Venice

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…

William Shakespeare 's characters, in the fourth act of The Merchant of Venice, display such blatant hypocrisy that the outcome of the court proceeding is almost darkly comical. Portia speaks of mercy and yet shows none, in defense of a man who earlier showed no mercy yet later feigned innocence. On that account, Antonio had earlier spat upon Shylock, and called him any number of names and slurs. Shylock 's near moment of revenge, then abrupt fall from power mark the height of the hypocrisy of…

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…

formed through experiences, was one of the most significant philosophies of the Enlightenment period. With that idea in mind, many have wondered how much an individual’s upbringing actually affects their identity. William Shakespeare’s, The Merchant of Venice, showcases exactly how an individual’s cultural background characterizes their life. The different hierarchical ranked cultures where the materialistic Christians and the money-depending Jews come from, create opposing views on the value of…

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…

Ryan Helgason Daniel Cote ENGL 170 03/05/2018 Religion and Prejudice in The Merchant of Venice In The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare argues the ethics of justice and mercy, with religion as the focus. Throughout this piece, we are frequently reiterated of the discrepancies amongst Shylock and the rest of the characters. Possibly the most observable distinction, ensured by the conversation, is in each characters’ religions. Shylock, a Jew, is ridiculed throughout the comedy, and is…

lose all he worked hard for, be abandoned by loved ones, and be forced to give up his identity after being oppressed by other civilians with strong religious beliefs, would this individual remain as villainous as intended to be? In The Merchant of Venice, a play written by William Shakespeare, a dramatic plot was set in an era where the judgement and persecution of Jewish people was acceptable. Respectively, Shakespeare chose to characterize the villain of the play to be a Jewish moneylender…

In the period where The Merchant of Venice is set, anti-Semitism was ubiquitous. Shakespeare was probably influenced by this and — although he probably never met a ‘Jew’ — made Shylock a magnet for of anti-Semitism. However, the complex character of Shylock occasionally shows signs of humanity, which suggests that Shylock is a victim but – particularly from the perspective of the other main characters, such as Portia or Antonio - also a villain. We see two controversial sides of Shylock; one is…

This passage is imagery because it vividly describes the scene. Throughout the passage, Salarino paints the picture of the fear that would occur if his well-being depended on a ship in a detailed manner. For example, the last four lines of the passage describe a ship being destroyed by rocks and spilling the cargo into the ocean. Using words such as “dangerous rocks” and “roaring waters”, Salarino employs terms that create visual images and sounds within audience’s imagination. By effectively…

The settings of each of Shakespeare’s plays play a huge role in the plot and the play as a whole. For example, in Othello, the play starts off in Venice but takes place in Cyprus for a majority of the play. The people of Venice were mostly white, so Othello was definitely an outcast. If it weren’t for his position in the military and his service in the war, he more than likely would have been criticized by the Venetian people. When the setting shifts to Cyprus, known for its love, the love…