Notes merchant of Venice Key characters Shylock‚ Antonio‚ Bassanio‚ Portia Need to know Personality traits How they impact on the plot of the narrative? How they change throughout the play? Key relationships The problems they must overcome Their characters importance in the plot key themes Law‚ mercy and revenge Self-interest vs love Prejudice and intolerance Wealth Greed vs generosity Love and friendship Law‚ mercy and revenge The law can be manipulated (scene 4) Law favors
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everything that happened in the court so far. not to mention antonio was saved with the same line she used “Tarry a little; there is something else. This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood; the words expressly are ‘a pound of flesh.’ Taken then thy bond‚ take thou thy pound of flesh; but in the cutting it‚ if thou dost shed one drop of Christian blood‚ thy lands and goods are by laws of Venice confiscate unto the state of Venice” Observant even though portia has no right to pick the
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deserved! This is the cathartic feeling that William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice inspires as the central character Antonio is released from the perils of his impending death. In American society today‚ it is wrong to persecute someone for their religious beliefs‚ as we are all created equal. This sentiment was‚ indeed‚ not the case in the 1500’s. Although the events that surround Shylock are interpreted as very tragic in today’s society‚ in the eyes of the audience‚ Shylock is a greedy Jew
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Themes in the Merchant of Venice Gender stereotypes are not a modern notion and as such expectations and limitations have always existed for both men and women. Fortunately women‚ who have formerly beared great burdens of discrimination‚ now have very liberated roles in society as a result of slowly shifting attitudes and values. Shakespeare was integral in challenging the subservient role expected of women in the 16th century. Throughout the play‚ ‘The Merchant of Venice’‚ women are expressed as
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In Shakespeare’s edgy and suspenseful play‚ “The Merchant of Venice”‚ the character of Shylock may evoke complex feelings within the reader. Shylock is clearly a villain in the sense that he takes repeatedly takes advantage of people in vulnerable economic situations and makes a handsome living in this way. He is not an inherently likeable character throughout “The Merchant of Venice” by Shakespeare; he avoids friendships‚ he is cranky‚ and he is steadfast in his beliefs to the point of being rigid
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Anti-Semitism in The Merchant of Venice It is my strong belief that the play‚ "The Merchant of Venice"‚ should be taught in classes. If this play was banned from schools it would most certainly be a form of censorship. While minors rights are somewhat limited when it comes to this right‚ I think that even Minors should not be censored from this writing. The play teaches us about prejudice‚ and why it is wrong. People would see how everyone was hurt at one time or another by a prejudice
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Anti-Semitism and the desecration of the Jewish population have been in existence for nearly five thousand years. In the Elizabethan era‚ a question of anti-Semitism invariably arises. In William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice‚ we find that one of the characters is the embodiment and expression of anti-Semitic attitude that is pervasive in Elizabethan society. "Anti-Semitism was an intricate part in Shakespeare’s years. Jews were considered vile and scorned upon. Shakespeare presents
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uncommon to see the display of this particular theme in the setting of Venice‚ a centre for business and trade‚ where merchants or businessmen may perhaps be more scheming. Linking the theme of appearance versus reality to social context‚ similar to how Portia hid her true sentiments‚ others may put on masks of deception to achieve what they want while doing business. For example‚ Shylock appears to be polite and friendly towards Antonio and manages to get him to seal the deal and be tied to the bond‚
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Character Name: Portia Character Traits: Loyal “Oh‚ me‚ the word ‘choose’! I may neither choose who I would nor refuse who I dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father. Is it not hard‚ Nerissa‚ that I cannot choose one nor refuse none? (Act 1 Scene 2 lines 22~25) “In terms of choice I am not solely led by nice direction of a maiden’s eyes. Besides‚ the lott’ry of my destiny bars me the right of voluntary choosing. But if my father had not scanted me
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suspenseful play‚ “The Merchant of Venice”‚ the character of Shylock may evoke complex feelings within the reader. Shylock is clearly a villain in the sense that he repeatedly takes advantage of people in vulnerable economic situations and makes a handsome living in this way. He is not a likeable character throughout “The Merchant of Venice” by Shakespeare; he avoids friendships‚ he is cranky‚ and he is steadfast in his beliefs to the point of being rigid. Shylock in “The Merchant of Venice” shows his tendency
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