The Merchant of Venice Essays & Research Papers

The Merchant of Venice "Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice is still relevant today because it deals with issues which still affect us. Show how two of those issues are discussed in the play." Throughout the play a distinction is made between how things appear on the outside and how they are in reality, or on the inside. The issue of appearance versus reality is demonstrated in varied ways, mainly by the use of real-life situations. The first representation of this is Shylock's...

In this assessment I will analyse Shakespeare’s use of language, structure and dramatic techniques to present the relationship between Shylock and the Christians at different points of the play. I will first look at Act 1 Scene 3, where we learn that Shylock has suffered mercilessly at the hands of the Christians and now harbors an almost sadistic hatred towards them. This can be evidence by Shylock’s statement to Antonio. “You………gabardine,”. This statement allows the audience to gain an...

Mercy vs. Justice Since everybody is different, their characteristics are different so the definition of mercy in their opinion is different. Since they are not the same, it is shown that some people do not show any mercy because they have no room for mercy or has very little while others give mercy to many a lot. To imagine such a world where mercy is not shown and just being caught by doing one sin would be the death penalty. In The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare...

Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice" Summary: In "The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare, Shylock is always portrayed as the villain of the play. However, a study of his strengths and weaknesses reveals how hard it is to tell whether he is a villain or a victim. 'The Merchant of Venice' written by William Shakespeare is two stories; the flesh blond tale and the love caskets tale. An important character that portrays these two stories is Shylock, an arrogant Jewish merchant....

Joe Nagooga Mr. Harris LA 11 May 9, 2013 The Merchant of Venice Tragic or Comedy Anti-Semitic or not In my opinion, I think the merchant of Venice is more of a tragic play than a comedy. The merchant of Venice is more of a tragic play because of its negative intents from the characters in the play. Greed, deception, and hatred are couple of negative intents. Shakespeare gives reasons for Shylock’s actions. Antonio is a friend of Bassanio and a Christian. Antonio spits on Shylock...

Shylock in the play was treated very bad by the Christian people. All the people in the play all said hateful things to him and spat on him. For his "un-Christian" behavior he was called a dog Jew by everyone he doesn’t even know. Shylock was fed up with Christians hating the Jews, so he made a bond with Antonio to get revenge. The bond had a slight catch to it, if Antonio did not pay him back on time then he would have to give Shylock a pound of his own flesh. He deliberately asks for a pound...

The Merchant of Venice Movie Production Matt Bomer as Antonio Matthew Bomer has an impressive and aristocratic bearing. No matter how tall he is, Matthew appears noble and upright. He is very much in control of the image he sends out to others. Bomer is elegant, graceful, and charismatic. He can take the role as a rather lackluster character. He can act as a hopeless depressive man, someone who cannot name the source of his melancholy...

In Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, the audience is challenged by the conflict of different religions and faiths, unfairness in the law and revenge towards other characters to explore relationships with fellow humans. The play’s essential focus around these themes allows the audience to explore each character’s actions and morality. Antonio and Shylock’s continued conflict over their different religion, Portia’s inability to choose who she wishes to marry and Shylock’s revenge...

Throughout the centuries peoples’ views about what a true friendship is have changed and morphed into different things over the years. At one point in time a friend was someone who would do anything for you, at another a friend was a shoulder to cry on, or a person to gossip with about the latest news. At another time a friend was just someone who you could play racquetball or golf with after work. Most people have similar views on what a true friend is. That view is that a true friend is...

 The Merchant of Venice illustrates a clear discrepancy between the moral values of its Christian characters and those of Shylock; at last revealing favor for the mercy, generosity, love, and self-sacrifice of the Christians. Irrespective of the religious hypocrisy displayed by the Christians of the play, they ultimately prove the victors, while those who disregard the virtues of Christian doctrine suffer highly disagreeable consequences. Shylock, a miserly Jew and heartless usurer...

Shylock – Money-minded/materialistic To a large extent, Shylock is a villain because he is money-minded/materialistic. “I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! Would she were hearsed at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! “(Act 3, Sc 1) According to the stated evidence, Shylock would rather have his own daughter dead than she run away with his ducats. He shows no concern whatsoever for his daughter who had run away, but instead was more concerned about the...

Is Shylock portrayed as a villain or victim? In our lessons we have been studying one of Shakespeare's plays The Merchant of Venice. This is one of Shakespeare’s most famous romantic comedies, written in 1596. The bases of this play lies on dealing with a dispute between shylock, a wealthy Jew, and Antonio, a merchant of Venice. In my essay I am going to evaluate weather shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning. Shylock has the most important role, but despite his importance he...

