and emotionally compelling plays‚ sonnets‚ and poetry. Two of his finest pieces of work‚ Othello and The Merchant of Venice feature dynamic characters‚ and insights into the chivalry and the xenophobic disposition of the English people at the time. Throughout these two stories‚ three primary female characters emerge‚ Desdemona from Othello‚ and Portia and Jessica from The Merchant of Venice. The female leads in each of these stories share many things in common such as their devotion to their mate
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vehicle for raising awareness and sensitivity about issues of prejudice. When teaching The Merchant of Venice‚ then‚ it is important to raise the issue of anti-Semitism as a precursor to examining the text‚ and to explore this type of prejudice as both a historical and contemporary phenomenon. Throughout the play‚ Shylock‚ and by extension‚ all Jews‚ are presented as moneyhungry‚ conniving‚ and cruel. Shylock the Jew‚ as he is called by everyone in the play is compared with a dog‚ a cur‚ and a
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The Merchant of Venice Written task 1 How and why is a social group represented in a particular way? The Merchant of Venice was written by Shakespeare and printed for the first time around the sixteen hundreds‚ just after a revolutionary play that depicted the main character as a great villain and Jew‚ The Jew of Malta‚ by Christopher Marlow. Shakespeare’s inclusion of a Jewish character in his play was not usual‚ and until today it is discussed whether he was trying to show an anti-Semitic opinion
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play “The Merchant of Venice”? William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice contains many themes and elements that could be considered timeless. Shakespeare effectively explores the themes of love and hate through character in the play which is a play of two parts. One part follows the fortunes of Bassanio‚ a friend of the Merchant‚ Antonio‚ in his attempts to win the hand of Portia‚ the rich and beautiful heiress of Belmont. The second part deals with the bond Antonio makes with Shylock‚ the wealthy
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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 main female characters in the play. If they had been given a chance to show their skills‚ they undoubtedly would’ve
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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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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 ducats from Shylock‚ a Jew with ulterior motives. The casket lottery adapts
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tragedies‚ while others are more ambiguous. The Merchant of Venice is a play that falls under the latter type‚ and it has been hotly contested whether this literary work should be classified a comedy or a tragedy. However‚ since the majority of the characters received a happy ending‚ the abundance of comic relief scenes and characters‚ and lightheartedness of the plot relative to other Shakespearean works leads me to conclude that The Merchant of Venice is indeed a comedy. One of the
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The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare Key Quotations Act One Scene One 1) Antonio- In sooth‚ I know not why I am so sad. 2) Salerio- Your mind is tossing on the ocean 3) Antonio- I hold the world but as the world‚ Grationo; a stage where every man must play his part and mine a sad one. 4) Bassanio- Grationo speaks an infinite deal of nothing. 5) Antonio- My purse‚ my person‚ my extremist means‚ lie all unlocked to your occasions. Scene Two 1) Portia- The brain may devise laws for
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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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