The life of shakespeare
Comedy is a potential site for social disruption and a medium for a message of dissent. Discuss whether this is true of ‘The Merchant of Venice’.
‘Comedy’ can be interpreted in many ways. One interpretation could be simply described as a dramatic performance which pits two societies against each other in an amusing agon or conflict. To define comedy as a basis for societal disruption is to consider the way in which comedy could lead to disorder. ‘The Merchant of Venice’ looks at such ideas, the conflicts between the old and the new, Being a comedic play, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ ends in familiar format that many Elizabethan plays followed, that of multiple marriages, a positive resolution and a tone and style that is more light-hearted than Shakespeare’s tragedies. The play’s initial reception was met with appeal as the presentation of Shylock was met with critical acclaim; he was a Jewish Usurer in a time period where Jews were racially abused. To a Jacobean audience, such a fate for Shylock would have been seen as the norm, especially considering that Elizabethan society than was described as being “Judeophobic”. Potentially, Shakespeare may’ve been using comedy as potential site for social disruption, the idea of protest through Shylock’s eloquence or the battle between justice and mercy, using the comic as a medium for the message of dissent - a medium that is simultaneously monitored and controlled by the authorities that it seeks to subvert. In this essay I will explore whether the play was in fact a comedic site for social disruption and a medium for a message of dissent.
The drama of The Merchant of Venice is a legendary comedy, whose main action is so nearly tragical that the play barely escapes becoming a tragedy. It may be further classified as external, since its conflict lies in the realm of reality and is developed by natural rather than supernatural means. Its time relation falls in the palmy days of Venetian greatness, before the enterprise of Da
‘Comedy’ can be interpreted in many ways. One interpretation could be simply described as a dramatic performance which pits two societies against each other in an amusing agon or conflict. To define comedy as a basis for societal disruption is to consider the way in which comedy could lead to disorder. ‘The Merchant of Venice’ looks at such ideas, the conflicts between the old and the new, Being a comedic play, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ ends in familiar format that many Elizabethan plays followed, that of multiple marriages, a positive resolution and a tone and style that is more light-hearted than Shakespeare’s tragedies. The play’s initial reception was met with appeal as the presentation of Shylock was met with critical acclaim; he was a Jewish Usurer in a time period where Jews were racially abused. To a Jacobean audience, such a fate for Shylock would have been seen as the norm, especially considering that Elizabethan society than was described as being “Judeophobic”. Potentially, Shakespeare may’ve been using comedy as potential site for social disruption, the idea of protest through Shylock’s eloquence or the battle between justice and mercy, using the comic as a medium for the message of dissent - a medium that is simultaneously monitored and controlled by the authorities that it seeks to subvert. In this essay I will explore whether the play was in fact a comedic site for social disruption and a medium for a message of dissent.
The drama of The Merchant of Venice is a legendary comedy, whose main action is so nearly tragical that the play barely escapes becoming a tragedy. It may be further classified as external, since its conflict lies in the realm of reality and is developed by natural rather than supernatural means. Its time relation falls in the palmy days of Venetian greatness, before the enterprise of Da
Cited: - Invisible Bullets (by Stephan Greenblatt) - The bible - Rabbi Lewinthal (Jewish Rabbi) - The Merchant of Venice