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.