The Merchant of Venice: A Tragicomedy Patricia Green INTRODUCTION Shakespeare in the High School Classroom The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, does not fit the conventional definitions of a tragedy or a comedy. It is categorized as a comedy, although one of the two distinct plotlines is a tragedy. This play is multi-faceted and is really a combination of two plays in one; therefore it lends itself well as a source for teaching different lessons in the high school classroom. This...

The Merchant of Venice The play The Merchant of Venice is a comedy about a man named Bassanio who wants to travel to Belmont to try and win the love of a rich, beautiful and intelligent heiress, names Portia. Bassanio has his friend Antonio borrow money from a Jewish money lender for him so that he could travel to Belmont. The Merchant of Venice has many different themes, including the two themes; revenge & love and friendship. The first theme in the play The Merchant of Venice is...

Love and Hate The Merchant of Venice a play written by the famous poet and play writer, William Shakespeare, in the year 1596 - 1598. It is based on both love and hate. Shakespeare demonstrates the themes of love and hate clearly through various character. The friendship love is shown through Antonio towards Bassanio, romantic love is shown through Portia and Bassanio and self love is shown through shylock. However Shakespeare also illustrates hates during the play through the characters...

MERCHANT OF VENICE The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare…The title character is the merchant Antonio, not the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who is the play's most prominent and most famous character. Antonio has already made an enemy of Shylock through his outspoken antisemitism, and also because Antonio's habit of lending money without interest forces Shylock to charge lower rates. Shylock is at first reluctant to grant the loan, citing abuse he has suffered at Antonio's hand,...

From ancient times, through to the Renaissance, friendship between two men was regarded as the highest form of social relationship, even surpassing that between a man and a woman in matrimony. This is portrayed through “The Merchant of Venice”, written by William Shakespeare which was written between 1556 and 1558. This platonic natured friendship is still portrayed in modern literature, but due to changed opinions because of the society in which it was written it is more subtle in expressions...

The Merchant of Venice- Essay Question: How were love and hatred explored throughout The Merchant of Venice? The major themes communicated throughout The Merchant of Venice are love and hatred which are portrayed by the four main characters including Shylock, Antonio, Bassanio and Portia. These themes are further conveyed through characterisation, development of plot, language use, specifically the use of soliloquy and blank verse. Shylock as a moneylender, seems to be presented as greedy,...

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE by “William Shakespeare” A Contemporary English Version, Emended and Rectified with Notes and Commentary by Jonathan Star DRAMATIS PERSONÆ DUKE OF VENICE PRINCE OF MOROCCO (MOROCHO -Q1, MOROCHUS-Q1) PRINCE OF ARRAGON (ARAGON ) A suitors to Portia ANTONIO (ANTHONIO -Q1 ), a merchant of Venice, friend of Bassanio BASSANIO , winner of Portia LEONARDO , a servant to Bassanio GRATZIANO (GRATIANO -Q1, GRAZIANO ), friend of Bassanio, with Nerissa LORENZO...

Parent-Child Relationship Between Jessica and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice After reading The Merchant of Venice, we should ask ourselves if Shylock, who many people perceive as tragedy stricken and victimized, is in fact so hard done by after all. When it comes to family matters, I believe that Shylock is the ultimate cause behind his awful relationship with Jessica. In this play, Shakespeare portrays an old fashioned child-parent relationship in which the child feels inferior to the...

Merchant of Venice is a tragic play that shows greed and obsession over A rich Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the villain of The Merchant of Venice in that the problem he initiates causes great concern in the community of the city. He insists that Antonio keep his bond and extract a pound of flesh since he has failed to make the three thousand ducats Shylock has loaned to Bassanio on Antonio's word. When they go to court the duke insists that the charges must be drop, but Shylock...

When William Shakespear wrote, The merchant Of Venice, he made a female character that has a huge influence on the play. In most of his work, the women don't have much power and are not very smart. In the Merchant Of Venice, Portia is a woman that saves the life of a man using her head. Another woman created by Shakespear that is a lot alike with Portia is Beatrice, from Much Ado about Nothing. Both of these ladies add to the main theme of the plays because of their...

A victim is someone who has been singled out for cruelor unfair treatment. A villain is a wicked person or a criminal. Antonio's counterpart, Shylock, is the most noteworthy figure in Shakespeare's comedy, The Merchant of Venice. No consensus has been reached on whether Shylock is a tyrannical villain or a tragic victim. Shylock, in my opinion, is a bloodthirsty villain. In the following paragraphs, it will be shown that Shylock is a villain in every sense of the word. Namely, he is vengeful,...

Merchant of Venice A comedy is a dramatic work that is light and often humorous or satirical in tone and that usually contains a happy resolution of conflict. Merchant of Venice is a classic example of how to write a funny, entertaining and great story. William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice consisted of many humorous scenes, great acting and happy resolution of a conflict in the end. All of this fits the bill for a great movie to be produced. A few comical scenes...

