Closing Thought

Initially, I intended to read A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but I am glad that I chose The Merchant of Venice instead. Reading the summary online, I did not expect what seemed to be a simply story to be so good. However, there is often beauty in simplicity. The beauty of this work was that it not only created realistic characters, but it portrayed the relationships between these characters and a situation with an underlying topic. The tension between the Jews and Christians at this time was presented very well in this piece. While Shakespeare was most likely appealing to a mostly Christian audience, he always did a good job of putting in small parts to make the audience sympathize with, or at least understand the antagonist a little more. He also showed each side with their faults, and allowed for the unexpected hero to salvage the situation.

An interesting point of this play, and Shakespeare’s other plays such as Macbeth, is his representation of strong, clever women. Likely he was trying to appeal to Queen Elizabeth, a female monarch in a “man’s world.” However, it does seem that he has an affection for the female characters that can stand strong for themselves and really take control even in the “man/s world.” I find this interesting, and likely connected to his preference in women, as well as him looking to please the Queen.

Literary Criticism

The characters and scenario that Shakespeare presents in The Merchant of Venice portray the inconsistency and unpredictable nature of human actions. Each introduction of a character was similar to meeting someone in real life. Shakespeare was able to craft characters as complex and real as the average person, with the first "meeting" of the character forming the initial impression of that character, and then as the play goes on, that impression changing with each side the character shows.

At first, Antonio seemed like a foolish man for being so willing to loan his friend 3000 ducats while his wealth was insecure and Bassanio did not actually have a solid plan or way to pay him back. As the play progressed, however, Antonio became the compassionate and selfless friend who wanted to aid in the success of his friend and who looked out for the wellbeing of others. Even after being saved from losing a pound of flesh and receiving half of Shylock's inheritance, he makes sure that the money he receives will be given to Jessica and Lorenzo so they can have an inheritance to assure their comfort. He is more than a just a foolish friend, but a kind, caring, and solicitous person.

Moreover, even the characters such as Shylock show multiple facets. Initially, Shylock is presented as a hateful and bitter character, but in other scenes he is shown to be more than what is shown on the surface. Much of Shylock's dislike towards Antonio seems to be a result of past damages inflicted on him by the other merchants. The context in which this work was written was at a time of intense religious intolerance. Jewish minorities with a Christian majority were likely mistreated and abused constantly. Often times, it is the hurt people that seek to hurt other people. Shakespeare creates this aspect of Shylock incredibly through his writing, and adds that extra dynamic to the "villain" of the play. Much of Shylock's actions are driven by the injuries that he has obtained from those around him, he is hurt and is really just trying to protect himself. This complexity makes the story and the characters even more appealing to the audience. They are relatable characters that have inconsistent and complicated reasoning behind their actions, but at the end of the day, they are just like us. We have all had our moments where we have been bent on revenge and aimed at getting what we felt we deserve, like Shylock, and also when we have done foolish things for the sake of love.

This is a typical characteristic of Shakespeare's plays. He presents very dramatic situations, and characters that often commit unforeseeable actions, making the audience uncertain about what is going to happen next. Generally, the results are surprising but artfully close the story and express the underlying idea or lesson of the play. The development of characters in The Merchant of Venice works to this effect, drawing the audience in, surprising the audience, and consequently gratifying the audience with a crafty end result.

Memorable Quotes

“All that glisters is not gold;

Often have you heard that told:

Many a man his life hath sold

But my outside to behold:

Gilded tombs do worms enfold,” (2.7.68-71).

This quote is taken from the scene about the courtship of Portia, however it's meaning goes beyond that of choosing the proper casket in order to obtain her hand in marriage. The quote summarizes the deception of vanity and materialism, which is as real now as it was during the Elizabethan period. Many are fooled by the attractive appearance of certain people and lifestyles. People assume that achieving this denotes happiness and success, not looking past the appearance at the reality of the situation. Now, with the advent of mass media, people buy into what is portrayed and become obsessed with achieving that portrayal. During the time in which this play was written, the nobility were regarded as the height of society. However, many of the nobility and "high society" citizens lead pretty miserable lives. An example would be Mary I and other kings and queens around this time period, for all the power of the nobility, it did not seem to make their lives any better.


“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world,”   (5.1.88-89).


Every action results in a reaction of some sort. This quote explains how one action can have an affect and multiply in the world. Even the smallest and seemingly insignificant actions affect another person in some way. The people in this world are all interconnected, thus even in a world full of darkness, one person's good deed can aid in the alleviation of the "darkness," and allow for more light to shine through.


“The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice,”  (4.1.182-195).


