Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

Despite the fact that this song paints a very idealistic picture, I like this song very much because of that. People want peace instead of war, and because of that, war happens. When a person has different ideologies, such as different religions, war is bound to happen. John Lennon is trying to say how we should learn to nurture and combine everyone’s different ideas, so no war will happen. This song also makes me think about how taking the right route is hard, but taking the evil route is easy.

Copy out the lines from the play and explain why.

“Speak not so grossly; you are all amaz’d.

Here is a letter, read it at your leisure;

It comes from Padua, from Bellario.

There you shall find that Portia was the doctor,

Nerissa there her clerk. Lorenzo here

Shall witness I set forth as soon as you.”

I like this quote a lot because this quote is essentially the happy ending. Portia and Nerissa make fun of their husbands by lying to them and saying that they slept with the doctor and his (according to Bassanio and Gratiano)/ her (according to Portia and Nerissa) clerk. After a good laugh, they find a truth, but we already knew the truth a while ago, showing how this is dramatic irony, as the audience knows the truth, but the actor/actors do not.

“The quality of mercy is not strained.

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:

It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.

‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest, it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,”

These lines are part of the most famous quotes in the Merchant of Venice. The reason is because that it goes thorough in depth about why mercy is such a good thing, and why we should use it. In summary, mercy will bless the one who gives, and the one who takes, and mercy is something that is the mightiest of the mightiest, meaning that it is the most powerful weapon used by the most powerful. The reason I like this quote is due to the fact that Shakespeare conveys power and emotion into this, showing that he thought of this quote seriously.

Article: http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/03/10/sheen.lawsuit/index.html

Summary

Actor Charlie Sheen, fired from his hit comedy series, has filed a $100 million lawsuit against Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre, the creator of “Two and a Half Men,” a Los Angeles Superior Court spokeswoman said Thursday.

The lawsuit, which also seeks punitive damages and recovery of unpaid wages, claims intentional interference with contractual relations and breach of contract, among other contentions.

In addition to Sheen, 9th Step Productions — a corporation formed by Sheen to contract out his acting services on the series — also is a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

“These accusations are simply imaginary,” Weitzman said in a statement. “This lawsuit is about a fantasy ‘lottery’ pay-day for Charlie Sheen. Chuck Lorre’s concern has been and continues to be about Mr. Sheen’s health.”

Warner Bros. had no comment Thursday.

“Two and a Half Men” was put on hiatus when Sheen entered a rehabilitation program in January. Sheen said he is pursuing claims for the entire cast and crew to be paid for the balance of the season’s 24 episodes.

In his lawsuit, the actor claims Lorre “believes himself to be so wealthy and powerful that he can unilaterally decide to take money away from the dedicated cast and crew … in order to serve his own ego and self-interest.” It claims Lorre made Sheen “the scapegoat for Lorre’s own conduct.”

Lorre and Warner Bros. generated more than $1 billion from his work, Sheen states. Warner Bros. capitulated to Lorre’s desire to punish Sheen for critical remarks about the show’s creator, the lawsuit states. Sheen contends he went on the radio only after years of Lorre disparaging him.

It also claims Lorre stands to make more money on his other shows, including “The Big Bang Theory,” and wanted to make those programs flourish at the expense of “Two and a Half Men” and because of personal animus toward Sheen.

The lawsuit claims Lorre and Warner Bros. conspired to conjure up a pretext to end the series and fire the actor, “to make him their scapegoat despite the fact that Mr. Sheen was sober, and was ready, willing and able to perform.”

Despite stopping production on the sitcom, Warner Bros. Television said last week it will pay the show’s crew for the four episodes initially set to begin production this week.

Connection to Merchant of Venice

In many ways, Charlie Sheen is like Antonio. It is only in this case that Chuck Lorre is the hero, and Sheen is the villain. This is because Sheen broke the contract between Lorre and him, and after he was fired, he did not accept his fate, and tried to fight back. This is somewhat like Antonio, as after he could not complete the bond with Shylock, he was forced to run away, and he fought back by bringing a lawyer (Portia) into the court and he managed to survive and beat down Shylock even more. This news article is related to justice, as Shylock got what he deserved (or maybe not), and Sheen is in the middle of getting his justice after what he lost. I think that Sheen actually deserves being fired, as he was on drugs and he went to rehab, so it really is his fault.

