Short plot summary.
The film is about the jewish businessman Shylock who lived during the 1500’s. The wealthy prince Antonio wants to borrow money with reason to help his friend Bassanio. Antonio invested all his money on merchant ship’s. But, Antonio’s plan failed – the merchant ship’s were wrecked and now he didn’t have the money to re-pay Shylock. When Shylock didn’t receive his money, he and Antonio both agreed that Shylock would receive a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body. The married couple Bassanio and Portia, are friends with Antonio and they realized they had to help him. Portia offered Shylock triple the amount of what the money was really worth. Shylock rejected the offer but Portia had a plan to solve the dilemma – Disguise as a male judge to save her friend and also be more extreme by making Shylock worthless.
Analysis.
In the movie there are several motives such as good vs. evil, kindness and cruelty, religion dilemmas (Christian vs. Jew), tragedy etc. These opposites are all common with Shakespeare’s writings. Among the main character’s, Antonio is the one who is unselfish because he wants to help his friend, he represents goodness. Shylock isn’t actually the “evil-one”, he’s more of a vindictive individual because he lives in a society full of anti-Semitism and with a daughter who left him for a Christian man. I think Shylock has full right to receive a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body because both parties signed a contract (they both agreed on this)
The movie is also about destiny and power. Whatever happened to the merchant ships is nothing Antonio, or any other human, can do about it. When Antonio borrows money of Shylock, he gives the Jewish businessman all the power.
During the final scene when they’re all gathered in court, Shakespeare clearly shows he wants to maintain the Christian morality and make Shylock “clean” by converting to Christianity. Because Shylock is a Jew, he’s featured as an evil person. From the film’s and Shakespeare’s perspective, there is only one religion that is acceptable. This could be a symbol for the fights between the two religions and the main characters.
Revenge is one of the main parts in this movie. Shylock uses his work and abundance to pursue his revenge. If the loan never had occurred Shylock would never had been able to take the revenge to another level. Though Shylock never succeeded his revenge, his main goal was vengeance and never hesitated to stop his work.
Tragedy occurs when Shylock looses everything in court and has to beg for mercy. He has to give all his abundance to his daughter, convert to Christianity. He didn’t do anything wrong, lived in a anti-semitism society. Above all, he had a signed contract of the deal. But, Portia’s rhetorical skills turned the situation around when she argued that no blood, not more than the weight of a pound was allowed when cutting the flesh. This was impossible to accomplish.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
The main conflicts among the characters in the stories were between Antonio and Shylock, and Abigail and the Proctors. In The Merchant of Venice characters that were impacted by lies, gossip, rumours were Antonio and Shylock. Antonio owes Shylock 3000 ducats by a certain time, or Shylock will be able to cut a pound of Antonio's flesh. In the play Salerio and Solanio discuss about how Antonio’s ships have rumoured to sink at sea.”Why, yet it lives there unchecked that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wrecked on the narrow seas” .With that rumour Shylock is now able to get the revenge he was destined to receive, which made his and Antonio’s relationship even worse.…
- 429 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The character Shylock was a stereotypical Jew of his time, and as Jews were generally ostracized from normal society, the audience would have been familiar and understanding with Shakespeare’s characterisation, actually finding Shylock a comedic figure whereas today he is seen as tragic. In Shakespeare’s time, Jews were not treated well at all. This was because they were a minority group, as they had been previously banned from the country by Edward I unless they were willing to convert to Christianity. But, in large European cities, like Venice there was a large Jewish population. As these cities relied on trade, the authorities encouraged Jews to become moneylenders. This was because the Christian law, which…
- 4069 Words
- 17 Pages
Powerful Essays -
The villains Shakespeare creates for his plays are always intricate characters. These characters do not carry the simple simplicity of just being evil; they are unique specimens of human emotion. The reasons behind their actions are sometimes unclear and their motives unsound. This is what draws the reader to these rogues: connections are sought and found. In Hamlet, Claudius is an ambitious king with no legitimate reason to be on the throne. In Macbeth, Macbeth is a devious general who, through ambition, steals the throne. The actions of each are both fueled by their lofty aspirations.…
- 795 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
the merchant, Antonio, loans money from Shylock at the price of not returning the money, a pound of flesh.…
- 1009 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
In the early Elizabethan era Shylock was portrayed as an archetypical Jew of that time. He would be played by the performer wearing a red wig and large false nose. This look created the foundations of Shylock’s personality during the Elizabethan era; a comic villain not to be taken seriously or sympathetically, he was the figure of a pantomime.…
- 838 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Evil For Evil's Sake: An Analysis of the Nature of Evil In William Shakespeare's Hamlet…
- 1904 Words
- 8 Pages
Better Essays -
As a result, this illustrates a major difference between Macbeth and the men labeled as “Murderers”. Macbeth used to be a pure man, but now he mocks the ways of his past. He ridicules the Murderer’s pure beliefs as he forces them to see Banquo as their enemy too. Accordingly, through Macbeth’s new characterization, Shakespeare shows how ambition can lead to a loss of morality. As the play evolves, Macbeth looks past his previous knowledge of right and wrong, and gives into committing dishonest acts. Consequently, Macbeth’s newfound ambition has made him become heartless and cruel as he continues to fulfill his desires of gaining…
- 294 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
