Antonio Gramsci

to save the life of his friend Antonio. Throughout the story, each character constantly struggles with power. Portia starts off the play with no power as a result of her father 's instructions on how she has to marry, which bothers Portia a great deal because she has no say in who she can marry.…

because he looks bad in front of the Christians decreasing his chance of receiving mercy. Shylock also could have avoided his fate if he was more thorough in his bond. Shylock was never detailed with his bond that was made with Antonio, the original bond was made when Antonio was asking for the money, Shylock said to…

portrayed throughout the story is the concept of the main characters coming of age, while seeking an understanding of what his future holds. Antonio, the main character, is an adolescent finding his way through the stages of childhood and adulthood. He is the youngest boy in a family that wishes for their children to embrace the life of the church. Antonio experiences family pressures to pursue a certain life in the future, but his constant questioning of ideals he once believed in, and the…

inescapable labyrinth that plagues the lives of all ever since the dawn of humanity. Yet its double-edged sword like characteristics of also providing opportunities and gains keeps many enthralled in it. In William Shakespeare 's The Merchant of Venice, Antonio, a protagonist, gives himself over to a life-threatening contract with the villain, Shylock the Jew, in order to provide the means for one of Antonio’s friends to woo a lady. Over the course of the play, various risky opportunities and…

is in 1: 3 when Shylock reveals his hatred for Antonio for his religion, Christianity. However most of all Shylock despise Antonio for lending money without any interest. This shows that Shylock hates Antonio for no legitimate reasons. Being a Christian is not something that is to be hated upon. Lending money without gaining profit is a decision that one comes with, free from rules. Antonio is not bound by laws and rules, but is free from it. Antonio can decide to do anything he wants despite…

Many scholars have argued about the role of justice and mercy in The Merchant of Venice. One of the largest interpretations of the role of justice and mercy is that Portia represents mercy seen in Christianity while Shylock demonstrates the emphasis on justice seen in Judaism. Rather than emphasizing one religion over another, Shakespeare utilizes Portia and Shylock to demonstrate how both concepts of justice and mercy can be utilized for self-seeking purposes in The Merchant of Venice. The…

actions done onto him by others. When negotiating a deal with Antonio, Shylock gives him the opportunity to apologize for calling him dog and spitting in his face. This is evident because he brought up the event, not to make Antonio feel bad but to seek an apology. Antonio 's response after Shylock brings up his wrong doings was "I am as like to call thee so again, to spit on thee again, to spurn thee too"(1.3.383947389). If Antonio would have apologized, it is likely that Shylock would…

penalty, a pound of Antonio 's flesh, but he can’t find any lawful way of freeing Antonio from his bond. Shylock entered the court and the Duke told him that all of the men gathered there expect him to pardon Antonio and forgive the debt. The Duke expected Shylock to forgive Antonio out of mercy, pity, and humanity. He undoubtedly thought Shylock was being cruel after his many recent losses, and that he would eventually forgive Antonio. Out of love, Shylock should forgive Antonio for some of the…

It is clear to see the similarities between the plays The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe and The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. Marlowe is thought to have been a contemporary of Shakespeare and he would have looked towards Shakespeare and his famous comedy for inspiration for his own work. One of the most significant similarities between the two plays is their Jewish characters, Barabas from The Jew of Malta and Shylock from The Merchant of Venice. However, it is said that…

characters who do not appear in houses do not change, as shown through the play's treatment of Antonio and Shylock. The events surrounding Antonio and Shylock occur almost exclusively in public places, or outside of Shylock's home, but neither character is never seen within. Parallels should be drawn between Antonio's speech at the beginning of the play and at the end. In the first line of the play, Antonio reveals that he is "sad" and in his last lines, he reiterates that saying that he is…