How does Shakespeare use language differently for Portia and Shylock in the judgement scene and elsewhere? In this essay I will be discussing how characters language changes throughout the play, centering on the judgment scene. The Characters I will be focusing on are Shylock and Portia. The first difference in the language is how Portia and Shylocks language portrays them as characters. Shylock is seen as the villain in the play he is manipulative, blood thirsty ‘’Nearest his heart’: those...

Mercy v. Justice – Old Testament v. New Testament While the conflict between justice and mercy plays a key role in determining the outcome of The Merchant of Venice, this conflict is even more important because it provides a setting for the contrast between the rigid law and rules of the Old Testament and the concepts of mercy and forgiveness as taught by Christ in the New Testament. It is in the climactic trial scene that The Duke, hoping Shylock will excuse Antonio's penalty, asks him,...

A play I have studied is The Merchant of Venice. Two characters in the play who have a tense relationship are Shylock and Antonio. This tension stems firstly from religious differences. In Venice at this time the Christians looked down on the Jewish people because of their religion. Shylock cannot understand the hatred of the Jewish people on Antonio and the rest of the Christians part. Antonio treats Shylock like a dog and he even admits in the text Shylock: ‘Fair sir, you spat on me on...

Merchant of Venice I agree with the statement saying that the main issues of The Merchant of Venice are credited to the development of Shylock and Portia. Throughout the story, the characters of Shylock and Portia are the ones who raise many significant matters to do with Venetian society and even our society today. Shylock’s experiences in the story bring up topics of racism and revenge, while through the character of Portia, issues such as justice, mercy and the role of women in a patriarchal...

The Merchant of Venice Essay ‘Shylock was justified in taking revenge on Antonio.’ Do you agree? In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare, Shylock the Jew is portrayed as the antagonist of the story. Cunning, vengeful and cruel are words you may use to describe this malicious character, but does he really deserve this reputation? Upon the mention of Shylock, the saying ‘Never judge a book by its cover’ comes to mind. Though Shylock is seen as a cruel and spiteful character,...

------------------------------------------------- Reaction Paper of The Merchant of Venice A Reaction Paper Presented to the English III teacher of the In Partial Fulfilment Of the Course Requirement In English III Submitted by: Submitted to: August 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Page Title Page 1 Chapter I – Introduction Description 3 Summary/Synopsis 3 Thesis 5 Chapter II – Body A....

Will Bullock 12/7/12 Period 5 Gambling with Love In life, gambling can appear in several different forms. You can gamble money or items, and in some cases things much more important. In the play The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, gambling appears in the form of money, marriage, physical life, and a soul. These different wagers are used to represent debt, loss, and greed, but Shakespeare also associates gambling with love. Gambling is usually not linked with the word love,...

The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598.In Shakespeare s The Merchant of Venice, there are many controversies over religion and friendship, but the idea of the play that interested me the most was the role of women. The two women that are in this play take on the role of the saviors of the men who seem helpless and hopeless compared to them. From the first time we meet Portia, we see that she is a very smart woman and that she...

Question 1 Essay question: The Merchant of Venice The outcome of the trial of Shylock versus Antonio doesn’t reach an apt conclusion at the end of the play. In the preceding essay I plan to demonstrate the factors that influenced my decision to object to the verdict that concludes this play. I believe Shylock’s punishment is too harsh in this unjust court of law. It is of most relevance to highlight the fact that Antonio was entirely aware of the penalty that would arise from the bond...

The Merchant of Venice Act IV Reading Questions 1. The duke opinionated what he thinks of Shylock by referring to him as “inhuman” and “uncapable of pity, void, and empty.” The Duke is not happy about Shylock wanting a pound of Antonio’s flesh and the Duke feels that Shylock will not feel bad for Antonio. 2. Antonio wants to “make no offers and use no farther means.” Antonio is grateful for what everyone has done for him, but he wants to move on with the trial so he can “have...

"So may the outward shows be least themselves:The world is still deceiv'd with ornament." In other words one may portray himself one way but may really be sother on the inside . Although he is differefnt inside the wolrd only sees him as what he is on the outside . In literature this is a significant topic . Many people think they know someone but they really don't . Shakespear's play the Merchant of Venice , is a great example of this quote. In the play The Merchant of Venice , one of...

The Merchant of Venice In “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare is a play in which the themes of love and hate are dominant. The Merchant of Venice is a tale set in Venice about a merchant named Antonio who attempts to help his friend, Bassanio marry his love Portia. In order to do this he is forced to borrow money from a Jewish money lender called Shylock. In this essay I will discuss the nature of these themes and the main characters involved. I also intend to consider the...

