In William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice‚ gender roles are explored‚ culminating in two distinct scenes of cross-dressing. The men of Elizabethan society enjoy a prominent status based solely on gender‚ to which women are clearly outsiders. This is particularly evident in Jessica’s newfound freedom when dressed as a pageboy in Act 2 and Portia’s and Nerissa’s immediate elevation in social standing when they take on male personas in Act 4. Through these two instances of cross-dressing‚ Shakespeare
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Asiya Wallace November 30‚ 2012 English 100 Anti- Semitism & The Merchant of Venice Anti-Semitism is the suspicion of‚ hatred toward‚ or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. In the play The Merchant of Venice‚ there was a very strong anti-Semitic attitude throughout the movie. African Americans also had to deal with hatred‚ enslavement‚ and discrimination during the Civil Rights Movement. Anti-Semitism and The Civil Rights Movement have a lot in common
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"To live for a universal end is not merely desirable‚ but necessary‚ and forms the basis of moral action." 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 Gama
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The feminist critical perspective examines the roles that women play in literary works and their true significance to the text. Their roles are usually decided on by the society or time period in which the story is set. In "The Merchant of Venice‚" females were suppressed by the societal ideals of Shakespeare’s Elizabethan era‚ which is portrayed through the characters of Portia and Jessica‚ who could not establish their own powerful identities because they were women. Portia and Jessica are the
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English 10 Nazi Propaganda and The Merchant of Venice Shylock and Nazi Propaganda • "Never trust the artist‚ trust the tale.“ • We will never know what was in Shakespeare’s mind when he began writing "The Merchant of Venice." • what he intended and what he accomplished are not necessarily the same thing • Shylock is meant to be a villain. • his motives and his personality are clear • Given the opportunity he attempts to commit legalized murder. • Shylock is a Jewish villain‚ but he didn’t have
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International Journal of Learning & Development ISSN 2164-4063 2011‚ Vol. 1‚ No. 1 Investigating the Impact of Using Games in Teaching Children English Ying-Jian Wang Department of Applied English / I-Shou University‚ Taiwan Hui-Fang Shang Department of Applied English / I-Shou University‚ Taiwan Paul Briody Department of Applied English / I-Shou University‚ Taiwan Received: August 31‚ 2011 Accepted: October 2‚ 2011 Published: November 28‚ 2011 Doi:10.5296/ijld.v1i1.1118
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Portia is the heroine of he play. She is a beautiful and rich lady who is living on the will of her dead father‚ the person who wanted to marry her have to try his luck to choose one of the three caskets and in one casket is a portrait of Portia and if the suitors fail he cannot marry a woman in his life. She is very famous and people from all over the world come to propose her and try their luck. She says to Nerissa her friend : O me‚ the word ’choose!’ I may neither choose whom I would nor refuse
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Trial Scene Merchant of Venice At the court of law in Venice‚ the Duke‚ Antonio‚ Bassanio‚ Salerio‚ Graziano‚ and various notable personages are gathered for Antonio’s trial. The Duke begins the trial by showing how impartial he is: he immediately says he’s sorry for Antonio and that Shylock is an "inhuman wretch‚ uncapable [sic] of pity‚ void and empty from any dram of mercy." Wow‚ so much for a fair trial. Antonio shrugs this off as no big deal – he knows everyone has done what they can‚ and he’s
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history‚ revolves around the idea of fooling society through the use of misinterpretations with the art of deceptions. In the play The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare‚ as a result of preconceived judgement of worth allows for a disconnect between appearances and reality‚ ultimately highlights how items of lesser value can create powerful results. Set in Venice in the 1500’s with a civilization that possesses a different perspective of standards and beliefs‚ Antonio‚ a Christian‚ borrows 3000
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Why the Merchant of Venice is more tragic than comic * “The tragic feeling is invoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life‚ if need be‚ to secure one thing‚ his sense of personal dignity” – Arthur Miller * Leading up to Shylock’s trial he undergoes a lot of struggle with regards to his bond with Antonio where. Antonio deceives Shylock when he doesn’t pay him and escapes the clause of the bond (pound of flesh). * Shylock At the same time
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