The Merchant of Venice
I have recently read Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" and have been asked to comment on whether Shylock gets what he deserved in play. The play opens with Antonio, a rich Christian merchant, in a depressed state. He seems to have a premonition of disaster, and all his friends try to cheer him up. His best friend, Bassanio approaches him and asks for a loan to woo Portia "a lady richly left" living in Belmont. Unfortunately, Antonio cannot afford this loan, so they must ask Shylock, a rich, money-lending Jew. Shylock detests Antonio "for he is a Christian" and lends money "gratis". He sees this as the perfect opportunity to trap Antonio, so he suggests a "single-bond" where, if Antonio does not repay the bond "on such a day", "an equal pound" of Antonio's "fair flesh" is "to be cut off" from any part of his body Shylock pleases. Antonio, without hesitation, seals the bond. Bassanio uses the money and eventually wins Portia's hand in marriage. He then hears rumours that Antonio's ships have been sunk, and therefore the bond cannot be repaid. Antonio must now forfeit a pound of his flesh. Bassanio rushes to Antonio's side. Unbeknown to Bassanio, Portia and her maid Nerissa "accoutred like young men" pretend to be lawyers d
However, in Shylock's case, a fate worse than death was that of becoming a Christian. He attempted to murder someone, and should really have been put to death himself. However, there is not a loving relationship between the two; "lock up my doors" and "clamber not you up to the casements" he tells Jessica when the masque is in progress. When Bassanio wins Portia, Gratiano, Bassanio's friend, and Nerissa are married too. However, realising the debt they owe the lawyers, they eventually part with the rings and head back for Belmont. Shylock uses his ability to plan ahead by arguing with Antonio, creating a tense and competitive atmosphere, for example, both characters disagreeing with one another, when Shylock tells of "when Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep" referring to Antonio's money lending. Bassanio is enraged with guilt and lashes out at Shylock saying "Do all men kill things they do not love?" then immediately after offering to pay twice the loan. "What a heinous sin is it in me to be ashamed to be my father's child" and "But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners" proves Jessica's revulsion for her father. "If thou dost shed one drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods are by the laws of Venice confiscate unto the state of Venice. From the moment he appears on stage, his complexion and dark clothing suggest his evil nature and this is confirmed in his famous speech about his hatred for Antonio. We begin to see the ingratiating side of Shylock's nature, when he talks of the way Antonio treats him. As payment for their work, the young lawyers ask Bassanio and Gratiano for their wedding rings. This is another emotional scene, where Shylock proclaims "Hath not a Jew hand, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?" He is distressed and emotionally bruised by people's remarks towards him ("all the boys in Venice follow him" mocking his actions) and he blames Antonio for taking his daughter away, and his Christian hatred fuels his determination to "have his bond". However, he is still unwilling to show even a hint of it. This trial scene is the most dramatic and the highlight of the play.
Common topics in this essay:
Portia Nerissa,
Christian Cursed,
Antonio Christian,
Shylock Antonio,
Bassanio Gratiano,
Shylock Portia,
Bassanio Portia,
Lorenzo Christian,
Venice Shylock,
Duke Bassanio,
intended audience,
antonio repay bond,
antonio taking,
pay bond,
portia nerissa,
daughter christian,
eventually rings,
hatred antonio,
towards shylock,
loan shylock,
antonio repay,
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