William Shakespeare's most important theme in The Merchant of Venice is the concept of external appearance vs. internal reality. Shakespeare uses comedy and drama through different characters and scenes to reveal this theme to his audience. The conflict of external views verses internal truth still occurs everywhere today. Too many people search for happiness through materialistic pleasures and external views of themselves and until this search is proved unrighteous, those people will end up as Shylock did in the end of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. Shakespeare shows us that beauty lies within and "all glisters is not gold" (2.7.65). Shakespeare makes it clear to his audience that being externally minded throughout life may bring you satisfaction but will not bring you contentment. He shows us this through one of the main characters, Shylock, a main test, the casket scene, disguises, and other hidden plots. Shakespeare is such an amazing writer because of how he uses scenes and objectives to reveal certain themes and ideas throughout all of his plays. Shakespeare's ability to use what seems to be meaningless scenes to make huge statements is phenomenal.
             The story of the Merchant of Venice actually begins with the need for external pleasures. Bassanio is in desperate need for a loan to meet a woman. He knows that she is a noble woman and will only consider noble men to marry. Bassanio asks his best friend Antonio for three thousand ducats to help him get the lady he desires. One reflection of the external issue shown throughout the play is when Bassanio is attempting to change his external appearance by dressing himself and his servants up in nice clothes. He does this only to seem worthy of the dignified lady he desires.
             In Act 2, the audience learns that external appearance is deceiving through a biblically related scene when Lancelot's father, Gobbo, came to pay him a visit. L...