THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
William Shakespeare's
"You have too much respect upon the world:
They lose it that do buy it with much care"
CHARACTERS
ELIZABETHAN ERA
THEMES AND SYMBOLS
PORTIA
Portia, a wealthy heiress from Belmont, is one of Shakespeare's wisest characters and embodies the virtues of wealth, beauty and intelligence, that are evident among Shakespeare's heroines. Portia is
longing for her perfect suitor, as many men are longing for her, and her large inheritance. However, all those hoping to wed her must pass her father's test involving choosing the correct casket of three. Portia's character develops throughout the play, and her qualities of intellectuality, wit and magnanimity is exposed especially towards the end of the play where she breaks gender roles of the Elizabethan Era to protect the life of her lover, Bassanio's, best friend, Antonio. Portia is a microcosm of the powerlessness of women during the Elizabethan context and their inability to choose suitors or take male roles in society (which Portia defies towards the end of the playwright).
SHYLOCK
Shylock is a Jewish moneylender of Venice. With bad history of mistreatment by Christian's of Venice, Shylock schemes revenge by demanding a pound of Antonio's flesh in repayment when
friend, Bassanio. Shylock reflects on contextual issues of the Elizabethan Era in England, being portrayed as the sterotypical Jew (characterised as a dark, threatening, overly caricatured antagonist). This arrises from the common prejudice against people who did not adhere to the Protestant religion at the time. Shylock is a microcosm of the racism and discrimination that will be forever evident in society, which is clearly portrayed through his stereotypical depiction.
ANTONIO
Antonio is a merchant of Venice whose friendship with Bassanio provokes him to sign Shylock's contract, resulting in him almost losing his life. Antonio is described as mercurial, melancholic and somewhat self-pitying. Antonio's
generosity is kind yet also foolish, as he has a self sacrificial nature. He feels as if the needs of Bassanio prioritise his own, putting his life and money on the line for his friend. Antonio is a rich, popular man citizen of Venice, but emphasises that inner sadness is not resolved by wealth and riches.
BASSANIO
Driven by love, Bassanio is a gentlemen of Venice and dear friend of Antonio who's characterised by persistance, impulse and romance. With the intention of obtaining Portia's love, Bassanio requests money from Shylock with Antonio's assitance, to
travel to her. Upon reaching Portia, he succesfully
passes her deceased fathers test, identifying the correct casket, proving a worthy suitor. Bassanio's character portrays uncalculated generosity and love, however is also clearly financially irresponsible ("Tis not unknown to you, Antonio, how much I have disabled mine estate" {1.1.129} ). His character is a small scale of the naivity prominent among [especially young] society, and the power love has to blind people.
"But love is blind, and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that themselves commit" (1.6)
THEMES EXPLORED IN THE MERCHANT OF VENICE INCLUDE:
RACE
Judaism and Christianity are portrayed more as racial identities rather than religions in The Merchant of Venice. It antagonistic and grotesque depiction of Jewish people emphasises the stereotypical racial views prominent during the 16th century, during the Elizabethan Era. This challenges modern audiences to question the stereotypes of religion is contemporary society.
WEALTH
The subject of finance manages to slyly expose racial stereotypes of the 16th century once again, within the play. Christians in The Merchant of Venice are depicted as generous and even somewhat negligent with their wealth. In contrast to this, Shylock, the Jewish antagonist, is characterised as cherishing his fortunes more than human relationships.
MARRIAGE
The Merchant of Venice exploits the cruel reality women were faced to deal with in relation to marriage during the 16th century. Current generations associate marriage with romantic love but in the Elizabethan era, the sad truth was that marriage was much more than that. The play explores marriage in a variety of aspects, incorporating a business venture, an unhappy daughter seeking to find a home away from her father and a way for a father to transmit wealth.
FRIENDSHIP
The Merchant of Venice accentuates that friendship is a bond greater than all other relationships (even that of heterosexual marriage and romance). This is stressed through the growing relationship between Antonio and Bassanio and the sacrifices they make for eachother - "To you, Antonio, I owe the most, in money and in love" {1.1.4}
SYMBOLS IN THE MERCHANT OF VENICE INCLUDE:
THE THREE CASKETS
Before Portia's father passed away, he assembled a challenge, involving three symbolic caskets, in order to decipher who was the most worthy suitor for his daughter. The suitors are presented with three caskets; one made of gold, one of silver, and one of lead. If the suitor selects the correct casket, he is allowed Portia's hand in marriage. The gold casket, labeled "who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire", represents greed and is a symbol of the shallow people of society whom value material possession only. The silver casket, reading "who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves", symbolises greed also, but greed that is more cautious. And finally, the lead casket states "who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath". The physicality of the casket represents humbleness and inner beauty, and the treasure within, a photograph of Portia, represents Portia herslelf, who may age one day but will forever remain valuable within. The symbolism of the three caskets emphasises a quote used in the play; "All that glisters is not gold".
POUND OF FLESH
The pound of flesh Shylock requests of Antonio is a view point of the rigidity of Shylock's entirety, where numerical calculations are used in the evaluating serious events. Shylock implies that he demands Antonio to die using his numerical mind. Where other characters measure and express emotions using long metaphorical discussions, he does so in a theoretical, prosaic and cold manner.
"A pound of flesh, no more, no less"
The sixteenth century marked a significant time in literary history, witnessing the rise of William Shakespeare. The reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) saw England surfacing and becoming a leading power of the Western world. The sixteenth century perceived many societal concerns and issues that are heavily reflected on in many Shakespearean playwrights, poems, and writings; especially The Merchant of Venice.
GOD
Angel
Heaven
Human
Beast
Plant
Flame
Stone
THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING
The classic period held ownership of the concept of the Great Chain of Beings. Its major hypothesis was that every existing thing in the universe had a "place" in a divinely planned hierarchal order, which was pictured as a vertically extended chain. An objects position depended on the relative proportion of "spirit" and "matter" it contained - the less "spirit" and more "matter", determined that it would be scaled lower on the chain. People of the Elizabethan era were very passionate about this premise.
WOMEN IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND
The Elizabethan society was very patriachal. Women were perceived as inferior, the weaker sex and always being in need of protection. A young woman's main priority was to find a suitor to marry, and bear his children, as childbearing was considered an honour. Women had no say in whom they married and were forced to wed whomever seemed convenient enough for the girls family. Wealth and power were attributes fathers looked for in suitors for their daughters, to provide them and set a good life for their child. A wife was expected to honour and respect her husband and never disobey.
RELIGION IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND
The two most predominant religions evident in the Elizabethan era were the Catholic and Protestant religions. Majority other religions were frowned upon and visualised as suspicious, especially Judaism. All that was known about the Jewish, their religion and customs arose from vague rumours and reputation, as well as alarming wife tales about the Jewish holding responsibility for the spread of the Bubonic Plague. William Shakespeare showed his clear interest in exploring the relationship between Christianity and Judaism in The Merchant of Venice. This is evident through the clear representation of heroes as Christians and villains as Jews.