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The Merchant of Venice - Themes
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The Merchant of Venice - Themes
Friendship
Friends in the play:
- Antonio and Bassanio
- Portia and Nerissa
- Jessica and Lancelot
Antonio and Bassanio's friendship initially appears to survive on Antonio's devotion and love for Bassanio and Bassanio's need for Antonio's wealth.
Portia and Jessica, initially both unwed women, though coming from different backgrounds have a lot more in common than meets the eye. They have both befriended their servant/lady-in-waiting, due to their fathers restrictions.
Duality
Prejudice
Bassanio's character is a good example of duality.
In the Elizabethan era, the people were very anti-Semitic. This made life difficult for the Jews.
Money
How he appears:
What he's actually like:
Money is a big factor in the play. For someone like Bassanio whom has none of it and leads a chain reaction of unnecessary events if he had been more careful.
:)
Venice and Belmont
- humble
- vulnerable/pathetic
- trustworthy
- friendship oriented
- caring
- manipulative
- greedy
- cunning
- fiscally minded
- unreliable
Venice is the place for men, whilst Belmont is a more feminine world. However, they are both centered around money. Portia is 'richly left' which Bassanio considers her most important characteristic.
Shylock is the typical Jew in the play. He is an usurer, (someone that lends money out with interest to gain profit) is rich, and despises Christians, especially his rival, the merchant Antonio.
"I hate him for he is a Christian; but more, for that in low simplicity he lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice."
- Shylock (1.3.37-40)
Love and hate
Shylock and his Jessica have a love and hate relationship. Jessica is the only person Shylock has left, so he trusts her, however Jessica is planning to run away and marry a Christian, Lorenzo, behind his back which Shylock would never consent.
Mercy and Justice
In the courtroom scene, (Act 4 Scene 1) Shylock is prepared to show no mercy to Antonio. Fortunately [or not], Portia steps in, disguised as Doctor Balthazar and pleads with Shylock to be merciful. He refuses on several occasions and Portia finally brings the law - and supposed justice - down on him, forcing him to sacrifice all his goods to Antonio and the state.