Why Did Shakespeare Choose To Write A Play On Jews?
Part 1
Merchant of venice project
Why did Shakespeare choose to write a play on Jews?
. The main theme of the merchant of Venice is anti-Semitism. Over the years many have argued that the merchant of Venice is an spin off on Christopher Marlowe’s ‘The Jew of Malta’. Both plays were anti-Semitic and based on the stereotypical idea of Jews. This is because at the time, there weren’t many Jews living in England. Also because in the middle ages Jews were a great source of revenue. Money lending was quite profitable, although Christians were forbidden from participating in it due to religious beliefs.thus Jews earned large sums of money. However, high taxation of Jews, resulted in their impoverishment, thus they became a liability intead of a source of revenue and were expelled from Britain in 1290.
Since The Merchant of Venice was probably first performed in 1596 or 1597, it is safe to say that …show more content…
Shakespeare never met a jew, and wrote about them purely bassed on stereotypes. Another reason would be that At that point a certain jew had been greatly illtreated. In 1594, Roderigo Lopez, the jewish Court Physician to Queen Elizabeth, was the victim of a court intrigue and was accused of scheming to assassinate the Queen. On no evidence, Lopez was convicted of treason and hung. This resulted in a great increase of anti-Semitism in England, a sentiment to which this play can attribute some of its primary popularity.
That reading, like all understandings of the relationship of this play to anti-Semitism, is an object of dispute. And an essential part of the historical context of The Merchant of Venice is the history that has happened long after its composition. Thus Reading The Merchant of Venice is like entering into a very real historical battle between the politics of Shakespeare's time and the politics, and ethics, of our time.
Shakespeare’s background
William Shakespeare was born on the 26th of April 1564 and died on the 23rd of April 1616.he was an English poet and playwright and is considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and the world's most distinguished dramatist.[2] He is frequently called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".[3][nb 2] he had written about thirty eight plays,[nb 3] one hundred and fifty four sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses of uncertain origin. His plays have been translated into every major language and are the most performed plays in the world.
Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon .he married Anne Hathaway At the age of eightteen and had three children with her ;Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. His career as an actor and writer in London flourished Between 1585 and 1592. He was also the part-owner of Lord Chamberlain's Men, a playing company. He withdrew to Stratford when he was forty nine, and died three years later. Barely any information regarding Shakespeare's private life survives, but there have been significant speculations concerning his physical appearance, sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works credited to him were written by others.[5]
Part 2
Chosen scene – act 1 scene 2
Analysis of the scene
This scene opens in Belmont, in Portia’s house. it introduces us to Portia, a beautiful heiress and Nerissa her servant.
Like Antonio in the first scene, Portia is also in a forlorn mood. Nerissa, like Salerino and Salanio, tries offering her assistance. But Unlike Antonio,Portia is very much aware of the reason behind her melancholy. she is unhappy with the conditions laid down by her late father regarding her marriage. In his will, he wrote that Portia’s husband will be chosen by a lottery of caskets, in which whosoever chooses the correct out of three caskets of gold silver and lead shall marry portia.
Portia's criticism towards her suitors shows that she's witty but also cruel and prejudiced.
Though she is frustrated wuth her situation, Portia respects his dying wishes.
Act 1 scene 2 of the play the merchant of venice written by William Shakespeare has three major purposes. First, it outlines the lottery of the caskets for us, which will provide the dramatic basis for the scenes in which the various suitors risk their chances of marriage for Portia's hand.
Second, it introduces us to Portia — not simply as Bassanio's love interest, but as also a witty woman of powerful character. It gives us an insight on her opinions and what she looks for in a husband as well. when Nerissa asks Portia whether she remembers a certain "Venetian, a scholar and a soldier" who had earlier visited Belmont we hear Portia's immediate recall of Bassanio. This indicates her interest in him.
This scene also provides a contrast between the commercial and busy city of venice and the sublime and tranquil world of Belmont .it establishes Bassanio as the perfect suitor for Portia as
well.
The characterization in This scene tells us a lot about Portia, nerissa and the perception of bassanio.
Before we are even introduced to Portia, we hear from Bassanio about how desirable she is: "In Belmont is a lady richly left, / And she is fair" (1.2.4).
