The Merchant of Venice: Comedy or Tragedy?
Many would agree that William Shakespeare is one of the world’s greatest playwrights. He is known for his ability to entertain audiences and capture their affections through his beloved characters. Many of his plays contain themes that are everlasting and able to move audiences through several generations. One play in particular, though, leaves many critics asking questions about how to classify the drama. Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, is the piece that seems to trouble audiences everywhere. The drama contains several elements that can be classified as either a comedy or a tragedy. While there is great debate about how to classify the play; upon consideration of the play’s humor, plot …show more content…
The Merchant of Venice does not mimic this structure but more or less contains several different plot twists creating dilemmas for several major characters. With Antonio being indebted to Shylock, Bassanio competing in the lottery for Portia’s hand in marriage, and Shylock driven by anti-Sentimism; these plot twists seems to disguise the comedy of the play with tragedy. When one considers Shakespeare’s history of drama, these twists are even more similar with his romantic comedies. Compared to A Midsummer Night’s Dream or As You Like It, where the romantic characters are separated by forces beyond their control, the characters in The Merchant of Venice are separated by laws. (Fendt) The solution to the problem; however, is what makes The Merchant of Venice so comedic. Bassanio wants to win Portia’s affections in order to pay back what he owes Antonio which eventually results in Antonio being indebted to Shylock, who threatens his life. The tragic elements do not involve the downfall of any characters, instead, their situations end with clever resolve. Portia, for example, finds a way to help Antonio for Bassanio; which then makes Antonio indebted to her instead. “I never did repent for doing good, nor shall not now: for in companions that do converse and waste the time together, whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love. There must be needs a like proportion of lineaments, of manners and of spirit; which makes me think that this Antonio, being the bosom lover of my lord, must needs be like my lord.” (Shakespeare
Many would agree that William Shakespeare is one of the world’s greatest playwrights. He is known for his ability to entertain audiences and capture their affections through his beloved characters. Many of his plays contain themes that are everlasting and able to move audiences through several generations. One play in particular, though, leaves many critics asking questions about how to classify the drama. Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, is the piece that seems to trouble audiences everywhere. The drama contains several elements that can be classified as either a comedy or a tragedy. While there is great debate about how to classify the play; upon consideration of the play’s humor, plot …show more content…
The Merchant of Venice does not mimic this structure but more or less contains several different plot twists creating dilemmas for several major characters. With Antonio being indebted to Shylock, Bassanio competing in the lottery for Portia’s hand in marriage, and Shylock driven by anti-Sentimism; these plot twists seems to disguise the comedy of the play with tragedy. When one considers Shakespeare’s history of drama, these twists are even more similar with his romantic comedies. Compared to A Midsummer Night’s Dream or As You Like It, where the romantic characters are separated by forces beyond their control, the characters in The Merchant of Venice are separated by laws. (Fendt) The solution to the problem; however, is what makes The Merchant of Venice so comedic. Bassanio wants to win Portia’s affections in order to pay back what he owes Antonio which eventually results in Antonio being indebted to Shylock, who threatens his life. The tragic elements do not involve the downfall of any characters, instead, their situations end with clever resolve. Portia, for example, finds a way to help Antonio for Bassanio; which then makes Antonio indebted to her instead. “I never did repent for doing good, nor shall not now: for in companions that do converse and waste the time together, whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love. There must be needs a like proportion of lineaments, of manners and of spirit; which makes me think that this Antonio, being the bosom lover of my lord, must needs be like my lord.” (Shakespeare