an ending of their own. If the audience is trying to follow a mystery throughout the play it will be more enjoyable for them. If there is no mystery in the play, an audiences mind can wander. As Shylock goes on in the scene there is one word that emanates throughout his lines, and that is ducats. The mentioning of the ducats must be made in a lingering, caressing tone that also puts across Shylocks love of money. Shylocks actions during his conversation with Bassanio should also imply greed. He may put his hand over his billfold area while questioning the amount or rub his thumb and forefingers as if he was sorting money. His first line will also note the sum to the audience with a hint of inquiry. The second line, For three months, well? should determine a negative answer is forthcoming, but leave Bassanio to keep enticing him. The third line for Shylock, Antonio shall become bound, well should be performed in a manner that the audience will come away thinking there is something between Antonio and Shylock. The actor portraying Shylock should emit a momentary flash of hate by using piercing eyes or a contraction of muscles. Immediately following this flash the actor must resume total self-control. This will make the audience definite that Shylock is to be a main character and interesting events have preceded and will follow. With the opening of Act 1, Scene 3 portrayed this way, the audience will be filled with anticipation throughout the play. They will wonder what twists and turns Shylocks greed and hatred will bring, and how it will affect their other favorite characters. English Essays

Is Sports Cmpetition Relevant to Academic Learning

Is Sports Cmpetition Relevant to Academic Learning Read whether sports competition is relevant to academic learning. Learning Theories and Relevance of Competitive Sport Learning theories have significant implications in the way academic  institutions facilitate learning. For instance, learning through reward and punishment  is Behaviorist learning practices while learning through input and memorization of educational materials is a Cognitive-learning concept. Similarly, the term â€Å"student-centered† learning is a Constructivist idea that people learn better when they â€Å"construct† own knowledge and meaning. However, since the aim of applying these learning theories in a school setting is to enhance knowledge of curriculum, they do not support the kind of knowledge acquired through sports competition similar to the volleyball match where athletes with #PusoAteneo won. Social Learning Theory is for learning social skills and therefore not academically relevant. Some literature argues that it is relevant to physical education, as such academic subject contributes to socially and morally educated citizens. The problem, however, is the fact that physical education is never for students’ social or moral development, but for learning health-related activities. Moreover, social skills and moral values allegedly developed from physical education are results rather than a facilitator of academic learning. You may be interested in: Practice What You Preach Is High IQ a Guarantee of Academic Success? Contrary to common belief, sport is not synonymous with physical education. Sports are physical activities in which adults and young people compete while physical education is a learning process prescribed by the curriculum. Although the subject often includes sports, there is no inherent necessity for physical education to foster and promote competitive behavior. Sport, therefore, is never an academic subject while competitive behavior is exclusive to sport. Overall, competition is not an objective in physical education and irrelevant to academic learning. The question is why schools are so eager about competition and spending significant time and money on their respective sports teams. The True Benefit of Sport Competition The study shows that participation in sport is mostly an individual decision while school-sponsored sports competition is an after-school activity. The common objective is to facilitate the skills and knowledge necessary to support a healthy and productive lifestyle. Interscholastic sport or â€Å"varsity sport† is the system of competition between schools, but remains an extracurricular activity in terms of funding. Collegiate sports or sports competition between colleges and universities, on the other hand, are governed by private national organizations. The academic institutions, however, provide the funding and give a full scholarship to their athletes. Successful athletes in return generate a large amount of revenue for their school. The learning benefit of sports competition appears limited to elementary and school. Sport in higher education seems more of a business strategy than a learning experience. In fact, collegiate sports in North America according to author Maylon Hanold are â€Å"solidly a business† within academic institutions. Most successful teams and athletes received money from corporate sponsors and therefore always determined to win regardless of injury or being involved in cheating. The #PusoAteneo or â€Å"Heart of Ateneo† University is, therefore, referring to college athletes’ competitive spirit or the â€Å"heart of champion† that has nothing to do with physical education and academic learning.