has been looked down upon‚ disrespected and persecuted by other ethnicities. In Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice‚ the character of Shylock reveals to us Shakespeare’s attitude towards the Jewish people and anti-Semitism. Throughout the play Shylock is treated with a continuum of hostility and disrespect from the other characters. Many would argue that Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice condones anti-Semitism‚ but if a closer look is taken‚ Shakespeare’s playwright actually supports an opposing
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE STUDY QUESTIONS; DUE MONDAY 5th AUGUST 1) Sooth: Truth‚ reality‚ Fact Ague: Fever‚ sickness Peevish: Silly‚ foolish or: headstrong‚ impulsive Prodigal: Wastefully. It usually means someone who spends money in a recklessly extravagant way. Argosies: a large merchant ship. 2) In this scene the literally term allusion is used in many ways throughout the text‚ an example is when Bassanio compared Portrias hair with a golden fleece and says that ‘many Jason’s
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Ashley Simpson English 5306 Dr. King 1 March 2012 A Game of Caskets‚ Morals‚ and Men Lessons Learned in The Merchant of Venice Although the play’s title leads readers to believe its contents to surround Antonio‚ rather the play surrounds a hated and despised Shylock the Jew. However‚ as Shakespeare so often does‚ several scenes are placed almost haphazardly within the conflict and turmoil building amongst the main characters. Often readers question the scenes appropriateness and necessity
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A Serving of Injustice with a Side of Revenge: The Merchant of Venice During the Venetian era in which The Merchant of Venice takes place‚ the law is heavily depended on among society. Within the law‚ it is asserted that justice must be shown impartially to both parties and that the outcome will be a just balance for the good of society. Within this play lies a court case between two parties‚ Antonio and Shylock‚ where justice must be served to abide by the laws and to the contracted agreement
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In Shakespeare ’s The Merchant of Venice‚ Shylock is a Jew who struggles to adjust to a Christian society that belittles him. Antonio is a devout Christian. Shylock’s relationship with Antonio reveals that he is biased against Christians‚ and in this way both Shylock and Antonio exhibit similarities in how each perceive "the other." Both Shylock and Antonio are racially biased and they both put down each other. Shylock claims to be victimized by Christians; however‚ he exploits Christians in business
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Kimberley Williamson “The Merchant of Venice” Analyse how ONE main character’s attempts to solve a problem were important to the text as a whole. In the text‚ “The Merchant of Venice‚” written and performed by Shakespeare‚ Antonio‚ the merchant‚ borrows money from Shylock‚ a Jewish moneylender‚ to send his friend Bassanio overseas to woo and marry Portia. However‚ failing to pay back the money in time‚ Shylock takes Antonio to court demanding a pound of his flesh in payment. Portia‚ one
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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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William Shakespeare is likely the world ’s most famous playwright. He is considered a genius for his skill with words‚ his understanding of people and of human nature‚ and his sense of what really pleases an audience. In Shakespeare ’s play‚ The Merchant of Venice‚ Shakespeare uses his great skill in writing to make a character appear as if he is both a villain and a victim. A victim can be defined as an unfortunate person who suffers from a destructive action or through the dishonesty of others. Although
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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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The Merchant of Venice is a comedy written by Shakespeare‚ but it is arguable that it can also be called a tragedy. A dictionary meaning of a tragedy is‚ “a drama or similar work‚ in which the main character is brought to ruin or otherwise suffers the extreme consequences of some tragic flaw or weakness of character.” Shylock is a main character and succumbs to the tragic flaws he possesses. This play introduces Shylock‚ a Jew fighting against Christian society. Although Shylock is depicted in the
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