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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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.