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The merchant of venice analysis
Character of Portia in the Merchant of Venice
Character of Portia in the Merchant of Venice
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In The Merchant of Venice, Antonio is the merchant, and complains to his friends about how depressed he is and he cannot explain why. His friend Bassanio is in desperate need of money to court Portia, wealthy women of Belmont, so Bassanio asks Antonio for a loan. However, Antonio cannot give Bassanio the loan because he has just invested all of his money into a number of ships that are still at sea. Antonio advises Bassanio to go and meet with Shylock, a Jew who is a moneylender. Bassanio takes Antonio’s advice and the both of them go to meet with him. When Bassanio and Antonio meet with Shylock, Shylock has nothing but a long-term grudge against Antonio, who had made a habit of talking about him and the way he ran his business. But, Shylock decides to give Bassanio three thousand ducats with an exception that should the loan go unpaid, he will be entitled to a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Antonio agrees, and Shylock gives Bassanio the loan.
Back at Shylock’s home Launcelot; Shylock’s servant, decides to leave him and work for Bassanio. While all of this is going on, Jessica Shylock’s daughter elopes with Antonio’s friend Lorenzo. In Belmont, Portia is upset over her father’s wish, which stipulates that she must marry the man who correctly chooses one of the three caskets. Bassanio and his friend go to to court Portia. Bassanio and Portia declare there love for one another and Portia takes Bassanio to pick out the casket. Bassanio chooses the correct casket and Portia’s father accepts him into the family.
However, not everyone is happy because Antonio finds out that he has lost his ships, and that he has to forfeit his bond to Shylock. When Bassanio and his friend find out that Antonio is in trouble they go to try and save Antonio’s life. Portia and Nerissa are with the two men when they here the news and follow them to Vencie. Shylock and Antonio are side by side when Antonio pleads for his life. Shylock pays no attention to him.
They all then go to trial where the Duke of Venice rules and announces that he has sent for a legal expert, who is Portia. Portia asks Shylock to be considerate of Antonio’s harm, but Shylock insists that he give him a pound of flesh. At the same time Bassanio tells Shylock that he will give him twice the amount of money due to him, but Shylock still insists on getting the pound of flesh.
Ivanka Trump claims to be a feminist, and her actions of trying to promote change within politics by earning more parental leave in most firms are contributing to the feminist movement. However, her book has been considered to be a step backwards since her advice on getting ahead in one’s career is coming from a woman who already has a head start. Work-life balance is easier for her because of the household assistance she receives. Despite Ivanka Trump’s personal experiences she does not give success tips to those working in low-wage positions. This exludes a large part of the
She mentions how you should not put off a lot of time just because one’s children are young. Be a good role model for a daughter or even a son, let them know they can do it; they can be successful regardless of their gender. In this book, Sandberg describes non-fictional struggles for a woman in the workplace. She uses real life experiences to portray the image and information she wants to be known. Women have been fighting for decades to get equal treatment in the workplace and they still aren’t equal, they still struggle although it is not as much as
There are nearly as many women as there are men working, yet, as it was discovered in 2011, on average, a woman will only earn seventy-seven cents for every dollar that a man earns. Women owned businesses make up for over a quarter of all national businesses and earn more than one point two trillion dollars (“Assessing the Past, Taking Stock of the Future” 6). Since many women are now becoming are the primary sources of income in the household, making less that a man does not only negatively affect families, but also the overall economy suffers as well. These women, among many others, are the ones who end up purchasing the supplies that go toward improving communities and stimulating the economy. There is no reason that the general public should stand for this. Women should be treated equally to men in today’s American society based on their biological compositions, psychological profiles and contributions to history.