Mercy is incredibly important. Even with all of the evil in the world, a prevailing human quality seems to be mercy. In Christianity, God is the giver of mercy, He forgives for what we do not deserve to be forgiven for, and even more He blesses us with more than we warrant for our actions. By being merciful, one is exhibiting characteristics of being like God, under the idea that to be close to God is to try to be like Him, which is what Portia is explaining in this quote. This concept of mercy is an act of incredible kindness and an aspect of humanity. Humans are often inconsistent in their actions, and do unexpected things. In Shylock's case, he was expected to show mercy, but he did not. However, Antonio in turn showed Shylock mercy when he was not expected to. This compassion is what makes Antonio such a lovable and human character, and Shylock's acceptance of Antonio's mercy shows that he too is human.
Sources:

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice. New

                York: Spark Publishing, 2003.

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Symbols

This piece of literature has symbols which take on different forms. Some symbols are concrete objects while others are abstract ideas.

Shylock

More than being the antagonist in the play, Shylock embodies the aspect of selfishness and what results from only thinking about oneself. Shakespeare portrays Shylock as a character that only worries about profiting from his business. His practice of charging interest, while common and acceptable in the 21st century, was looked at as selfish and unreasonable to the Christian merchants during the Elizabethan period. Also, when his daughter ran away with his money, his primary concern was the loss of his money and jewels. This characteristic leads him to be disliked by majority of those that are around him, including his closest family members. Alienated and disliked by the other characters in the play, Shylock's selfishness results in him being completely alone. Leaving him to not have to think about anyone but himself.

Antonio

Antonio's character is the foil to Shylock. Rather than being selfish, Antonio represents selflessness. His willingness to sacrifice himself for his dear friend and his acceptance of his near death experience make Antonio the altruistic protagonist in the play's plot. While Shylock's selfishness lead to him losing everything and everyone, Antonio's selflessness not only permitted his friends to get married, but resulted in him receiving more than he had initially lost. His ships turned out to be okay, Bassanio married Portia, which meant that Antonio would get his loan back, and he was given half of Shylock's wealth by the court (which he had given to Shylock's runaway child, Jessica). Antonio's self-sacrifice brought him more benefits than losses.

Portia's 3 Caskets

Each casket that Portia's father left for her to make her future husband choose from had symbolic meaning. The prospective husband had to figure out which casket would lead him to the prize, Portia's hand in marriage. The gold box with the skull inside represented the attractive qualities of items that are shiny and beautiful on the outside, but actually have little value. The silver casket was a representation of those that do not look deep enough, but still look at objects for their surface value. The lead is dull, and simple, but holds the true treasure inside. Those that choose this box look at objects and life more profoundly to see things for what they really are on the inside. These caskets likely represented the idea that many men look at the more desirable option, but do not look at the more important qualities such as personality. Even more, one day Portia is going to grow old and loose this beauty, so the man that was able to look deeper to find the true treasure was the one deserving of her love. Each of the men that came to court Portia were either vain or trying to mask their vanity, Bassanio was the only one that was true and had real love for Portia.
Sources:

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice. New

                York: Spark Publishing, 2003.

“The Merchant of Venice: Themes, Motifs, & Symbols.” SparkNotes LLC, 2015. Web. 3 Nov. 2015
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Themes

Christianity vs. Judaism

An underlying issue throughout this play seems to be the battle between the faiths. Jews are painted to be Satan-like, evil characters, while Christians are the more loving, merciful characters. This antagonism against the Jews was probably reflective of the time, especially since in the Elizabethan period, anti-Semitic sentiments, and religious intolerance in general, were high. The source of much of the conflict within the play seems to be rooted in the money lending practices of the Jews. In order to make a profit, and also to protect themselves, the Jewish money lenders charged interest. Due to this, Shylock was widely regarded as money loving and selfish. The Christians felt that their exercise of not charging interest and risking losing their money for the "love" of their brothers was more compassionate and God-like. All in all, the Christian characters seek to prove their Godliness over the Jewish character the entire duration of the play. It seems that the Christians feel themselves to be more in line with God's word, and the Jews also feel themselves to be more in line with God's word, with neither being able to decide who gets to be right.