Though portia’s life may seem flawless, with her being wealthy, beautiful and unmarried, it is not. Not only is every potential suitor out to get his hands on Portia's wealth, but Portia doesn't even get to choose her husband. due to portia’s father’s farsighted thinking, a lottery of caskets was devised to find her a husband. still not independent of her father’s control , Portia was expected to obey his wishes. She could not choose who she liked, nor refuse who she disliked, ‘so the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father.’ . Portia isn’t just a ‘pretty face’ with a desire to remain loyal to her deceased father. As the play develops, we see Portia is both smart and cunning. She is witty and intelligent, perceptive about the people around her and able to voice her opinion and hold her own in verbal battles with anyone. She is a strong woman with a good sense of humor. But she is also judgmental, selective, cruel and prejudice; as seen in her critical speeches about each of her suitors. Nerissa is Portia's woman in waiting. In this scene, she acts as a sounding board to Portia. She listens to Portia complain about her life and the unfairness of the lottery of caskets and tells her to be grateful that her father was wise enough to plan for his daughter's future. This tells us that Nerissa is sensible and practical. She is understanding, insightful and perceptive as she is able to understand portia’s nature well. She is soothing, sensitive and provides good advice. Nerissa helps in the development of the plot and the movement of the story by reminding Portia of bassanio. this scene also depicts bassanio as the perfect suitor for Portia. It implies that he is an educated scholar and soldier who kept company with well-respected Italian noblemen like the Marquis of Montferrat. This is ironic as he is neither, but quite the opposite.
The description of the European suitors portrays how Elizabethans actually saw their continental neighbours. For example, when Portia regards monsieur le bon as lacking a personality of his own, Shakespeare is trying to say Elizabethans thought the French were short of individuality.
Three main themes are highlighted in this scene. The theme of choice is brought out through The explicit choice of Portia's casket lottery, which provides a frame for the entire play. The game to win Portia's hand is built on chance and the choice of her suitors. Bassanio is faced with choosing correctly or sacrificing his chance to marry again.
The theme of friendship and loyalty is expressed through Portia and nerissa’s discussion. It shows that they are close friends and trust each other. They are able to understand and comfort each other. Nerissa acts as a sounding board to Portia and gives her advice. Loyalty is also seen in portia’s resolute faithfulness to her father and in how she continues to obey him even when he is dead and the odds are not in her favour.
This scene depicts the difference in peoples outlook on money. In shakespeare’s utopian world, there is no clash between money and love. Bassanio openly acknowledges the fact that portia’s wealth as well as her beauty attracts him. The men who have come to try their luck at the lottery of caskets also want to marry Portia for her riches.
I chose this scene as I believe it is the most important scene of the play. It introduces the reader to Portia, the female protagonist of this play and her sidekick nerissa; explains the lottery of caskets and helps in the overall development of the story by setting the subplot of the caskets into action. It also reveals to the reader that Portia is interested in bassanio. I chose this scene also as I found portia’s harsh criticism towards her current suitors amusing and because it is the first scene of the play to express the slightest element of romance.
Merchant of venice project
Why did Shakespeare choose to write a play on Jews?
. The main theme of the merchant of Venice is anti-Semitism. Over the years many have argued that the merchant of Venice is an spin off on Christopher Marlowe’s ‘The Jew of Malta’. Both plays were anti-Semitic and based on the stereotypical idea of Jews. This is because at the time, there weren’t many Jews living in England. Also because in the middle ages Jews were a great source of revenue. Money lending was quite profitable, although Christians were forbidden from participating in it due to religious beliefs.thus Jews earned large sums of money. However, high taxation of Jews, resulted in their impoverishment, thus they became a liability intead of a source of revenue and were expelled from Britain in 1290.
Since The Merchant of Venice was probably first performed in 1596 or 1597, it is safe to say that …show more content…
Shakespeare never met a jew, and wrote about them purely bassed on stereotypes. Another reason would be that At that point a certain jew had been greatly illtreated. In 1594, Roderigo Lopez, the jewish Court Physician to Queen Elizabeth, was the victim of a court intrigue and was accused of scheming to assassinate the Queen. On no evidence, Lopez was convicted of treason and hung. This resulted in a great increase of anti-Semitism in England, a sentiment to which this play can attribute some of its primary popularity.
That reading, like all understandings of the relationship of this play to anti-Semitism, is an object of dispute. And an essential part of the historical context of The Merchant of Venice is the history that has happened long after its composition. Thus Reading The Merchant of Venice is like entering into a very real historical battle between the politics of Shakespeare's time and the politics, and ethics, of our time.
Shakespeare’s background
William Shakespeare was born on the 26th of April 1564 and died on the 23rd of April 1616.he was an English poet and playwright and is considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and the world's most distinguished dramatist.[2] He is frequently called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".[3][nb 2] he had written about thirty eight plays,[nb 3] one hundred and fifty four sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses of uncertain origin. His plays have been translated into every major language and are the most performed plays in the world.
Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon .he married Anne Hathaway At the age of eightteen and had three children with her ;Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. His career as an actor and writer in London flourished Between 1585 and 1592. He was also the part-owner of Lord Chamberlain's Men, a playing company. He withdrew to Stratford when he was forty nine, and died three years later. Barely any information regarding Shakespeare's private life survives, but there have been significant speculations concerning his physical appearance, sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works credited to him were written by others.[5]
Part 2
Chosen scene – act 1 scene 2
Analysis of the scene
This scene opens in Belmont, in Portia’s house. it introduces us to Portia, a beautiful heiress and Nerissa her servant.
