The Merchant of Venice
William Shakespeare
In Venice, Bassanio needs money to win the rich and clever Portia, so his friend Antonio borrows it for him from the moneylender Shylock. Shylock, who has been insulted by Antonio for years, asks for a strange bond: a pound of Antonio's flesh if the loan is not repaid on time.
- Length
- About 21,000 words
- To read it
- About 14 days
- Stage
- Key Stage 3, GCSE
Reading time at 1,500 words a day, the pace we start from until we know your child’s own.
Where it is taught
Why The Merchant of Venice is on the list
- Year 9, Core. The books most schools teach in this year. A good place to start. GCSE set text.
- Year 10, Stretch. A step up in length or difficulty, for a confident reader. GCSE Shakespeare (AQA, Edexcel).
- Year 11, Stretch. A step up in length or difficulty, for a confident reader. GCSE Shakespeare (AQA, Edexcel).
Reading it here
What your child does with it
- 1
Choose it and set a finish date
You get a suggested target from the length of the book and your child's reading pace.
- 2
Check in along the way
A longer book has short check-ins every week or two, so it keeps moving and nothing is forgotten.
- 3
Answer two questions
When they finish: a review of the book, and a deeper question about how it works.
- 4
Get it marked, and redraft
Every answer is marked against the rubric for their year, with a reason for every score.