Merchant of Venice Notes KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING The play, as the title suggests, is set in Italy. Venice, in the popular imagination of Elizabethan society, was a place of fabulous wealth, royal merchants, richly attired gentlemen, and refined culture. Antonio is very much a part of this society. But this is not the only part of the Venetian picture that is portrayed in the play; another less romantic view is also given. It is the cruel commercial and legal side of Venice, where...

A discussion of the idea of love that appears in the play's subplots. Examines how love exists in many forms, and looks at how Shakespeare clarifies the importance of romantic vows and the nature of the marital relationship. The sentimental storylines in The Merchant of Venice often get lost amid the play's more prominent themes. Although the idea of love appears only through the play's subplots, Shakespeare does make the theme prevalent enough to warrant attention. The play demonstrates that...

Through the development of Shylock and Portia, Shakespeare has been able to address the main issues of The Merchant Of Venice such as mercy, law and revenge but he also questions their principles of trust. Also through Shylock, there are other issues such as racism and money that have been portrayed considerably and the role of women has also been developed by Portia. It’s not only these characters that demonstrate other major issues, as the concept of love and loyalty shown by Bassanio and...

In Shakespeare's play, an alternative title for the 'Merchant of Venice' was 'The Jew of Venice'. Which title do you think is the more appropriate? 'The Merchant of Venice' tittle has been carefully chosen and it is apt and suggested. There has been some controversy among the critics that the tittle belong to Shylock or Antonio. This controversy arose because in the first entry the play had been named 'The Merchant of Venice' or 'The Jew of Venice'. Later on the double tittle disappeared and...

L I T CHA R T S TM GET LIT TM The Merchant of Venice Author Bio Historical and Literary Context When Written: 1596–8 Where Written: England When Published: 1623 Literary Period: The Renaissance Related Literary Works: Though some describe The Merchant of Venice as a comedy because it ends with the marriage of its heroes Portia and Bassanio, it can also be described as a kind of “revenge tragedy.” Typically, a revenge tragedy revolves around the quest of its central character to avenge a...

CourseworkHelp : The Differences between Venice & Belmont In the play “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare the settings could not be more adverse, they are set in the most opposite atmospheres. One of the settings is named “Belmont”, this is Portia’s house…. the hero of the play. Whilst the other setting is “Venice” where Shylock… The evil character lives. Portia is a witty and clever character that endears herself to the audience by saving Antonio from Shylock’s...

he MMabel Martin Professor Valencic, Adam ENGL 200 Dec 16, 2012 Dear Prof. Valencic: In exploring “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare while trying to classify it, as it is a troublesome play to classify in the usual Shakespearean categories of comedy, history or tragedy, I came to the conclusion that the ultimate view of this drama is neither simply a comedy or a tragedy, but a combination of both. In the book it was stated that, “Coinciding with the reduction in the stature...

The play I have studied is Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. The character I believe deserves the title heroine is Portia. Portia, as I will explain is quite an atypical hero figure. She is rich and beautiful, so we assume wrongly at first that she will be spoilt and inconsequential to the action of the play. This could not be further from the truth. Portia is not to be underestimated. Without Portia, there would be no titular merchant at the end of this Romantic Comedy. Portia may...

The statement ‘Shakespeare is not of an age but for all time’ was penned by his good friend Ben Jonson. Shakespeare’s plays have been studied in the past and will continue to be studied in the future. He is acknowledged for his timeless ideas and themes. William Shakespeare is a renowned poet and playwright; he is well-known for his famous plays and his unprecedented understanding of the human nature. My essay will focus on one of his many plays ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ In this text,...

Shylock: Villain or Victim The Merchant Of Venice is the story about a merchant by the name of Antonio who borrows money from a Jewish moneylender by the name of Shylock, in order to fund his best friend Bassanio’s romantic ambitions. The majority of the residents of Venice during the time this story was written were Christians, just like Antonio. At the same time there was a considerable amount of hatred toward those who were not Christians. Antonio needed money quickly and he had no other...

Void upon my bread This speech by Shylock evokes the social world in which he lives. For, as a Jew, Shylock rails in magnified language against Antonio, a Venetian who has castigated Shylock for his usury. Also, within the setting of this play, the Venetians limited Jewish merchants and moneylenders/pawnbrokers, making them live in "geti" (plural of "geto"). The guttural pronunciation of this word made it sound like ghetto, a word still used today to mark emargination. So, Shylock is...

The Merchant of Venice (1596) is one of Shakespeare’s most outstanding comedies. For the past more than 400 years, it has been paid close attention to and also highly praised. Many people, such as literature critics, historians, and the scholars who study religion, have keen interest in it not just because that this work has special literary power but also because that it reflects several deep conflicts-ethnic conflict and religious conflict. The major plot of this play is related with Antonio...