Like Antonio in the first scene, Portia is also in a forlorn mood. Nerissa, like Salerino and Salanio, tries offering her assistance. But Unlike Antonio,Portia is very much aware of the reason behind her melancholy. she is unhappy with the conditions laid down by her late father regarding her marriage. In his will, he wrote that Portia’s husband will be chosen by a lottery of caskets, in which whosoever chooses the correct out of three caskets of gold silver and lead shall marry portia.
Portia's criticism towards her suitors shows that she's witty but also cruel and prejudiced.
Though she is frustrated wuth her situation, Portia respects his dying wishes.
Act 1 scene 2 of the play the merchant of venice written by William Shakespeare has three major purposes. First, it outlines the lottery of the caskets for us, which will provide the dramatic basis for the scenes in which the various suitors risk their chances of marriage for Portia's hand.
Second, it introduces us to Portia — not simply as Bassanio's love interest, but as also a witty woman of powerful character. It gives us an insight on her opinions and what she looks for in a husband as well. when Nerissa asks Portia whether she remembers a certain "Venetian, a scholar and a soldier" who had earlier visited Belmont we hear Portia's immediate recall of Bassanio. This indicates her interest in him.
This scene also provides a contrast between the commercial and busy city of venice and the sublime and tranquil world of Belmont .it establishes Bassanio as the perfect suitor for Portia as
well.
The characterization in This scene tells us a lot about Portia, nerissa and the perception of bassanio.
Before we are even introduced to Portia, we hear from Bassanio about how desirable she is: "In Belmont is a lady richly left, / And she is fair" (1.2.4).
Though portia’s life may seem flawless, with her being wealthy, beautiful and unmarried, it is not. Not only is every potential suitor out to get his hands on Portia's wealth, but Portia doesn't even get to choose her husband. due to portia’s father’s farsighted thinking, a lottery of caskets was devised to find her a husband. still not independent of her father’s control , Portia was expected to obey his wishes. She could not choose who she liked, nor refuse who she disliked, ‘so the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father.’ . Portia isn’t just a ‘pretty face’ with a desire to remain loyal to her deceased father. As the play develops, we see Portia is both smart and cunning. She is witty and intelligent, perceptive about the people around her and able to voice her opinion and hold her own in verbal battles with anyone. She is a strong woman with a good sense of humor. But she is also judgmental, selective, cruel and prejudice; as seen in her critical speeches about each of her suitors. Nerissa is Portia's woman in waiting. In this scene, she acts as a sounding board to Portia. She listens to Portia complain about her life and the unfairness of the lottery of caskets and tells her to be grateful that her father was wise enough to plan for his daughter's future. This tells us that Nerissa is sensible and practical. She is understanding, insightful and perceptive as she is able to understand portia’s nature well. She is soothing, sensitive and provides good advice. Nerissa helps in the development of the plot and the movement of the story by reminding Portia of bassanio. this scene also depicts bassanio as the perfect suitor for Portia. It implies that he is an educated scholar and soldier who kept company with well-respected Italian noblemen like the Marquis of Montferrat. This is ironic as he is neither, but quite the opposite.
The description of the European suitors portrays how Elizabethans actually saw their continental neighbours. For example, when Portia regards monsieur le bon as lacking a personality of his own, Shakespeare is trying to say Elizabethans thought the French were short of individuality.
Three main themes are highlighted in this scene. The theme of choice is brought out through The explicit choice of Portia's casket lottery, which provides a frame for the entire play. The game to win Portia's hand is built on chance and the choice of her suitors. Bassanio is faced with choosing correctly or sacrificing his chance to marry again.
The theme of friendship and loyalty is expressed through Portia and nerissa’s discussion. It shows that they are close friends and trust each other. They are able to understand and comfort each other. Nerissa acts as a sounding board to Portia and gives her advice. Loyalty is also seen in portia’s resolute faithfulness to her father and in how she continues to obey him even when he is dead and the odds are not in her favour.
This scene depicts the difference in peoples outlook on money. In shakespeare’s utopian world, there is no clash between money and love. Bassanio openly acknowledges the fact that portia’s wealth as well as her beauty attracts him. The men who have come to try their luck at the lottery of caskets also want to marry Portia for her riches.
I chose this scene as I believe it is the most important scene of the play. It introduces the reader to Portia, the female protagonist of this play and her sidekick nerissa; explains the lottery of caskets and helps in the overall development of the story by setting the subplot of the caskets into action. It also reveals to the reader that Portia is interested in bassanio. I chose this scene also as I found portia’s harsh criticism towards her current suitors amusing and because it is the first scene of the play to express the slightest element of romance.