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Critical analysis of the merchants of Venice
Critical analysis of the merchants of Venice
Critical analysis of the merchants of Venice
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Both Shakespeare in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and Marlowe in ‘Dr Faustus’ use the numerous outcomes from the events of trade in their plays to metaphorically depict a variety of different circumstances. The very concept of trade is used in all its forms to stretch the controversial and political themes and morals of each play as far out as possible. From this, we learn that trade isn't just a physical form of business, but a symbolic form of both human and spiritual communication, too.
The plays are set and executed around the time and traditions of the 16th – 17th century; a period of global and national reform and change. It saw the birth of the renaissance in the arts, science and philosophy and the flourish of mercantilist capitalism over feudalism. England broke away from Roman Catholicism and turned Protestant under the Elizabethan Settlement. The protagonists in both plays are examples of the significance of trade in this time period socially, in the age of western classicism, racially, in the discovery, butchery and slavery of the indigenous Americas and the Jewish domination of usury in Christendom Europe and culturally, in the commerce along Silk Road between the dynasties and empires across the plains of Europe, Anatolia, Persia and Asia. Nationally, trade was largely exerted by means of the theatre; messages and morals thought up by two of the world’s greatest Renaissance men- key words in these contextual masterpieces: “venture”, “baiting” and “promising” to contrast that of “credit”, “paying” and “breaking.” The lighter meanings of these words reflect the attitudes of Shakespeare’s play; the darker meanings, Marlowe’s.
‘The Merchant of Venice’ focuses on trade itself and its effects on society and religion. Antoni...
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...elf-interest or gluttony. The direct sources of love are actually left out of both plays for the audience to discover for themselves, with a redivivus view on the livelihood of those in their community and their devotion to their Lord.
Bibliography:
• Cambridge School Shakespeare; Jonathan Morris/Robert Smith/Rex Gibson
• New Mermaids Doctor Faustus Based on the A text; Roma Gill/Ros King
• Redeeming Shylock, 2005 Archives: Boston Review, Alan A. Stone
• Shapiro J, 2005, 1500 – A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare, Faber
• http://nfs.sparknotes.com/
Works Cited
Cambridge School Shakespeare; Jonathan Morris/Robert Smith/Rex Gibson
New Mermaids Doctor Faustus Based on the A text; Roma Gill/Ros King
Redeeming Shylock, 2005 Archives: Boston Review, Alan A. Stone
Shapiro J, 2005, 1500 – A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare, Faber
http://nfs.sparknotes.com/
Christianity’s and Islam’s outlook on trade significantly varied from the 1st century until the 15th century. Trade in the two religions differed greatly at first, since one believed that it was sinful, while the other embraced it. However, by the end of the Post Classical era, the religions' view on trade and merchants were almost as if they were switched. Christian teachings warn about the consequences from the effects of trade, whereas the Muslims practice trade as an accepted way of life (Docs 1,2,3,6). Even with these differences ideas on the topic, they still preached the importance of fair trade (Docs 2,4,5,7). By the 15th and 16th centuries, Muslims and Christians both changed when Muslims started to demand fairer trade and Christians
Objects and goods are key drivers of globalization; the fundamental interconnection of people and ideas across borders. While examining the many exhibits and artifacts found in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, one can easily spot objects that spurred on global ideas and served as pieces of interconnection between cultures. Two individual objects stand out: a 17th century boxwood tobacco pipe, depicting the Ottoman and European wars, and an English sugar box from 1655 that highlights the nurturing qualities of the respective commodity. As we saw from examining commodities in Sacred Gifts and Profane Pleasures and Equiano’s life and journey throughout the Atlantic World, commodity trade can make its way around the world through not only heightened
Parent and children relationships in Shakespeare are shown in a very creative and enthusiastic manner. The drama of Shakespeare characterizes how children get along with their parents. Some of the family relationships shown in Shakespeare drama is strict with many rules that everyone in the family needs to follow. Some examples of works written by Shakespeare are: “The Merchant of Venice,” Romeo and Juliet,” and “King Lear.” There are many pieces by Shakespeare’s which include children not obeying their parent’s wishes; whereas there are other plays written by Shakespeare which includes children obeying to their parents wills. Each and every text of Shakespeare’s gives the audience a different objective as well as a different point of view. There are also symbols used throughout the plays which often indicate a significant meaning. Irony, foreshadowing as well as figurative language is used to show a sense of understanding within the characters. In the two plays that will be discussed in this essay, the audience will find out about these significant elements that were used throughout...