I believe that Bassanio from the play The Merchant of Venice By William Shakespeare is portrayed as a determined, loyal and materialistic character throughout the play. Bassanio shows his determined side when he first become accosted with the idea to court Portia, he doesn’t let the small problem of not having sufficient funds stand in his way as he uses his determination to drive his convincing argument to Antonio “ but if you please to shoot another arrow that self way…”But part of the reason...

Jews and Christians in Renaissance Venice as Portrayed by Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice Benjamin Ravid, Robert Finlay, and Walter Cohen all have their own way of explaining the Jews in Venice in their articles. There is no argument that Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice contradicts and is over exaggerated when it is compared to each one of their articles, although there are many situations and events that occur in the play that relate to the historical reality of the relationship...

The Merchant of Venice Merchant of Venice deals with sensitive issues which are relevant even in today’s time. Appearance versus reality lies at the core of the play. Also, the social standing of the era is pictured beautifully in the drama. William Shakespeare is the most legendry English poet and writer. All over the world, he has been regarded as the greatest writer and the most marvelous dramatist. Often described as...

The Merchant of Venice "The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare is a captivating play about revenge, justice, deception and friendship. Held within the brutal time of the 16th century, the play is about a pronounced character known as Shylock, who is a reasonably wealthy Jew, lending one of his enemies, Antonio, three thousand ducats. The play gives you a glance of how bad and unbearable life was for non-Christians, especially Jews. Shakespeare does an impeccable job of conveying the...

The Merchant of Venice" by WIlliam Shakespeare. "The Merchant of Venice" is a play about revenge, justice, deseption and friendship. The story is about, Shylock a wealth Jew, lending one of his enemies, Antonoi, three thousand ducats. Although Antonio is a rich merchant all his resources are in his ships, trading too distant countries, but because he wants to help out his friend,Bassanio, he has no choice but to ask Shylock for a loan , not to know it could lead to his death. In this play...

Hauptseminar: Adaptation of Shakespeare Dozent: Prof. Dr. Lars Heiler Spezialist: Henry L. The Merchant of Venice Parents & Children Shakespearan plays are almost always deep-rooted, in the relationship between parents and their Children. The Merchant of Venice presents three parent-child relationships. 1.) Portia and her dead father 2.) Jessica and Shylock 3.) Lancelet and the old and ‘‘sand‘‘ blinded Giobbe Two...

The Merchant of Venice William Shakespeare, in the Merchant of Venice, portrays Shylock as one vivid character who can be analysed in various ways. Shylock is portrayed as a complex character who defies explanation and who will probably never be fully understood. Rather than a one-dimensional villain viewed through the eyes of the Elizabethan era when the play was written, Shylock can also be seen as both an Elizabethan stereotype and a fully drawn human being when the play is viewed through...

Religious discrimination has been present for centuries. It was present at the time of Shakespeare, just as it is present today, centuries later. In Shakespeare's time, Jews were a typical target of discrimination by Christians. As a result of constant Christian torment and humiliation, many Jews spurned the Christians. If given the opportunity, many Jews would retaliate against Christians with the same treatment Christians submitted them to. In William Shakespeare's play, "The Merchant of...

William Shakespeare shows how two tradesmen can have completely different lives when others view them differently in the play The Merchant of Venice. In the play, Bassanio, Antonio's friend, needs money to pursue his love. They seek a loan from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender in Antonio's name. The contract is for three times the value of the bond in three months or else Shylock cuts off a pound of flesh from Antonio. While all this is happening, there are love plots going on. One of which is for...

The Merchant of Venice is a play set in a very male and Christian dominated society where other religions and women rights weren’t very well accepted by the community. However Portia, a rich woman who had previously been controlled by men, triumphs as she manipulates tricks and saves the lives of the men. We see how she is manipulated by men through her father, who though dead, still manages to control who she marries from his will. He states in his will that from three different caskets the...

Racism, bigotry, and racial discrimination have been serious global issues for hundreds of years. Anti-Semitism, a hateful or discriminatory outlook towards Jewish culture, is arguably racism in its worst form. For hundreds of years the Jewish culture has been looked down upon, disrespected and persecuted by other ethnicities. In Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, the character of Shylock reveals to us Shakespeare's attitude towards the Jewish people and anti-Semitism. Throughout the...

Final Essay for Merchant of Venice Although the Merchant of Venice, written by the renowned playwright William Shakespeare, is part of brilliant romantic comedy series, it is known largely for its drama and intense allusions to themes and concerns of the time period, which may be looked at differently in the modern society. The title of the play refers to the character of Antonio, who is ‘the Merchant of Venice’, even though the Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the more prominent character, who...

Shakespeare's Purpose of The Merchant of Venice There are different intents to illustrate in each of Shakespeare's plays. In one of his plays, The Merchant of Venice, his intent was to illustrate that whatever you do to a person or to a group at the start, will always come back to you at the end. (karma) However, if we take an honest look at those thing that we have done, it doesn't always come back as the same. Just as judging a person by the cover isn't always right, you need to dig deeper...

