Merchant of Venice

"So may the outward shows be least themselves:The world is still deceiv'd with ornament." In other words one may portray himself one way but may really be sother on the inside . Although he is differefnt inside the wolrd only sees him as what he is on the outside . In literature this is a significant topic . Many people think they know someone but they really don't . Shakespear's play the Merchant of Venice , is a great example of this quote. In the play The Merchant of Venice , one of the main characters ,Bassanio comes to his best friend ,Antonio ,another main chracter, to borrow money . One may think he needed money for living expenses or to pay someone back. Instead Bassanio asks Antonio for money to make him seem rich in front ofa rich beautiful girl ,Portia.When describing Portia to Antonio , most of Bssanio's descriptions involved the word gold or riches . This implied that he really didnt care as much for Portia like he claimed . Also borrowing money to impress, or decieve a girl is a pure example of what is on the out is not with in . Similiarly when Jessica the daughter of Shylock, the Jew / usuer plans her runaway with Lorenzo ,her love who is Christian .He claims he admires her for many things ; her beauty , her wisdom, and most of all her Ducats (venician currency). Not only is she bringing a couple of Ducats for her journey but she brought along enough to last them a while. When Lorenzo says what he admires of his Jewish love instead of emphazising on what real couples focus on ,he comes across s a golddigger. In other words its not tht he isnt like what he says he is its that their love isnt real , its just sugar coated with ducats. Additionally , the setting if the play is Venice 1596. The only religion accepted was Christianity . Although jews did live amongst venician they were known ask money lenderers;one that lend money to Christians . Jews were portrayed as dogs and filthy being . In reality they really weren't . Shylock , the Jew of the play is given over as a blood thirsty man who was only looking to spill blood every where he went. Although he and Antonio had a deal that if Shylocks miney would not be returned in three months Shylock was able to take a pound of flesh from antonios body , he first offered to be a friend rather than an enemy .Aantonio kindly refused his offer of friendship and decided to sign on the aggreement .It was only when Antonio brought shylock to the boiling point of revnge did shylock act like this otherwise the jew wouldve have been brought accross much better. To summarize , one can see that one outer appearance is not within through literature. Not only was it seen in chracter or emotion but it was also seen through the motive of ones action. One maythink they a know a person so wellbut thruth of the matter is is that u may not even know yourself to know another.