Discuss the relationship between Jessica and Shylock: what does it reveal about their characters?
In the ‘Merchant of Venice’ Jessica and Shylock have a complicated relationship. It evolves over the course of the play, and changes as more characters are introduced. Some elements of the relationship between Jessica and Shylock are mirrored by the relationships between the other characters too, like the relationship between Portia and her father. This allows Shakespeare to create relationships between his characters that we feel we might happen in real life which in turn leads the reader to become more involved in the play, on a more personal level.
There is a lack of communication or trust, which could go some way to lead to Jessica running …show more content…
This theme of secrecy is mirrored by the way Portia pretends to be a man to save the best friend of her husband. Both of the characters are also linked by the fact that they have both been secretive to end the play with the man they love. Jessica then says to Lorenzo ‘I will make fast the doors, and gild myself/with some moe ducats, and be with you straight.’ Jessica could be saying this because she feels like she has to make herself pretty to be with Lorenzo, which ties into the idea that women were objects for their fathers to marry off in exchange for things like money or land. However this could also means that apart from the literal translation of dressing herself up with gold, it could be that she will use the money to protect herself from everyone. This is reflected by Shylock as because of his money he is able to buy a house and people to surround him, the money goes to a certain length to protect him from the religious prejudice he faces for being a Jew. The difference between them is that while Shylock’s protection is stationary, the protection Jessica hopes to gain from stealing the money from her father will be mobile, and the money will go from Shylock’s house to Lorenzo’s house because as a female she was not allowed to set up a home on her own. Interpretations of this line in the play are based around how Jessica has different rights and responsibilities based only on the fact that she is a
In the ‘Merchant of Venice’ Jessica and Shylock have a complicated relationship. It evolves over the course of the play, and changes as more characters are introduced. Some elements of the relationship between Jessica and Shylock are mirrored by the relationships between the other characters too, like the relationship between Portia and her father. This allows Shakespeare to create relationships between his characters that we feel we might happen in real life which in turn leads the reader to become more involved in the play, on a more personal level.
There is a lack of communication or trust, which could go some way to lead to Jessica running …show more content…
This theme of secrecy is mirrored by the way Portia pretends to be a man to save the best friend of her husband. Both of the characters are also linked by the fact that they have both been secretive to end the play with the man they love. Jessica then says to Lorenzo ‘I will make fast the doors, and gild myself/with some moe ducats, and be with you straight.’ Jessica could be saying this because she feels like she has to make herself pretty to be with Lorenzo, which ties into the idea that women were objects for their fathers to marry off in exchange for things like money or land. However this could also means that apart from the literal translation of dressing herself up with gold, it could be that she will use the money to protect herself from everyone. This is reflected by Shylock as because of his money he is able to buy a house and people to surround him, the money goes to a certain length to protect him from the religious prejudice he faces for being a Jew. The difference between them is that while Shylock’s protection is stationary, the protection Jessica hopes to gain from stealing the money from her father will be mobile, and the money will go from Shylock’s house to Lorenzo’s house because as a female she was not allowed to set up a home on her own. Interpretations of this line in the play are based around how Jessica has different rights and responsibilities based only on the fact that she is a