Historical Context The historical context of The Merchant of Venice turns, for the most part, on one question: the status of Jews in Shakespeare's England. Jews had lived in England throughout the Middle Ages; they were treated then as property of the King, and were permitted to stay in England, over the protests of the Church, only by his "good graces." In fact, English kings allowed the Jews to remain in England largely for financial reasons: practicing trades, particularly money-lending,...

The play, The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, is one that receives a lot of controversy in History. The main storyline of the play is about a Jewish moneylender named Shylock who strikes a deal with the Christian merchant, Antonio. Antonio’s friend, Bassanio, needs money for his wedding and asks Antonio for the money. Unfortunately, Antonio’s money is at sea, stored in boats; However, Antonio agrees to obtain money for Bassanio through Shylock, the moneylender. So, the two merchants...

Racism In The Merchant of Venice In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice he does not just include racism, but he also includes prejudice towards religious beliefs. The play consisted of mostly anti-Semitism; however, there was one part where Portia was being racist to an African man. Shakespeare uses the conflict between a Jewish man and a Christian man to showcase the distinct theme of anti-Semitism throughout the play. He additionally incorporates the prince of Morocco to show racism. A key...

Portia’s True Character In this play of deceptive appearances, is Portia suspect of not being altogether what she appears to be? Critics have debated this question over the centuries-some with greater enthusiasm than others. One such critic is Anna Jameson. Jameson’ allegations are valid concerning Portia’s undoubted wealth, beauty, and intelligence, but she fails to recognize that she is not all that she appears to be (141). Jameson’s review gives much praise to Portia. According to...

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE STUDY QUESTIONS; DUE MONDAY 5th AUGUST 1) Sooth: Truth, reality, Fact Ague: Fever, sickness Peevish: Silly, foolish or: headstrong, impulsive Prodigal: Wastefully. It usually means someone who spends money in a recklessly extravagant way. Argosies: a large merchant ship. 2) In this scene the literally term allusion is used in many ways throughout the text, an example is when Bassanio compared Portrias hair with a golden fleece and says that ‘many...

Notes merchant of Venice Key characters Shylock, Antonio, Bassanio, Portia Need to know Personality traits How they impact on the plot of the narrative? How they change throughout the play? Key relationships The problems they must overcome Their characters importance in the plot key themes Law, mercy and revenge Self-interest vs love Prejudice and intolerance Wealth Greed vs generosity Love and friendship Law, mercy and revenge The law can be manipulated (scene 4) Law...

The Merchant of Venice summary for act 1 SCENE 1 takes place on a street in Venice Antonio, a merchant, expresses unhappiness to Salerio and Salanio. They then see Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano coming up the street. Salerio and Salanio leave Antonio to his other friends. Gratiano advises Antonio to cheer up. Bassanio tells the group of a rich lady he hopes to marry. He suggests that if he could marry Portia all his money problems would be over. Antonio is willing to help his friend with...

The Merchant of Venice Ever been in a situation where you do not know whether to be fair or bend the rules a bit? In The Merchant of Venice, mercy and justice are the continuing predominant themes. Situations occur, that doing the just act does not seem to be correct or the right thing to do. Technically, the correct thing to do is to follow and abide by justice and the law. For in this case, justice means the taking of a man’s life for the greed and sick revenge of another man. One of the true...

The question asks us, “Explore the ways in which Jane Austen and Shakespeare present strong feelings in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘The Merchant of Venice’. Shakespeare and Jane Austen both present strong feeling of love, revenge, hatred and friendship. They are two different types of stories, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is a novel and ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is a play so therefore they both have different ways of presenting strong feelings but they do have some similarities. In ‘Pride and...

Symbols The Three Caskets The contest for Portia’s hand, in which suitors from various countries choose among a gold, a silver, and a lead casket, resembles the cultural and legal system of Venice in some respects. Like the Venice of the play, the casket contest presents the same opportunities and the same rules to men of various nations, ethnicities, and religions. Also like Venice, the hidden bias of the casket test is fundamentally Christian. To win Portia, Bassanio must ignore the gold...

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE- THE WAY I HAVE ADMIRED MYSELF TO THINK AT ‘WHO THE MERCHANT ON REGARD TO THE PLAY IS’ - ___________________________________________________ (I TRIED TO COMBINE THE NATIVE WORK WITH A-CONTEXTUAL METAPHOR TO PORTRAIT THE LOCAL COLOUR OF THE DRAMA: ON BASIS OF‘TWO LEGENDS RESPECTIVELY’) “AFTER ONLY MEMORIZING THE DETAIL OF ORIGINAL SHAKESPEARIAN DRAMA, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE”- BASED ON THE PLAY THAT ONLY, UPHELD ‘’MY, PERSONAL- DETAIL-...