Question

What is justice in your mind, and when should someone hurt someone for the sake of “justice”?

“You that choose not by the view (you choose not by looks)

Chance, as fair, and choose as true. (you give everything a fair chance, so you choose the caskets fairly)

Since this fortune falls to you, (since you chose the correct casket)

Be content and seek no new. (you should be happy, and not seek another wife)

If you be well pleas’d with this, (If you are pleased with your prize)

And hold your fortune for your bliss, (and hold your money for happiness)

Turn to where your lady is, (go to where your lady is (Portia))

And claim her with a loving kiss.” (And seal the deal with a kiss)

This passage explains why the lead casket is the correct one. Basically, the lead casket is correct because you are not supposed to choose by looks, but by what is on the inside. I like this quote because it shows how Shakespeare really knows how to use his poetry, and also his depth of understanding human emotion and the english language

Can good people have major flaws? What is a flaw you cannot overlook?  Is there any figure who you thought was great who did something to change your opinion? Why?

I don’t really know what person makes a person worthy of my admiration. I guess it would be a person who has done a great deal of things in order to help the environment, or others. I think a good person needs to be someone that can empathize with other people, meaning that they understand their problems and will try to help them.

The one big flaw that I cannot overlook is the fact that people are too selfish. I understand that human nature causes us to be selfish, but there are people in the world who are really just too selfish. A real life example is that I told my friend that my sister achieved the principle’s award, and instead of saying congratulations to my sister or something positive, my friend just says “oh my god! I hate your family.” I know he did not real y mean it, but this really made me angry, as another person would usually say something positive, but he just suddenly hated my family over some marks.

There really isn’t anyone who I thought was great, but did something to change my opinion. Everyone has their own reasons to do something, and whether it is a good reason or a bad reason, I respect their choices.

Copy out the lines from the play and explain why.

“The fire seven times tried this;

Seven times tried that judgement is

That did never choose amiss.

Some there be that shadows kiss;

Such have but a shadow’s bliss.

There be fools alive iwis

Silver’d o’er, and so was this.

Take what wife you will to bed,

I will ever be your head.

So be gone, you are sped.”

This passage is from a scroll in the silver casket. It means that the person who chose this casket (the prince of Arragon) is a fool for choosing the silver casket. The meaning of the scrolls is that no matter how many times you try to improve yourself (how the silver was tested seven times in the fire), you will always be a fool. (the shadows kiss means that there will be a mistake and they won’t notice it.) I like this quote because it shows how the prince’s overconfidence causes him to be called a fool for choosing the silver casket. Not only does this passage rhyme, it also shows how Shakespeare uses a deep metaphor to show that the person who chooses the silver casket is a fool. The metaphor is that the silver was tested seven times in the fire, and the person who tested it thought it worked well, but it was all an illusion. This means that no matter how many times the prince tries to improve himself, he will always be a fool

“The fire seven times tried this; (Saying that the silver was tested 7 times in the fire)

Seven times tried that judgement is

That did never choose amiss. (The silver that was tested 7 times worked well)

Some there be that shadows kiss; (But that was only an illusion)

Such have but a shadow’s bliss. (And that person will be happy, not knowing that the silver is bad.)

There be fools alive iwis (There are fools like this for sure)

Silver’d o’er, and so was this. (covered in silver, just like the casket)

Take what wife you will to bed, (No matter what woman you marry)

I will ever be your head. (You will always be a fool)

So be gone, you are sped.” (So leave, you chose the wrong casket)

Why look you how you storm!

I would be friends with you, and have your love,

Forget the shames that you have stain’d me with,

Supply your present wants, and take no doit

Of usance for my monies, and you’ll not hear me

This is kind I offer.

I find these lines said by Shylock very powerful, as he is angry that Antonio is being mean to him, despite the fact that Shylock already agreed to the deal. These lines also have a hidden meaning to it. If a person I hate tried to borrow money from me, I would definitely say no. It makes me wonder, why would Shylock go through all that trouble to get him money, especially when he hates Antonio? This proves that Shylock has a plan with the money lending plot.