Committing deceptive deeds not only hurt others, but also the ones who deceive. The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, is a romantic-comedy play about a Christian merchant named Antonio who agrees to a bond that a Jewish moneylender named Shylock, his enemy, creates to help his best friend Bassanio see Portia, an heiress whom he is in love with. Shylock warns Antonio that if he forfeits the bond, by not repaying him three thousand ducats, he must allow him to remove a pound of his flesh. Throughout the play, deceptive behaviour causes the moral values of individuals to decline. First, this is seen through wealth as it pertains to the desire to have what is valuable. Second, moral values decline when people deceive the family members that they encounter. Finally, deceiving others through love leads to a decline of moral values. In the play, The Merchant of Venice, deception, as seen through wealth, family encounters, and love, causes the moral
From the first to the sixteenth centuries, merchants and trade played a prominent and influential role in society. Christianity and Islam in their origins had divergent attitudes toward increasingly important trade, but their viewpoints developed over time until 1500. Christianity first had a negative opinion of merchants, while Muslims saw them in a more positive light. Although they were different in this way, they shared some resemblance in that they both agreed that merchants should be virtuous and equitable in their transactions. In order to better comprehend how the outlook of Christians and Muslims transformed over time, one must first examine how they perceived merchants at their origins.
Though many view Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice as anti-Semitic, careful examination shows that the playwright actually develops the opposing point of view. These views can be easily established through a careful reading of the plays dialogue, character comparisons, and more subtly through indirect thematic developments by the playwright showing that on both simple and complex levels, Shakespeare attacks the anti-Semitic attitude that has been prevalent in society for centuries.
...al world of Elizabethan England—essential to an understanding of Shakespeare’s history plays can easily be lost if we regard the characters as existing beyond their origins. We cannot neglect the social, intellectual, and historical context in which the histories derive their meaning. Bloom asserts that the plays’ characters transcend their origins and operate in a universe that is still being created. We can appreciate his thesis as it reverberates through our consciousness. Bloom has successfully helped us secure a new relationship with Shakespeare and his dramatic art. At the same time, we must wonder if we can separate Shakespeare—and his characters—from the plays.
Shakespearean works are well known for their depth, symbolism and philosophical view upon different aspects of life. Mirroring is one of Shakespeare’s favorite tools. Mirroring is used to emphasize the contrast and show differences between the sides of the society and ways of living of the characters. The Merchant of Venice is no exception. Just like all other plays of Shakespeare it has many of antagonisms and it portrays the most important and hot conflicts that used to be popular at that time just as much as they are now. Exploring this multi dimensional play is exciting, because the more you think about it, the more hints and tints you discover. The play takes place in two main locations – Venice and Belmont. These two places portray two different lifestyles. One of the most important and essential themes of the Merchant of Venice is wealth. Shakespeare has a special view of this subject; he sees love as a form of wealth (Milton 34). Venice represents earning of money, accumulating it, protecting it, fighting for it; and at the same time Belmont demonstrates having money an all other life’s pleasures, this is why life in Belmont is so happy, slow and peaceful, and the whole location is so dreamlike. Being rich and having nothing to worry about is a dream of most people. To my mind, Belmont and Venice present two different sides of wealth.
Baxandall, Michael. “Conditions of Trade.” Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-century Italy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Baxandall, Michael. “Conditions of Trade.” Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-century Italy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Cohen, Walter, J.E. Howard, K. Eisaman Maus. The Norton Shakespeare. Vol. 2 Stephen Greenblatt, General Editor. New York, London. 2008. ISBN 978-0-393-92991-1
In Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, a modernistic class-conscious theme develops around how several of the play’s characters manipulate sources of wealth in order to achieve social equality. The rise of international markets, readily available sources of credit, and the overall "commodification of English society" (Lecture, 9/3/03) had created a new commercial dynamic in Shakespeare’s era that gave form to a financial meritocracy never before possible in English history. Consequently, in Shakespeare’s play, the tension that results from the challenges presented to the status quo by the commercialization of society manifests itself through the exchange of gifts and debts between three principle relationships. In the characters of Antonio, Portia, and Shylock, Shakespeare illustrates that as a result of the commodification of society even the motivations for expressing generosity are now subject to a cost/benefit analysis. Variously stifled by the traditional limitations placed upon on them by their social positions, Shakespeare’s central characters in The Merchant of Venice seek to address their frustrations through an economic advantage, which in the end analysis, works to emphasize a connection between Shakespeare and the basis of modern class antagonisms.
The Merchant of Venice is a play that deals with an assortment of issues that range from politics to racial views of the Jewish people. An embodiment of these two issues can be best attributed to the character of Shylock. In a 2004 production of The Merchant of Venice, by Michael Radford, we see the character of Shylock is portrayed in a different light than that of Shakespeare's 1594 villainous Jew. Both productions pose a series of questions in comparison. An understanding of the era that these plays were written in and the audience’s perception of the production attribute greatly to a true analysis. Another aspect of these productions asks who Shylock was to Shakespeare and who he has developed into for Al Pacino and Michael Radford.
Wheeler, Thomas. "The Merchant of Venice: Overview." Reference Guide to English Literature. Ed. D. L. Kirkpatrick. 2nd ed. Chicago: St. James Press, 1991. Literature Resource Center. Web. 7 Feb. 2010.
As the roles were essentially cemented into the culture, manipulations such as crossovers provide a source of conflict and intrigue into the narrative of the plays. Two of Shakespea...