Karma is the cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished according to that person’s deed. I believe we all have karma in ourselves. That our unconscious leads us to do good, but that sometimes we choose not to listen and do wrong. I think that in world full of hate, malice, jealousy and unfairness, it is reassuring to believe in some kind of an outer force who can just be fair. A force that can reward you or put you back in place for what you’ve done. But sometimes...

 3 February The Merchant Of Venice: Act 1, Scene 1 1. They say he’s sad cause his ships are at sea and there are many dangers that can make Antonio lose all his cargo. He might also be in love or he is sad for he is not merry. 2. Antonio knows his friends and he knows Salerio and Solanio are only interested in materialistic things. This shows that Antonio is a good judger of character. He also says that he does not know why he is sad for he has no reason to be sad. 3. Antonio says he is...

Shylock is “The Merchant of Venice” In William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice," there are many themes, symbols and words alike which take on a complex and dual nature. Not only can lines in the play be interpreted by the audience in multiple ways, they are meant to have multiple meanings. This duality can be seen in the characters as well. Shylock is portrayed as both a victim and a villain and our sense of him evolves as his character is revealed to us as “The Merchant of...

Shylock Shylock is presented as a malevolent, sly character; he is the villain of the story simply because of his religion. The opening stage direction is “Enter Bassanio with Shylock the Jew”, he is referred as “the Jew” from this we learn of the religious conflict between Jews and Christians’ in Shakespeare’s time. Shylocks opening line is “Three thousand ducats, well.” Through out this scene he repeatedly mentions ‘Three thousand ducats’ this reveals his obsession with money, also the...

Humanities English II -4 21 February 2011 Dialectical Journals: The Merchant of Venice Source | Quotation | Analysis | Act 1. Sc.1 Pg.17Ln. 147-151, 153-159 | “In my school-days, when I had lost one shaft, I shot his fellow of the self-same flight. The self-same way with more advised watch, to find the other forth, and by adventuring both, I oft found both.” “I owe you much, and, like a willful youth, that which I owe is lost; but if you please to shoot another arrow that self-way which...

The Merchant of Venice: A Tragic Play In my opinion the play The Merchant of Venice is a tragic one which is discised as being comic. Many factors of this play are derived from the current voice of situation. The Merchant of Venice could be looked at as more tragic because of the negative intents from some of the characters in the play. Greed and deception are just a couple of the main features from where many of the decisions are derived. For example, revenge was an intent that Sylock...

William Shakespeare, widely regarded as the world’s greatest playwright, has revolutionized the world of English literature with his plays. Some of these plays are clear-cut comedies and tragedies, while others are more ambiguous. The Merchant of Venice is a play that falls under the latter type, and it has been hotly contested whether this literary work should be classified a comedy or a tragedy. However, since the majority of the characters received a happy ending, the abundance of comic...

LITERATURE NOTES Beka lamb and the Chrysalids: Compare and contrast the novels in terms of prejudice and society: The Themes of beka lamb and the chrysalids are very simiiar especially when you look at the role of women in society and social prejudice. In Beka Lamb women are the ones who are seen as the care givers and the ones to take care of the home. The majority of them do not work and even having an education for the lower class is untold or unheard of. In The Chrysalids women are...

 William Shakespeare wrote several plays which depict Jews and blacks in a very negative, stereotypical fashion. In his play, The Merchant of Venice, characters are often judged based on their appearances and beliefs. There are many events in this play that led to discriminating and racist outcomes. The Merchant of Venice is portrayed as a racist play through the characters of Portia, Solanio, and Shylock. Shakespeare’s racist development of Jews and blacks are often seen in his writings....

The Merchant of Venice, Act 2 Watch the film version of Act 2 and answer these questions: Scene 1 Morocco is the first suitor to try his luck. What is he told before he is to choose? Scene 2: Lancelot Gobbo, the clown, wants to leave Shylock’s service, why? His father brings a present to his son’s master. Why is prose used? What does Gratiano want form Bassanio? Scene 3: Describe what happens. What does Jessica feel about the situation? Scene 4: A group of masqued men are on their...

The Merchant Of Venice Essay May 31, 2012 There are two emotions commonly shown to motivate characters in the Merchant Of Venice, both positively and negatively, namely that of love and hate. These two emotions motivate characters such as Shylock, who’s actions are motivated by his hate for Antonio, Jessica’s love for Lorenzo and hate for her father and Antonio’s love for Bassanio and hate for Shylock. Antonio’s actions are motivated from both love and hate. These...

