Republic of Venice

such as skin tone, religion, orientation, that cause a divide. William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice demonstrates the struggles of a Jewish moneylender, Shylock to get justice while his world crumbles as bonds and relations disappear before his eyes. The play is filled with much anti-semitism expressed by the majority of Christian citizens of Venice towards Shylock. The Merchant of Venice challenges the widespread anti-semitism of the time by demonstrating how similar events impact both…

Unifying these aspects, in addition to Jessica’s subplot, is the element of love vs cynicism. Illustrating this difference is the setting of Belmont vs Venice. Romance, love and mercy flow freely in the former, while the latter brims with resentment, acrimony, and money. Hatred and cynicism, in this incident, build upon each other, and Shylock asserts “The villainy you teach me I will execute—and it shall…

In The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Shylock creates a sense of self pity, gives in to his greed and blinds himself with revenge, which ultimately leads to his downfall at the end of the play. Shylock, the antagonists of the play, is a Jewish man living in Venice who makes a living by giving out loans, with interest, to people in need. He begins the story, though not happy, at his most content state and as his story continues and he continues to make decisions based on his defining…

Everyone behaves differently, but eventually their behaviour can have a positive or negative effect on their life. Normally, people with good behaviour tend to live a happier life than those with bad behaviour. In the play, The Merchant of Venice, the behaviour of characters somewhat depicts their lifestyle. For example, the lower class is outgoing while the higher class are more strict. Some characters such as Bassanio, play an important role throughout the play and each plot due to their…

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 interactions between Portia and Shylock are largely seen in the Venice…

In William Shakespeare 's "The Merchant of Venice," religion plays a big part in early 1600s venetian society. The antagonist, Shylock, is an extremely religious man who lets his vengeance get the better of him. Throughout the play Shylock was constantly being treated badly because of his religion. Shylock is viewed as the villain in the play because he is a Jew but is actually the victim because of negative actions done onto him by others. When negotiating a deal with Antonio, Shylock…

Shakespeare’s play Othello touches upon the main themes of betrayal, sex, and racism. During the Elizabethan era these themes were used frequently by Shakespeare to hook his audience. Many would say that Shakespeare was attempting to either create a strong bond between the audience and the character, or was trying to spark his audience’s interest. Desdemona the main character’s wife was created in an attempt to compare her to an idealistic Elizabethan woman. An idealistic woman of Desdemona’s…

Portia in ‘Merchant of Venice one of the strongest and wisest characters found in William Shakespeare’s play. In this tragic comedy, Portia uses her creativity and wit to save the life of her husband’s best friend, Antonio. Portia’s father has passed, leaving her with a stunning inheritance. This beautiful, wealthy bachelorette is now the sought-after prize for many a young suitor. In fact, young, eligible suitors travel from other countries to win her hand in marriage. Portia knows who she…

The Duke was upset about the 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…

Throughout History, some of the greatest stories and tales have an underlying theme of friendship. Chaim Potok’s book, The Chosen, is one of these books. During this time period, two groups known as the Orthodox Jews and the Hasidic Jews disagree with each other on most things. However, this fact does not prevent the two main characters Reuven Malter, an Orthodox Jew, and Danny Saunders, a Hasidic Jew, from becoming friends. In Danny Saunders’ case, his father, Reb Saunders is the leader of the…