As Titus is believed to be Shakespeare’s first play, it may be seen that the sheer volume of revenge that this play exudes is due to the fact that Shakespeare may be trying to emulate the bloody and violent revenge plays of his contemporaries, due to their popularity in the sixteenth century. This is evident from Act I, and becomes ever more apparent throughout. It is also not only Titus who sets out on his path of revenge but, as the play is centered around him and his misfortunes it is Titus’ story of deceit, revenge and also mental instability that we are forced to focus on. One of the key scenes in highlighting the element of revenge and Titus’ mental health is that of when Tamora presents herself to, in her opinion, the mental impaired Titus as revenge: ‘I am revenge; sent from the infernal kingdom/ To ease the gnawing vulture of thy mind/ By working wreakful vengeance on thy foes’ The use of the word ‘wreakful’ in this passage is the key element that highlights the revengeful nature of Titus and his actions as evil. Yes, it may be said that due to the opening of this play, and Titus’ first vengeful action of killing Tamora’s son to right the murder of his own son in battle that in this case the revenge Titus seeks is not evil, but as the play progresses it…
- 1792 Words
- 8 Pages
Powerful Essays -
One of the most persistent charges against Shylock was that he was cruel and bloodthirsty. Antonio says in act 4 scene 1 that it is impossible to soften "his Jewish heart." Bassanio constantly calls him a cur and insults him; how can he call Shylock coldhearted when he and many other characters constantly jeer at Shylock. This also added reason for Shylock's revenge. He wasn't a bloodthirsty miscreant, but a Jew fighting for revenge against years of being spet upon, being treated like a dog, being a victim to Christianity. In his "I am a Jew" speech, he gives these precise reasoning, saying "to bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge" (Act 3, Scene 1). He doesn't seek revenge personally against Antonio, but against the Christians that have jeered at him and his religion for so long. He explains how since he is a human like any other Christian, he may seek revenge like any other Christian has. The constant repetition in his speech is the word: revenge. Shylock is accused of being bloodthirsty and barbarous, when his quest for revenge differed none from the vengeance any other human would seek and deserve.…
- 779 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Shylock describes the incidents, saying, “You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog, and spet upon my Jewish garberdine” (Shylock, 1.3.120-121). When Antonio must go to court because of his inability to pay back his loan to Shylock, the moneylender behaves rather viciously during the trial, but this lashing out is the result of the poor treatment Shylock has received in society. Shakespeare is not trying to attack the Jews in his writing; he is attempting to attack the greed of the Christians during this time (Bronstein). This Jewish character deserves sympathy because the discrimination and cruelty he has faced throughout his life has transformed him into a villain. Shakespeare’s portrayal of the Jewish person “stresses the common core of humanity that lurks beneath the exterior of Shylock’s public character,” says Grant Stirling. In his famous, touching monologue, Shylock expresses that humanity through his profound despair and frustration:…
- 2116 Words
- 9 Pages
Best Essays -
During the Elizabethan era the social views of the audience would have been divided between the supporters of honour and those who forbad revenge due to their religious beliefs. However, in Hamlet’s opening line for his soliloquy:…
- 1254 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
The close friendship between Antonio and Bassanio is viewed the opposite of how all Christians view Shylock as a Jew and how they treat Shylock compared to Antonio and Bassanio. Since Venice is full of Christians, they are viewed totally opposite. Shylock who has been mocked, insulted and more is suffering from the despises that he gain from just being a Jew. He is only shown to be the antagonist of the story because of all the hatred he gains from Christians. Despite that he ahs done nothing wrong to these Christians, he is hated as if he has started a war between them, the hatred intensifies as he is despised, insulted, and mocked by the Christians surrounding them with disgust in their eyes. With the conflict between Christians and Jews still arising, the choices that are made in a daily life will always have an effect whether it may bring good or bad luck. Antonio is sad not because he has fallen in love or because all his merchandise are sailing away, but something that makes him sad. Bassanio always taking advantage of his generous and forgiving friend, would borrow money at any time when he wishes, is told to go borrow money fro anyone by using Antonio as…
- 1011 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
‘The Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare is a play in which one of the main characters is portrayed as both a villain and a victim. The audience’s interpretation of Shylock oscillates throughout the play. We must also recognize that Shylock has most likely become a villain as a result of being unfairly victimized for having Jewish heritage.…
- 672 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In the text, “The Merchant of Venice,” written and performed by Shakespeare, Antonio, the merchant, borrows money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to send his friend Bassanio overseas to woo and marry Portia. However, failing to pay back the money in time, Shylock takes Antonio to court demanding a pound of his flesh in payment. Portia, one of the main characters, disguised as a lawyer, attempts (and succeeds) to rescue Antonio using the law to her advantage. This scene is important to the text as a whole, as it brings into question and explains some of the main themes used in the play, these being, mercy, law, justice and religion.…
- 1362 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
Shylock suffers from religious persecution, which plays an important part in the play. Antonio has reviled and despised this Jew, even humiliating him publicly because of his money lending and usury. Shylock believes that his profiteering is not a sin. This is contrary to the Christian belief, held by Antonio, that money should be lent for charity and not for profit. By his profession and his religion, Shylock is marked as the alien in a happy and fun- loving Venetian society. His alienation causes his bitterness and his humiliation makes him seek revenge. Antonio becomes the target of that revenge, and Shylock uses the letter of the law to try and exact a pound of flesh from his enemy. His strict interpretation of the law backfires on him, and he winds up losing his wealth and barely saving his life. Although he appears in only five scenes, Shylock is a very powerful personality, whose love of money has destroyed any natural human…
- 320 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays