The Ambiguities Of Shakespeare s Shylock - 1110 Words

After the previous lecture is reviewed, The new information about this play that we first take a look at is the ambiguities and how these influence the direction and meaning of the play. If we looks that the different character from different angles we will see that Shakespeare show Shylock as someone that is being treated unfairly by the Christians but on the other hand Shylock is threating the livelihood of a another person. If you look at the play from the Christians side, how can we fully agree with how they are treating another human being, just because he is from another religion. By looking at the wording of the text and the underlying meaning that Shakespeare has put into the play, we can discover Shakespeare’s true intentions. The†¦show more content†¦She says What, no more? when she is told about the amount of money owed and tells him, Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond double six thousand and then treble that. This not only shows her to be rich, but also she is very generous. When she married Bassanio, Portia knew that he was not as wealthy as the other suitors, but there was something different about him. Portia had enough money to live she does not need a rich suitor, so she fell in love with the man whom she thought could love her, and not just want to get richer. However, when Bassanio told her about the bond, Portia immediately was willing to help Antonio with the money and the defeating of Shylock the Jew. Portia gets to prove her wit and knowledge of the law in the courtroom scene when she dresses as The Doctor Of Law and insists on helping out. She is allowed to do this because she tells the judge that she a trainee and is well learned. The character of Shylock seems, outwardly, to be the villain of the play. He sets up a plan to take a pound of flesh from Antonio, who, outwardly, seems like a good Christian. This, however, has more depth to it than it appears. Shakespeare gives reasons for Shylock s actions though t hey may be acts of hatred, it is not unjustified hatred. Instead, it is clear that the Antonio has given Shylock plenty reason to seek revenge. Furthermore, it is quite obvious that many of the Christian characters exhibit theShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Merchant of Venice2939 Words   |  12 Pagesof the villain and main antagonist in this play, the character of Shylock is extremely complex and multi-dimensional. He seems to have two sides that can be emphasized or played up in order to create a fundamentally different play, as has been done many times throughout history; post-Holocaust reproductions, for example, are obviously radically unlike than ones that may have come before (Rich 1). In most modern adaptations, Shylock is seen as a sympathetic character, perhaps due in part to the widespread