Merchant of Venice Notes KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING The play‚ as the title suggests‚ is set in Italy. Venice‚ in the popular imagination of Elizabethan society‚ was a place of fabulous wealth‚ royal merchants‚ richly attired gentlemen‚ and refined culture. Antonio is very much a part of this society. But this is not the only part of the Venetian picture that is portrayed in the play; another less romantic view is also given. It is the cruel commercial and legal side of Venice‚ where ships
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playwright; he is well-known for his famous plays and his unprecedented understanding of the human nature. My essay will focus on one of his many plays ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ In this text‚ Shakespeare explores themes and settings that continue to be prevalent in today’s society such as love‚ revenge‚ abhorrence‚ stereotype and racism. The Merchant of Venice reveals universal truths about human circumstances in a way that we can personally relate to. Whether it is the cruel outcome of the unrelenting desire
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From ancient times‚ through to the Renaissance‚ friendship between two men was regarded as the highest form of social relationship‚ even surpassing that between a man and a woman in matrimony. This is portrayed through “The Merchant of Venice”‚ written by William Shakespeare which was written between 1556 and 1558. This platonic natured friendship is still portrayed in modern literature‚ but due to changed opinions because of the society in which it was written it is more subtle in expressions as
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Question 1 Essay question: The Merchant of Venice The outcome of the trial of Shylock versus Antonio doesn’t reach an apt conclusion at the end of the play. In the preceding essay I plan to demonstrate the factors that influenced my decision to object to the verdict that concludes this play. I believe Shylock’s punishment is too harsh in this unjust court of law. It is of most relevance to highlight the fact that Antonio was entirely aware of the penalty that would arise from the bond forfeiting
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The Merchant of Venice In “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare is a play in which the themes of love and hate are dominant. The Merchant of Venice is a tale set in Venice about a merchant named Antonio who attempts to help his friend‚ Bassanio marry his love Portia. In order to do this he is forced to borrow money from a Jewish money lender called Shylock. In this essay I will discuss the nature of these themes and the main characters involved. I also intend to consider the different
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Hauptseminar: Adaptation of Shakespeare Dozent: Prof. Dr. Lars Heiler Spezialist: Henry L. The Merchant of Venice Parents & Children Shakespearan plays are almost always deep-rooted‚ in the relationship between parents and their Children. The Merchant of Venice presents three parent-child relationships. 1.) Portia and her dead father 2.) Jessica and Shylock 3.) Lancelet and the old and ‘‘sand‘‘ blinded Giobbe Two father-daughter
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Joe Nagooga Mr. Harris LA 11 May 9‚ 2013 The Merchant of Venice Tragic or Comedy Anti-Semitic or not In my opinion‚ I think the merchant of Venice is more of a tragic play than a comedy. The merchant of Venice is more of a tragic play because of its negative intents from the characters in the play. Greed‚ deception‚ and hatred are couple of negative intents. Shakespeare gives reasons for Shylock’s actions. Antonio is a friend of Bassanio and a Christian. Antonio spits on Shylock whenever
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Shylock: Villain or Victim The Merchant Of Venice is the story about a merchant by the name of Antonio who borrows money from a Jewish moneylender by the name of Shylock‚ in order to fund his best friend Bassanio’s romantic ambitions. The majority of the residents of Venice during the time this story was written were Christians‚ just like Antonio. At the same time there was a considerable amount of hatred toward those who were not Christians. Antonio needed money quickly and he had no other choice
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The Merchant of Venice (1596) is one of Shakespeare’s most outstanding comedies. For the past more than 400 years‚ it has been paid close attention to and also highly praised. Many people‚ such as literature critics‚ historians‚ and the scholars who study religion‚ have keen interest in it not just because that this work has special literary power but also because that it reflects several deep conflicts-ethnic conflict and religious conflict. The major plot of this play is related with Antonio and
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speech by Shylock evokes the social world in which he lives. For‚ as a Jew‚ Shylock rails in magnified language against Antonio‚ a Venetian who has castigated Shylock for his usury. Also‚ within the setting of this play‚ the Venetians limited Jewish merchants and moneylenders/pawnbrokers‚ making them live in "geti" (plural of "geto"). The guttural pronunciation of this word made it sound like ghetto‚ a word still used today to mark emargination. So‚ Shylock is perceived as inferior to the Venetian money
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