of the characters spend the whole time trying to gain and maintain power. The play is about a Jewish moneylender named Shylock lending money to a merchant‚ Antonio‚ for his friend‚ Bassanio‚ to travel to Belmont to try and win the heart of the heiress‚ Portia. Antonio must sign a bond in order to receive the money‚ because Shylock despises Antonio. The bond states that if Shylock does not get his money at a certain date then Antonio owes him a pound of his flesh. Antonio signs knowing he will have
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Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible the reader sees examples of injustice inflicted on the victims within the plays through the people with power within the community. The Christians in The Merchant of Venice mock Shylock the Jew countless times while the high court in The Crucible believe citizens are practicing witchcraft without a proper testimony. In both situations‚ the Christians and the court see themselves doing the right thing and believe they are contributing
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In ’The Merchant of Venice’‚ there are three parent-child relationships; Shylock and Jessica‚ Portia and her deceased father‚ and Launcelot and Old Gobbo. There is an obvious contrast between these relationships. Although Portia’s father is deceased‚ they had a good relationship while he was alive. However‚ the relationship between Shylock and Jessica is repressive and conflictual and ends tragically. After Shakespeare’s song‚ Hamnet‚ died tragically in 1596‚ he began a theatrical study of parent-child
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INTRO “My deeds upon my head! I crave the law‚ The penalty and forfeit of my bond.” Good evening Ladies and Gentleman. I expect some of you will have recognised the quote I just presented as Shylock in Act 4 Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice. This‚ I’m sure you’ll agree‚ is one of the most powerful plays ever written. I am Liam Marshall and in my twenty years of experience acting with the Royal Shakespearean Company I have become acutely aware of the worth of William’s work. I am very honoured
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deserve foolishness in the face of arrogance. Lastly‚ the lead inscription says‚ “Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he / hath” (II.vii.11-12). Shakespeare uses the lead casket to represent that great risk demands great sacrifice. The first impression of each of the caskets are not the collective representation‚ but rather the inside holds the true meaning. The Merchant of Venice suggests that the caskets of Belmont display an overarching theme of deceptive superficial appearances‚ and that the
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Shakespeare portrays Shylock as a villain because he is greedy and selfish‚ and because he has a vengeful and violent personality. Shylock stands in the way of love‚ and is very materialistic. When Tubal brings news of Jessica to Shylock‚ Shylock says "Two thousand ducats in that‚ and other precious‚ precious jewels! I would my daughter dead at my foot‚ with the jewels in her ear!" This clearly shows that Shylock would prefer to have his wealth over his daughter’s return. Furthermore‚ Shylock is extremely
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Throughout The Merchant of Venice Antonio keeps referring to Shylock as “The Jew”‚ a term that was so derogatory at the time. Although there isn’t much use of direct anti-Semitic slurs‚ the enmity towards the subculture still lurked in the passages of the play. When Shylock slyly alluded to Jacob from Genesis‚ justifying his practice of usury‚ Antonio responded dismissively‚ saying that “the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose”. By calling Shylock “the devil” due to Shylock’s faith. In the merchant’s
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there has been conflict between different cultures. So‚ in the play‚ Antonio‚ Bassanio‚ Gratiano and many more of the Christians feel resentment towards Shylock the ’alien’. This is partly because of the trap that he has led Antonio into and partly because he is different. This seemingly unaccounted for dislike is shown particularly by Shylock who comments: ’I hate him for he is a Christian’ (act 1‚ scene 3‚ line 38.) and then later on‚ in the trial scene itself‚ when asked to explain his actions
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spits on Shylock whenever he come in contact with him. He gives no reason for doing this. The hatred and greed mostly comes from Shylock because he has been mocked by people. Shylock is portrayed as a greedy character in the play. Shylock is a clownish Jewish stereotype‚ or a tragic figure that has been spat on. Shylock plays the antagonist. He is a moneylender‚ father to Jessica‚ enemy to Antonio. Shylock is also portrayed as an angry man and very greedy. Throughout the play‚ Shylocks attitude
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uses literary devices such as personification‚ similes‚ and the impressions nature makes on him to show the importance of the relationship that man should have with nature. Personification is used to make it easier for his readers to relate themselves to nature. The use of similes demonstrates the importance of experiencing nature as if it were oneself because it allows one to experience nature on a different level. His impressions of nature are used to show the impact nature can have when one takes
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