"A man reaps what he sows," (Galatians 6:7 NIV)

There were several instances in which spiteful acts were repaid with, or attempted to be repaid with, equally unpleasant consequences. Primarily, Antonio's near death experience can be equated to the way he treated Shylock before and after the deal concerning the loan was made. It was stated that Antonio was guilty of being hateful toward Jews. In Act 1, scene 3, Shylock reveals how "like a fawning publican [Antonio] looks!/He hates our sacred nation, and he rails,/Even there where merchants most do congregate,/On me, my bargains and my well-won thrift,/Which he calls "interest."" So it seems that the results of his deal with Shylock were brought about by his initial misdoings  against Shylock and other Jews. Even in the face of what would be his death, Antonio does not seem as outraged or upset by Shylock's insistence upon having his pound of flesh.  Antonio's seeming acceptance of what he believed to be his fate denotes that he may realize that these are the repercussions of mistreating others.
In Shylock's case, his pursuit of revenge resulted in him almost losing everything. His daughter left him for she was "...ashamed to be [her] father's child," converted to Christianity and married a Christian man. Many of his possessions and money were stolen (by his daughter) and pawned off for foolish items such as a monkey (who really needs a pet monkey?). Even more, he ended up not getting the pound of flesh he desired, and narrowly escaped being sentenced to death for basically trying to kill Antonio. Nonetheless, Shylock did receive mercy and Antonio offered to give him back the half of his wealth that the court ordered he give to Antonio as long as he allowed it to be inheritance for Jessica's new husband so they could have somewhere to live after Shylock's death. Essentially, everyone in the court learned valuable lessons about the outcomes of certain behaviors, and also about the importance of mercy.

Sources:

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice. New

                York: Spark Publishing, 2003.

Bible Hub. Biblos, n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2015

“The Merchant of Venice: Themes, Motifs, & Symbols.” SparkNotes LLC, 2015. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.

 Rogers, Jami. “The Merchant of Venice: Shylock and History.” WGBH, 2005. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.

 

Style Analysis

Shakespeare's writing style set up a lot of drama for the reader. In The Merchant of Venice he utilizes literary devices to set up this drama.

Dramatic Irony:

Once again, Shakespeare works to add suspense to the play. In Act 3, scene 4, we learn of Portia and Nerissa dressing up as men. The audience at this point does not understand what significance this will have for the play. However, in the following act we find that they will be acting as two law experts. Unbeknownst to their husbands, they are able to save their husbands' good friend dressed as the law experts. Even more, the two woman engage in a trial, something unheard of for this time, and come up with a creative way to free Antonio and inflict a proper penalty on Shylock for his behavior.
Portia and Nerissa's plan is presented after the reader feels that Antonio's case is a lost battle, leading the reader to believe that the next few acts are just going to be a description of Antonio's mutilation and consequent death. When the two women's plan is presented, it provides a way out, but one that is very unsuspected. Shakespeare's use of the two women is very crafty, they act as unanticipated heroes who save the day in a fashion that is so perfect. The reader is aware that it is the two women in the court, adding the intrigue that Bassanio and Gratiano are unaware of their wives' presence. Yet, the reader is also unsure of this event, not sure whether or not the two women will save the day or what will happen. This addition to the play was the ideal ending for the play, it was an ingenious resolution to the plot and added elements to make the reader unsure of what would happen next.

Meter and Rhyme Scheme:

Throughout the majority of this play, Shakespeare uses blank verse and prose. As with majority of his plays, Shakespeare writes in unrhymed iambic pentameter (blank verse), and the only instances in The Merchant of Venice that he writes in prose is for those that do not have a noble title.

Description:

Shakespeare's writing is very descriptive and maintains its poetic qualities even in plays. He emphasizes events, people, and other phenomena through his use of sensory details, imagery, similes, and metaphors.

Other Literary Devices:

Ad Hominem- In many cases when Shylock was demanding his "justice," friends of Antonio would respond back criticizing Shylock as a person and trying to demean him rather than attacking his arguments for what he perceived as "justice."
Shylock: "I'll have my bond..."
Solanio: "It is the most impenetrable cur/ That ever kept with men,"
(3.3.12-19)
Allegory- Essentially, the whole play itself is an allegory. Nevertheless, many characters independently serve as allegories to create the theme that the play teaches as a whole.
Allusions- Many biblical references and other philosophical and literary references are made all through the play.

• Biblical: Casting demons into  herd of swine, "...to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your/ Prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into," (1.3.28-29).
• Philosophical: Pythagoras philosophy of the soul, "...To hold opinion with Pythagoras/ That souls of animals infuse themselves/ Into the trunks of men," (4.1.31-33).
• Mythological: Dido, "In such a night/ Stood Dido with a willow in her hand/ Upon the wild sea banks, and waft her love/ To come again to Carthage," (5.1.9-12).

Sources:

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice. New

                York: Spark Publishing, 2003.

Literary Devices. Literary Devices, 2015. Web. 2 Nov. 2015.
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