During the falling action of the play, Gratiano took the chance to jeopardize his relationship with Nerissa when he gives away the ring he sworn he would never lose. As said by Gratiano to Nerissa in the falling action of the play, “Now by this hand, I gave it to a youth.”(4.2.161) when he explains that he gives his ring to the judge’s clerk to his wife Nerissa. Although Nerissa was just joking about taking the ring which disguised as the clerk, it comes to her surprise that her husband has the audacity to break a commitment. This ring plot brings suspense and tension to the scene as the two elements anticipate Nerissa’s reaction and it also gives background information as this scene is one of the major plots in the play. Correspondingly, the role of taking chances is shown in the link between Jessica and Lorenzo. Amid the rising action, Jessica (Shylock’s daughter) escapes her father’s house to abandon him and marry Lorenzo – who her father hates since Lorenzo is a Christian. Before Jessica leaves Shylock, she tells Launcelot – the fool – during the rising action, “I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so; / Our house is hell, and thou a merry devil ... / Lorenzo, who is thy new master’s guest. / Give him this letter, do it secretly” (2.3.1-7). Jessica tells Launcelot that she is also going to leave Shylock and
Using the chosen texts, Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice, this essay will consider whether or not the dramatic effects of deception and disguise are significant in Shakespearean works. Deception and disguise show the difference between appearance and reality and often go hand in hand within many, if not all of Shakespeare’s plays. There are, for example, many instances of disguise leading to accidental deception, the use of disguise as a means to deceive in a form of self-preservation such as the tactics used within Twelfth Night and there are occasions when deception is used in a more malevolent fashion as shown in both Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice. Other characters are known to even deceive themselves, ultimately believing they are something they are not, as such deception and disguise is one of the most significant dramatic effects used in any Shakespearean play.
Since women are naturally maternal and nurturing they obtained the role as the family’s primary caretaker, while the men became the providers for the home. For centuries these gender roles were strictly stuck too. Women stayed at home and did house work as their husbands went out and had a career. Thankfully, society is starting to shed this ideology on gender roles. More women are starting to work proactively in the “mans world”, but they are straining to advance to high executive positions throughout corporate companies. A lot of this is due to a women’s fertility. While the stereotype of women being strictly housewives has diminished, the mentality that women are too maternal is prevalent in business life. Due to this outlook women are perceived to be unable to take on the stressful pressures business prevails, giving reason to why for years women were only secretaries and clerks in business where they received little room for progression in their careers. A great deal of reasoning behind this struggle is due to the Great Man Theory. Author of “Inequality Between Genders in the Executive Suite in Corporate America: Moral and Ethical Issues” Dean Elmuti, describes this theory as society’s perception that men are the superior beings and should be the protectors and providers, while women are weak, helpless and should stay home to raise the family (1). Consequently, this view has led to an increased emergence of men as business managers and the leaders of the country, thus defending the male dominance in the corporate industry, but also preserving the discrimination against women entering the business domain. This theory and mentality that women can’t handle business life is infuriating. However, what is more distressing is due to...
For many decades, women have faced inequalities in the workforce. At one point, they were not allowed to work at all. Although women's rights have improved and are now able to work alongside men, they are still treated unfairly. According to the 2012 U.S. Census, women’s earnings were “76.5 percent of men’s” (1). In 2012, men, on average, earned $47,398 and women earned only $35,791. This is when comparing employees where both gender spend the same amount of time working. Not only do women encounter unfairness in work pay, they also face a “glass ceiling” on a promotional basis. This glass ceiling is a “promotion barrier that prevents woman’s upward ability” (2). For example, if a woman is able to enter a job traditionally for men, she will still not receive the same pay or experience the same increase in occupational ability. Gender typing plays a huge role in the workplace. It is the idea that women tend to hold jobs that are low paid with low status. Women are not highly considered in leadership positions because of social construction of gender. Society has given women the role of “caretakers” and sensitive individuals. Therefore, women are not depicted as authoritative figures, which is apparent with the absence of women in leadership roles in companies. Furthermore, sex segregation leads to occupations with either the emphasis of women in a certain job or men in a certain job. In 2009, occupations with the highest proportion of women included “secretary, child care worker, hair dresser, cashier, bookkeeper, etc.” (3). Male workers typically held job positions as construction workers, truck drivers, taxi drivers, etc. (3). Sex segregation represents inequality because the gender composition for these jobs depends on what ...
Narrative therapy (NT) is a therapeutic technique that guides the client through a process of identifying and deconstructing the narratives they hold true, and reconstructing or re-authoring (Epston & White, 1990) new and empowering narratives. It is based on the idea that people understand their lives through their narration of lived experience (DiLollo, Neimeyer & Manning, 2002). “As narrators, the significance of our lives is dictated by the stories that we live and that we tell — that is, by the ways that we link events in meaningful sequences and thereby constitute a sense of self as the protagonist of our own autobiography” (Neimeyer, 1995). Narrative therapists tend to look for metaphors that have powerful connotations in a person’s
The characters involved in the bond plot are Antonio, Bassanio, and Shylock, although Bassanio is not as involved in this plot as Antonio and Shylock are. It is for Bassanio that Antonio takes out a loan from Shylock so that Bassanio is able to have enough money to win Portia’s hand in marriage. In the next main plot line that arises, the casket plot, Bassanio plays a much more major role as Portia’s suitor. He and Portia are the central characters in this plot. Bassanio and Portia are also two of the central characters in the ring plot along with Nerissa and Gratiano, whose relationship acts as a parallel to the relationship between Bassanio and Portia.
