earth, he inspired others to be great and gave us amazing plays as a result of his brilliance. However, Shakespeare did not always make art that was appreciated by all or understood by all. The Merchant of Venice is a prime example of this controversy, because of some of the interesting messages the play conveys, and the age old battle of whether or not it is a comedy or tragedy. There needs to be a clear understanding of the comedic component of the play in order to comprehend William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice; this understanding can come from analysing the tone of the play, the political and social setting, and the characters that make this story whole. One…
neither a comedy, romance nor tragedy. Due to the nature of the play, it cannot be classified by any one genre. This play dates to somewhere between 1595 and 1600 (N.p., 2016), when William Shakespeare was producing some 12 plays including this play. “The Merchant of Venice” would be more properly referred to as a problem play, which means it raises far more questions than it answers. Having a total of three main plot lines; the Shylock-Antonio bond, the Portia-Bassanio romance, and the ring…
Throughout history, humans are known to be one of the most selfish beings on the planet. There have been many points in time where humans refuse to drop their bigoted beliefs. Many times, humans have sacrificed others to maintain these egocentric beliefs and many authors have expressed this dark part of humanity. In the play Merchant Of Venice, the novel To Kill A Mockingbird and the short story The Lottery the authors are trying to tell us that human beings are willing to sacrifice others to…
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare is a play with a young merchant, Antonio who would do anything for his friend Bassanio. Bassanio is in need of money to woo Lady Portia. Bassanio does not want to directly take money from Antonio; instead he goes to Shylock for loan and uses Antonio’s name as credit to borrow the loan. Shylock and Antonio have a feud; they hate each other since they work in the same business and have different religions. Also, Antonio has on numerous occasions…
The play, The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, is set in the city of Venice. The main characters all struggle with the conflict of money. One of the main characters, Portia, is a wealthy Princess in Belmont. Her dead father, created a system in which Portia’s suitors must choose the correct chest in order to marry her; Bassanio choose the correct chest and wins Portia hand in marriage and her money. Bassanio is in debt and needs money in order to save the life of his friend Antonio.…
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…
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…
In an incident involving dehumanization and hatred, in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, a Christian merchant, Antonio, consistently animalizes the Jewish merchant, Shylock for his religion and business in usury. From the daily condescension, Shylock results to exact vengeance on Antonio to attain peace for Antonio’s abuse towards him. And the Jew becomes Antonio’s foil. In dehumanization, one treats another individual less than human. Usually, people dehumanize others through bullying and…
Mohit Ray’s Shakespeare’s Construction of the Jew discusses the complex nature of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. The central argument is that Shylock’s construction relies more heavily on “historical imagination” than on “historical reality” (Ray 1). Shylock is created using the contemporary and prejudiced views of the audience; this image “becomes the stereotype and historical image of a Jew” (1). Although Shylock is a very strong adoption of the traditional image of the Jew, Ray points out…
Risk is a situation that involves the possibility of exposure to dangers. Risks exist everywhere, even the most minute of actions can place someone in jeopardy. It is an 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…