Portia's Three Suitors in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
What do the words of the three suitors in the casket scenes reveal of their characters, their attitudes and their values? Refer closely to the differences in their speeches when making their choice of casket. Do you think that Bassanio deserved to win Portia's hand in marriage?
The three suitors are distinct in their own way. You find that as you are reading the play that the choice of casket is also judging the person who is choosing. It makes you think what was Portia's add was up to when designing the caskets. He was trying to make sure that Portia marries a person who has good values, a good attitude of life and a good character.
…show more content…
The silver casket is the one that appeals to him the most because he feels that no one deserving should go unmerited. His arrogance leads him to assume that he is worthy of Portia. Before he opens the casket he says, 'I will assume dessert…' meaning that he will get what he assumes he deserves. His reaction when he finds that he was unsuccessful also highlights his arrogance because he is so incredulous and cannot believe this is happening to him:
'Did I deserve no more than a fool's head?
Is that my prize? Are my desserts no better?'
In this he finds that he is not as great as he thought he was and realises that he was wrong in judgement. He is so deflated that one could feel sympathy for him. But he graciously accepts his fate and makes a dignified exit:
I'll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wroth.'
He leaves by keeping to the oath he swore before choosing. His choice indicates that Arragon represents love controlled by intellect because from his point of view choosing the silver casket was the obvious and right choice. He was blind to his own pride. Looking at the scroll
…show more content…
The problem is that he does not apply this to himself.
Bassanio --------
Bassanio is the last of the three suitors and since he has appeared several times throughout the play before the audience know him quite well before he meets Portia. He is portrayed as neither proud nor arrogant but shows himself to be nervous around Portia indicating he may be inexperienced with women. This contrasts with the attitudes of the other two suitors, as they are full of self-importance. Their purpose amongst others is to make Bassanio appear honourable.
He is significant and by far the most important of the three suitors because Portia actually displays interest for him. He also receives a good report from the messenger at the end of Act II Scene 6 before he enters unlike the other two suitors. He receives better treatment than the other two suitors do. Portia plays music in the background perhaps to calm him and soothe him into the right frame of mind so that he may choose correctly. Also the wording could give Bassanio a hint on what to choose. She also tries to delay him in taking the test,
'…for, in choosing
Critique Of The Constancy Upon Women At The Time in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
Women As Propriety In Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice and The Taming Of the Shrew
Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice An ogre is according to the Collins Dictionary “a monstrous or cruel being” but more significantly as “something or someone who eats human flesh.” Is this how Shylock is portrayed in the play or is he a simple human being, a species capable of showing emotions and feelings such as vulnerability and love. Certainly, Shylock is presented to the audience in so powerful a way that even though he only appears in five scenes, many consider him the central character. Throughout the play Shylock appears to be the butt of all the jokes and many critics see his status in the play as the tragic hero.
‘villain’; he is a complex mix of both. In the first part of the play,
The portrayal of gender roles in William Shakespeare’s play Othello, demonstrates the inferior treatment of women and the certain stereotypes of men placed on them by society. Both the male and female characters in the play have these certain gender expectations placed on them. In a society dominated by men, it is understood that the women are to be seen rather than heard. The women are referred to and treated much like property. If indeed they do speak up, they are quickly silenced. One woman’s attempt to be the perfect wife is what ultimately led to her demise. The expectations of men are equally stereotypical. Men are to be leaders and to be in control and dominant especially over the women. The male characters compete for position and use the female characters in the play as leverage to manipulate each other. Shakespeare provides insight in understanding the outcomes of the men and women who are faced with the pressures of trying to live up to society’s expectations, not only in the workplace, but also in the home. The pressure creates jealousy issues amongst the men and they become blind to the voice of reason and are overtaken by jealous rage, leads to the death of many of the characters.