She demands to pay twice or even three times the amount owed, for she loves Bassanio and anyone he calls friend. Shakespeare shows here that money doesn’t have the same effect on love as it does with the caskets or with the evil in Shylock and that it can be used for good love in Portia’s donation. In Venice Bassanio brings fourth the 6000 ducats to repay Shylock, but he doesn’t accept it. Once Portia, disguised as the doctor, entered the court, she pleads with Shylock to show mercy, but he refuses. Shylock makes known that he would rather have law than his money and mercy. The doctor approves the pound of flesh to be taken from Antonio under the condition that Shylock must cut exactly one pound while shedding no blood, or he will lose all his lands and goods. Now faced with the impossible, Shylock requests that he take his 6000 ducats and let Antonio go. However, the doctor has already made the call and demands Shylock take the flesh or he will suffer death. Shylock has been so adamant that the law be upheld, but now that it has turned in loves favor, he becomes the victim. Venetian law states that any man who wrongfully attempts to take another man’s life will be subject to lose his own decided by the Duke and will lose all of his possessions. The Duke spares his life, but takes all his goods. Shylock cries out
During the discussion of the bond, Shylock says to Antonio “ I would be friends with you and have your love” and “this kindness will I show”. He pretends to be Antonio’s friend, but he has an ulterior motive, which is to take a pound of Antonio’s flesh from whatever part of his body he pleases. The underlying meaning is to kill him, and thus, although Shylock seems good-hearted, he is in truth, harbouring deceit. Shylock is manipulative and crafty as he tries to put up a show to deceive Antonio. He sounds generous about offering the three thousand ducats without “usance for my moneys”, thus winning Antonio’s trust. This was done to divert Antonio’s attention from his actual intentions. However, Shylock proposes a flesh bond as a “merry sport”, in substitution for not charging interest. The bond, although an unusual forfeit, is a serious matter, because Antonio may be killed from accepting its terms and conditions. Shylock is a brilliant strategist, and even the perceptive businessman, Antonio, has fallen for it. Shylock is a vindictive and unforgiving man, whose hatred for Christians has driven him to want to kill Antonio. We know that Shylock has suffered emotionally and physically because of how Antonio has kicked, spat and rated him many a times. Thus he deserves some of our pity, as taking revenge on your enemy is only natural.
Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice contains many themes and elements that are considered timeless or universal. Samuel Taylor Coleridge defines a timeless or universal element as a “representation of men in all ages and all times.” A universal element is relevant to the life of every human being – it is universal. The first major theme that plays an important role in the play is the Christians’ prejudice against the Jews. A second important theme is the attitude toward money. Perhaps the most important theme of the play is the love between people. This love can occur between the same sex, or the opposite sex, platonic or romantic. In Merchant of Venice, the three timeless elements are prejudice, money, and love.
Shylock also seems to show little or no love towards his daughter, Jessica. He may have been hurt by his daughter running away with a large amount of his wealth and with a Christian lover (Lorenzo); this is a point where Shylock can be viewed as a victim in the story. This still does n...
Two-thirds of working women earned less than $30,000 a year. Women were consistently making less than their male counterparts. If a woman employee worked the same number of hours as her male colleague, then she had the right to get paid the equal amount of money as him. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, full-time working women earned 81 percent of what full-time working men earned in 2010, leaving a “gap” of 19 percent between the sexes. If women are paid equally, then it helps the growth of a country’s economy. And, the statistics did improve. Carly Fiorina, Founder of the One Woman Initiative & Global Chairman of Opportunity International, wrote for Forbes Magazine describing that forty years ago, only 1 in 3 American workers were female; today, it’s 1 in 2. There are many advantages of having a working woman in the house too. Having more than one breadwinner in the house helps the family to meet the household
Bassanio knows that he’d be leaving his newly wedded wife at home, alone, to be with a friend. Antonio also wants to know whether Bassanio will come to his death and resolve between the two. This fuels the fire of Portia’s want to be Bassanio’s only love. At the end of Act III, Portia configures a plan: rather than pulling Bassanio away from Antonio, she decides that she will help Antonio. Portia therefore decides that she will give Bassanio the money, in double, to bring back to Venice to conserve Antonio’s life. As a result of this, Bassanio will be indebted to her. Portia later