Everything is the way it is for a reason. Many writers use very different strategies to get their point across. Shakespeare uses many elements that affect the way Portia’s speech is written. The play takes place in Venice, Italy and Belmont, Portia’s home, during the fourteenth century. The main characters are Antonio, Portia, Bassanio, and Shylock. Antonio is a merchant and fair money‐ lender, but he currently is over invested. Bassiano is in debt. Both Antonio and Bassanio are Christians. Shylock is a Jewish money‐lender. All of these characters are worried about money. In the play, Antonio, the merchant of Venice, lends three thousand ducats to his friend Bassanio in order to assist him in his wooing of the wealthy and beautiful Portia
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The story is directed towards people who are wealthy and poor. By directing the story to the wealthy and poor people, Shakespeare is able to make certain jokes towards the different social statuses. The wealthy people will understand Portia’s argument and why she was talking about mercy. They will understand why Christians think that Jews are despicable humans because you are not supposed to lend money to people, it was a sin. The poor people will understand the “dirty” jokes that Shakespeare had put in the story. For example, in the speech, the poor audience will get why Portia and the servant would dress up as men (to get back at the servants husband and Portia’s husband for giving away their ring). Portia’s audience is Shylock. Shylock is an educated, money lending jew. Since Shylock is educated, Portia uses high level diction to get his attention on the problem. Portia knows that Shylock is very educated so, she uses words that would make Shylock think about what she is talking about instead of ignoring her if she was uneducated. Because Shylock is a Jew, Portia kept using God in her mercy speech to get the point across that Shylock should show mercy towards Antonio. She tries to convince Shylock to be merciful to Antonio by dressing as a man because she lives in a male-dominated society. Shakespeare lived in a male dominated society. Women were looked down upon for doing a “man’s” job. Women were only supposed to work from home. When women would try to do a man 's job, they would be ignored and laugh upon. Portia dresses up like a man to get Shylock to respect her and listen to what she has to say. In the end Portia had gotten her way and saved Antonio from getting
The story is directed towards people who are wealthy and poor. By directing the story to the wealthy and poor people, Shakespeare is able to make certain jokes towards the different social statuses. The wealthy people will understand Portia’s argument and why she was talking about mercy. They will understand why Christians think that Jews are despicable humans because you are not supposed to lend money to people, it was a sin. The poor people will understand the “dirty” jokes that Shakespeare had put in the story. For example, in the speech, the poor audience will get why Portia and the servant would dress up as men (to get back at the servants husband and Portia’s husband for giving away their ring). Portia’s audience is Shylock. Shylock is an educated, money lending jew. Since Shylock is educated, Portia uses high level diction to get his attention on the problem. Portia knows that Shylock is very educated so, she uses words that would make Shylock think about what she is talking about instead of ignoring her if she was uneducated. Because Shylock is a Jew, Portia kept using God in her mercy speech to get the point across that Shylock should show mercy towards Antonio. She tries to convince Shylock to be merciful to Antonio by dressing as a man because she lives in a male-dominated society. Shakespeare lived in a male dominated society. Women were looked down upon for doing a “man’s” job. Women were only supposed to work from home. When women would try to do a man 's job, they would be ignored and laugh upon. Portia dresses up like a man to get Shylock to respect her and listen to what she has to say. In the end Portia had gotten her way and saved Antonio from getting