The Merchant of Venice is classified as an early Shakespearean comedy, more specifically, as a “Christian comedy” and it is a work in which good triumphs over evil.
For Grade XI – Science and Commerce, the new academic year began by performing this most appreciated and loved play of William Shakespeare – The Merchant of Venice. It was a great learning experience for all the students of Grade XI. Right from the time the play was introduced, read, analysed and understood there was no end to their excitement. Each and every student of XI – Science and Commerce appealed to let them stage the play.
Everything was professionally planned and the work began. They named themselves professionally as “All-Star Production”. The Directors, Co-directors, Editors, Costume Designers, and Music Director were appointed. Then started the audition for the casts of the play. After taking the audition the following were selected as the casts of the play:
Antonio – Kishan Viradia
Bassanio – Bhadra N. Parikh
Portia – Atmiya K. Patel
Shylock – Jay Tailor
Gratiano – Siddharth Shah
Lorenzo – Sarveshwar Viroja
Nerissa – Roneet Chaudhary
Jessica – Kishan A. Patel
The Prince of Morroco – Anand V. Patel
Tubal – Harsh Patel
Salarion & Saliano – Hitesh Yadav & Mitul Patel
Servants – Ashish Pandey & Dipen Reshamwala
Dukes of Venice – Sarthak Jariwala, Karan Patel, Mihirbhai
Lawyer – Rushi Patel
Doctor Balthasar – Atmiya K. Patel
Director – Sarthak Jariwala
Co-Director – Kishan A. Patel
Narrator – Mantavya Patel
Music Director – Abhishek Rathore
Costume Designers – Robin Patel & Suharadam Nayak Sir
Property Managers – Krunal Vakil, Gavravbhai, Atmiya Kalavadia, Robin Patel, Ravi Patel
Students learnt many things apart from relishing the Shakespearean English. For example,
1. Friendship requires sacrifice. Antonio risks his fortune–and later his life–to help Bassanio win Portia.
2. Appearances are deceiving. Neither the gold nor the silver casket contains the key to winning Portia. Instead, it is the plain lead casket. Shakespeare expresses this theme–appearances are deceiving–in a message inside the golden casket. It says, “All that glisters [glitters] is not gold”.
3. Revenge ultimately destroys its perpetrator. Shylock seeks revenge against his enemies, but it is he who suffers the downfall after Christians unite to trick him. Perhaps he would have had more success if he had pursued justice instead of revenge.
4. Jews suffer bigotry and other forms of mistreatment because of their religion and race. Christians alienate Shylock simply because he is a Jew. In ancient, medieval, and Renaissance times, Jews almost always encountered prejudice from non-Jews around them. (Helped in enhancing students’ knowledge of the rivalry between the Jews and the Christian)
5. Women can be just as competent as men, maybe even more so. Portia, disguised as a man, speaks eloquently in defense of Antonio and persuades the Duke of Venice to rule in Antonio’s favor.
Moreover, they learnt that the real evil in The Merchant of Venice was the corrupt value system of the principal Christian characters who are, of course, representative of people in Shakespeare’s time.
After all the learning, analysis, preparation and rehearsal, the play was professionally staged on 27th July, 2010 in the Auditorium of the school in front of the students of Grade VIII, IX & X and all the Teachers, the Principal, the Housemasters and the Hostel In-charges.
The best thing about performing “The Merchant of Venice” was that each and every student of Grade XI participated wholeheartedly in one or the other roles. They enjoyed every moment of it right from the introduction of the play till its final performance on the stage.
Hopefully, everybody enjoyed the play to their heart’s content.
Written by: Paras Sir
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/0 Comments/in AVM Updates, Value Based Education /by AVM TeachersIt was Janmashtami celebration and here were mischievous Bal-Gopals of Atmiya Vidya Mandir, energized by some power unseen, all acting in clique, but somehow connected to each other in a giant plan. A large swathe of area around administrative building ground was bustling with joy and fervour, celebrating Janmashtami — the birthday of Lord Krishna – who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
The day began with the morning assembly by Suhradam House, showcasing a short video on birth and childhood of Lord Krishna and a brief speech delivered by Nishit Banka of VIII explaining the importance and sanctity of the festival.
The topmost student on this human pyramid was to break the Handi by hitting it with a coconut placed on the pot, and when that happened, the buttermilk was spilled over the entire group, symbolizing their achievement through unity.
The participants in human pyramid in the DahiHandi were from V to XI std. Other students kept cheering and encouraging which motivated the performers to keep going. Apart from the students, who struggled to build the pyramid for breaking the Handi, the little Aman D Patel from std I was the show stealer who sat on the top of the portable structure dressing up to replicate the Lord Krishna. Saints from Haridham, teachers, housemasters and didis were present to witness the programme and cheer the Gopalas. When the Matki was finally broken by the senior group, a resounding cheer came from the crowd, thus bringing a fitting climax to the celebration.
Keeping the Indian custom alive, Atmiya Vidya Mandir celebrates all the festivals with zest and zeal. Our aim is to make children appreciate the rich culture of our nation which has a number of festivals, castes and religions. Celebration of festivals in such a manner infuses values and virtues pertaining to our long tradition among the future citizens of the country.
The entire school was actively involved in the event, contributing their share in some way or the other. The young kids who formed the human pyramid had practiced a lot a fortnight prior to the actual demonstration. Teachers and staff members guided the little Gopalas to execute the final show.
So for all the students of Atmiya Vidya Mandir who would be reaching greater heights and achieve together; here are some wishes –
May the Lord Krishna bless all!!!
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/0 Comments/in AVM Updates, Value Based Education /by AVM TeachersMr. Pavan Kumar addressed the students wishing everyone on the occasion of this National Festival. He reminded students that everyone has to do their bit to take the country ahead on the path of progress. Through his speech, he conveyed this important message that freedom does not mean absence of rules and regulations, he explained the students that freedom means bearing responsibility as a part, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.
The Merchant of Venice of William Shakespeare By “All-Star Production”
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Through this workshop they inspired a new generation of future global scientists (Students of Atmiya Vidya Mandir) who can now be seen in the school campus flying a handmade aircraft, living with the concept of going against the forces which pulls you down, defying the gravity and touch the sky.
Written by: Seema Madam
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