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Ethics and Film:  Messages, Themes, and Techniques Module 4: The Merchant of Venice Magaret Haun, PhD Development Team Click Here for Lesson Plans
	Introduction In this era of high-stakes testing, the tendency is to view movies in the classroom as a distraction, at most a deserved respite from the serious work of preparing students for the minimum competency assessments they must pass to graduate. The guiding principle of this module, however, is that films provide students an opportunity to think critically about plots or events, characters, techniques, themes, and social issues. View More
	Key Concepts and Vocabulary Do film directors or producers have the responsibility to create morally acceptable films? Who determines what is morally acceptable? Can a film be good if it relies on racist, sexist, or anti-semitic content? Why do we sometimes find ourselves resisting a film’s “argument”? How do films pull us in to their worlds? How do films communicate their values? How important is it for our experiences as viewers that we share the values of a film? What is the difference between a fiction film and a documentary? Do the ethical responsibilities of a film director extend beyond the honest management of the actors and film crew? Can something as straightforward as the camera angle in a particular shot or series of shots be immoral, even sinister? How important is point of view as an element of both technique and content? What is the connection between a film’s formal techniques (camera angle and distance, lighting, edits, etc.) and its content? View More
	Background for for Teachers The Merchant of Venice is a difficult play. I would recommend the play and the film—which is rated R-- for advanced classes. Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice (MV) as a comedy but readers and audiences today find little to laugh at in this dark piece. Older discussions of the play argue that it upholds the “Christian values” of forgiveness, kindness, friendship, and generosity (Craig 505). Tell that to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender who is physically and verbally brutalized, and, at the play’s close, divested of his fortune by powerful Venetian Christians. View More

	Core Subject Areas and Grade Level		Description of Classroom Activities
	Objectives from Competency-Based Curriculum		Assessment for Activities
	Correlations to Language Art Benchmarks (Sunshine State Standards)		Extension Activity
	Core Values Emphasized in this Learning Module		Bibliography and Web Resources
	Suggested Time for Instruction

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