Merchant of Venice Essay

This passage is imagery because it vividly describes the scene. Throughout the passage, Salarino paints the picture of the fear that would occur if his well-being depended on a ship in a detailed manner. For example, the last four lines of the passage describe a ship being destroyed by rocks and spilling the cargo into the ocean. Using words such as “dangerous rocks” and “roaring waters”, Salarino employs terms that create visual images and sounds within audience’s imagination. By effectively…

humanity. He undoubtedly thought Shylock was being cruel after his many recent losses, and that he would eventually forgive Antonio. Out of love, Shylock should forgive Antonio for some of the things that he had done. He had even sent the greatest merchant out of business, which is something to be proud of. I agree with the Duke, and I feel like Antonio should have been forgiven. It was ridiculous to cut a pound…

Ryan Helgason Daniel Cote ENGL 170 03/05/2018 Religion and Prejudice in The Merchant of Venice In The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare argues the ethics of justice and mercy, with religion as the focus. Throughout this piece, we are frequently reiterated of the discrepancies amongst Shylock and the rest of the characters. Possibly the most observable distinction, ensured by the conversation, is in each characters’ religions. Shylock, a Jew, is ridiculed throughout the comedy, and is…

In the period where The Merchant of Venice is set, anti-Semitism was ubiquitous. Shakespeare was probably influenced by this and — although he probably never met a ‘Jew’ — made Shylock a magnet for of anti-Semitism. However, the complex character of Shylock occasionally shows signs of humanity, which suggests that Shylock is a victim but – particularly from the perspective of the other main characters, such as Portia or Antonio - also a villain. We see two controversial sides of Shylock; one is…

Shakespeare is noble for even including Shylock’s perspective into his play. Though Shakespeare does not definitively promote equality, I personally believe that he is critiquing the people of his time period for their blatant racism with his work The Merchant of Venice. Therefore, Shakespeare makes an effort to challenge the typical racial biases of his time period. While Shakespeare rejects prejudices, Milton actively enforces gender stereotypes. Eve, the only female character in Paradise…

In The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Shylock creates a sense of self pity, gives in to his greed and blinds himself with revenge, which ultimately leads to his downfall at the end of the play. Shylock, the antagonists of the play, is a Jewish man living in Venice who makes a living by giving out loans, with interest, to people in need. He begins the story, though not happy, at his most content state and as his story continues and he continues to make decisions based on his defining…

Everyone behaves differently, but eventually their behaviour can have a positive or negative effect on their life. Normally, people with good behaviour tend to live a happier life than those with bad behaviour. In the play, The Merchant of Venice, the behaviour of characters somewhat depicts their lifestyle. For example, the lower class is outgoing while the higher class are more strict. Some characters such as Bassanio, play an important role throughout the play and each plot due to their…

It is common to pontificate about matters of love and money, and how one comes to effect the other. At best, the true connection of love and money is undefined, and at worst, it is unknowable. In Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, love and money are core themes which dictate not only the relationships of characters but the motivations of characters as well. Love and money become so interlaced in this play, that the independent existence of one without the other becomes an impossibility. Through…

The settings of each of Shakespeare’s plays play a huge role in the plot and the play as a whole. For example, in Othello, the play starts off in Venice but takes place in Cyprus for a majority of the play. The people of Venice were mostly white, so Othello was definitely an outcast. If it weren’t for his position in the military and his service in the war, he more than likely would have been criticized by the Venetian people. When the setting shifts to Cyprus, known for its love, the love…

historians believe that she has been an innocent woman, wrongfully reprimanded for her family, who killed nobles with the poison la cantarella. The idea of who is victimized by society, is evident, especially in William Shakespeare’s “comedy,” The Merchant of Venice. Through the play, he characters pertain to their predicaments as if everything in the world revolves around them. However, there is only one true victim, Shylock, the Jewish moneylender, while characters such as Antonio, and Portia…