Shakespeare wrote different types of plays such as comedies, tragedies, and historical plays. The play Othello is one of his tragedies. It is about a character named Othello who is a Moor, in the service of Venice. Throughout the play Iago, Othello's lieutenant, manipulates Othello to believe that Desdemona, Othello's wife, is cheating on him. Various characters in the play Othello appear to be virtuous, upstanding individuals, but their actions reveal that they are not as they appear to be.
In the 16th century, women and men were defined as having specific and contrasting roles within society. Men were defined as being powerful and dominant while women were defined as being submissive and meek. These ideals can be seen across cultures and throughout time. With these definitions of gender roles in place, the text suggests that gender is a social construct therefore qualities of femininity and masculinity are subjective. This is shown when Portia cross dresses as the lawyer Balthazar (IV) and when the truths of the rings are discovered by the two women (V). The strong female characters in the play exemplify that women are not confined to their social construct as they manipulate the male characters. During the 16th century only
I would love to write a critical essay about the role of Portia in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, hailing her as one of Shakespeare's greatest contributions to the society of the sane; however, I find this impossible after studying the text. At first, I hung on her every word and was amazed at her wit, but later I found her to be just another Shakespearean psycho. Basically, I understood Portia to be nothing less than an obedient daughter obeying the whims of her dead, over-protective father. She speaks in terms of respect about the coffinritual, and the reader believes her to be sincere. Later as her character
Portia then goes onto speak about why Shylock could show mercy and for what reason but with0out pressuring him into this act. He declines the offer. He states that he "Shylock: . . . I crave the law
By the end of Act 4 scene 1, my view of Shylock is a man who wishes to
Bassiano if he will employ Lancelot, which he agrees to. It also tells of what
True Love in The Merchant of Venice Among the various themes presented in the Merchant of Venice most important is the nature of true love. The casket plot helps illustrate the theme of the book. Through a variety of suitors the descriptions of the caskets, Shakespeare shows the reader how different people view true love. He also shows what is most important to the suitors and in some cases it is not true love, but material things and outward appearance. The first suitor who tries to win Portia's hand is the Prince of Morocco.
Women of the late 16th century were subjected to patriarchal ways and not granted the same rights and privileges as males. Yet, Shakespeare gives women in The Merchant of Venice significant roles in controlling the fates of all of the other characters. Portia and Nerissa cleverly disguise themselves as an esteemed lawyer and clerk, respectively, and interpret the law in such a way that Antonio and Bassanio are saved from Shylock’s bond, while Shylock is forced into a position of utter humiliation. The William’s Center for the Arts takes The Merchant of Venice and amplifies the play’s feminist qualities, not only through context of the play and performance, but also through gender-blind casting.
“I am a jew?”-Shylock the merchant. The Merchant of venice is a play from William Shakespeare, in which a merchant called Antonio gets a loan from Shylock to pay for Bassanio's trip. Through a string of unfortunate events lead to a angry Shylock nearly killing Antonio, but that is narrowly averted. Shylock in the play “The Merchant of Venice” can be seen as a victim due to the hostile prejudice towards his kind, unfair treatment of him, and the random events that cause him misery.
In life, there are various types of love. Two are shown in The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, written in 1589. He focuses on friendship and romance. The motif of friendship is evident with many characters throughout the play. Depending on the character, the idea of love over friendship is a controversial matter. In many instances, Bassanio and Antonio believe that friendship is more important than love. Therefore, the following theme is proven: friendship is a bond stronger than a vow of love. In the beginning of the play, Antonio is willing to sacrifice his credit to ensure Bassanio’s happiness. In the middle of the play, friendship and romance conflict, as Antonio is willing to give up his flesh to fulfill the bond that he makes with Shylock, and Bassanio departs to Venice without his newly-wedded wife. At the end of the play, Antonio persuades Bassanio to break his promise to his wife, fully proving the bond of friendship is stronger than a vow of love. Within this instance, Bassanio neglects his wife to support his friend in Venice. Throughout the play, Antonio and Bassanio’s friendship is highly valued over Portia and Bassanio’s marriage.