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare Key Quotations Act One Scene One 1) Antonio- In sooth, I know not why I am so sad. 2) Salerio- Your mind is tossing on the ocean 3) Antonio- I hold the world but as the world, Grationo; a stage where every man must play his part and mine a sad one. 4) Bassanio- Grationo speaks an infinite deal of nothing. 5) Antonio- My purse, my person, my extremist means, lie all unlocked to your occasions. Scene Two 1) Portia- The brain may devise...

The themes of Shakespeare’s plays are just as relevant to today’s society as they were in his day. Discuss making close reference to The Merchant of Venice. In The Merchant of Venice hate, loyalty, pride and prejudice, love and friendship are just some of the themes investigated with in the play. These themes, although were evident in the time of Shakespeare, are just as significant and universal today. Shylock, the Jew, explores most of these negative themes as in the play he is depicted as...

Show how the plot of ‘The Merchant of Venice' is apparently fanciful but in reality exactingly structured.

"The Merchant of Venice is a fairy tale. There is no more reality in Shylock's bond and the Lord of Belmont's will than in Jack and the Beanstalk."
H. Granville-Barker, in Prefaces to Shakespeare.

This is one way of looking at the play, reading it or enjoying the performance. But it can be a contradiction to our actual feelings about this...

Hank Gray Professor Ho ENGL 200 December 28, 2014 The Comedy that is The Merchant of Venice William Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest writers of all time. He has written many plays such as Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet. He has written all manner of plays from drama to tragedy to comedy. Most of his works are a given to weather they are a comedy, tragedy, or a drama. There are, however, a few on his works that can be considered comedy, tragedy, and drama. The Merchant of...

Character Name: Portia Character Traits: Loyal “Oh, me, the word ‘choose’! I may neither choose who I would nor refuse who I dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father. Is it not hard, Nerissa, that I cannot choose one nor refuse none? (Act 1 Scene 2 lines 22~25) “In terms of choice I am not solely led by nice direction of a maiden’s eyes. Besides, the lott’ry of my destiny bars me the right of voluntary choosing. But if my father had not scanted...

Trial Scene Merchant of Venice At the court of law in Venice, the Duke, Antonio, Bassanio, Salerio, Graziano, and various notable personages are gathered for Antonio's trial. The Duke begins the trial by showing how impartial he is: he immediately says he's sorry for Antonio and that Shylock is an "inhuman wretch, uncapable [sic] of pity, void and empty from any dram of mercy." Wow, so much for a fair trial. Antonio shrugs this off as no big deal – he knows everyone has done what they can, and...

Kimberley Williamson “The Merchant of Venice” Analyse how ONE main character’s attempts to solve a problem were important to the text as a whole. In the text, “The Merchant of Venice,” written and performed by Shakespeare, Antonio, the merchant, borrows money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to send his friend Bassanio overseas to woo and marry Portia. However, failing to pay back the money in time, Shylock takes Antonio to court demanding a pound of his flesh in payment. Portia, one...

How effectively does Shakespeare explore the themes of love and hate through character in the play “The Merchant of Venice”? William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice contains many themes and elements that could be considered timeless. Shakespeare effectively explores the themes of love and hate through character in the play which is a play of two parts. One part follows the fortunes of Bassanio, a friend of the Merchant, Antonio, in his attempts to win the hand of Portia, the rich and...

The Cyclical Nature of Hatred and Vengeance By Darina Gaievska Love and hatred, happiness and misery, excitement and lethargy – all of these emotions are inherited to the human nature. Hatred fits in among one of the strongest human feelings; it is a seed that engenders vengeance. In the Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, these two inextricably bound terms are portrayed unequivocally. There are three main reasons why hatred was such a focal ingredient to the play: the...

Asiya Wallace November 30, 2012 English 100 Anti- Semitism & The Merchant of Venice Anti-Semitism is the suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. In the play The Merchant of Venice, there was a very strong anti-Semitic attitude throughout the movie. African Americans also had to deal with hatred, enslavement, and discrimination during the Civil Rights Movement. Anti-Semitism and The Civil Rights Movement have a lot in...

Shylock as Villian in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice In Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice the antagonist of the play is Shylock. Shylock is a wealthy Jewish moneylender. Shylock is probably the most memorable character in the play because of Shakespeare's excellent characterization of him. Shylock is the antagonist in the play because he stands in the way of love, but this does not necessarily make him the villain of the play. Shylock can be seen as both...

Robert F. Kennedy stated, “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope... and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” In Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, Shylock is the core of all ripples. He lashed out against the prejudice that was thrust upon him and is...

The Merchant of Venice In The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare portrays Shylock as a covetous Jew. Shylock charges interest to those who borrow money from him when they are in need. Shylock is mercenary. Shylock’s love for objects overweighs his love for his own daughter. This character trait shows that in Venetian times, it was a time of greed and selfishness. In The Merchant of Venice, Antonio discriminates against Shylock because he is a Jew. Shylock shows us his human moments –this...