Essay about The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1596 and finished writing it in 1598. The play starts off with Bassanio wanting to marry Portia. He confronts Antonio to ask him for a loan so he can have enough money to marry his soon to be wife. Antonio finds he doesn’t have enough money to give Bassanio the loan so he agrees to be the person to guarantee the loan. The two of them find Shylock to give him the loan. Portia then welcomes the prince of Morocco, who has come in an attempt to choose the right casket to marry her, he chooses the wrong casket and loses her hand in marriage (Spark Notes: Plot Overview). 3 of the most important things in the play are how people that look nice on the outside may be rotten and mean†¦show more content†¦This proves how people can look nice and friendly on the outside and rotten at heart, Portia is a perfect example of this. During the dispute between Shylock and the Christian believers mercy becomes a major par t in the arguments. Portia thinks Shylock should give mercy to Antonio and make less of a punishment then killing him. Portia manages to bend the rules and turn the law against Shylock and his non-merciful ways (Spark Notes: Themes, Motifs Symbols, par. 4). I think that Portia should have given Shylock mercy as she was hard on him since he threatened to kill Antonio. She always says how mercy is the right thing to do and how it should be considered to the people that do bad things: â€Å"The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes. Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes The thronà ¨d monarch better than his crown. His scepter shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings, But mercy is above this sceptered sway. It is enthronà ¨d in the hearts of kings. It is an attribute to God himself. And earthly power doth then show likest God’s When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea, consider this— That in the course of justice none of us Should seeShow MoreRelatedThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1445 Words   |  6 PagesTalia Warshawsky Ms. Rembert CGI English 11 HH 12 November 2014 Crashing Thru Venice William Shakespeare, possibly the most esteemed writer of all time, wrote a play titled The Merchant of Venice, near the end of the 1500 s. The play takes place in Venice, and while it can be described as what we now call a romantic comedy, it also draws attention to the harsh divides in the Venetian society brought on by conflicting beliefs and religions. Centuries later, in the early 2000 s, Paul Haggis wroteRead MoreMerchant of Venice by William Shakespeare830 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice is a story about man seeking justice for the forfeiture of his bond. Shylock the Jew created a bond loaning three thousand ducats to his rival Antonio. In the event that the loan could not be paid back, Shylock was entitled to a â€Å"pound of flesh from the breast† of Antonio. Antonio’s invested the money in his merchant ships hoping to gain profit. Unfortunately he loses his ships at sea, losing everything Shylock had loaned him. Shylock h appily takes AntonioRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1102 Words   |  5 Pagespassed, but even today, women are being treated unfairly in certain situations. However, in The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare challenges the concept of women being unequal to men. He conveys this message through the actions of Jessica, Portia, and Nerissa. The female characters empower themselves, accomplishing various tasks in order to gain control over the men in their lives. The Merchant of Venice is a highly effective feminist play, which is demonstrated through the assertive and cleverRead More`` The Merchant Of Venice `` By William Shakespeare1147 Words   |  5 Pagesjeopardy. It is an inescapable labyrinth that plagues the lives of all ever since humanity’s first existence. Yet it,s double-edged sword like characteristics of also providing opportunities and gains keeps many enthralled in it. In William Shakespeare s’ The Merchant of Venice, Antonio, a protagonist, gives himself over to a life-threatening contract with the villain, Shylock the Jew, in order to provide the means for one of Antonio’s friend the opportunity to woo a lady. Over the course of the playRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1036 Words   |  5 Pagesauthentic and respectable character. The Merchant of Venice by renowned playwright William Shakespeare is in itself a story about religion and religious tensions; however, one’s religion is not what defines them. One’s character does, and in the Merchant of Venice we encounter two characters, Antonio and Shylock, who share similarities throughout the play, but are overall different people with different morals. On one hand there is Antonio, a sad, christian merchant and a dear friend, while on the otherRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1153 Words   |  5 Pagesprogressed as time has passed, but even today, women are treated unfairly. However, in The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare challenges the concept of women being unequal to men. He conveys this message through the actions of Jessica, Portia, and Nerissa. The female characters empower themselves, accomplishing various tasks in order to gain control over the men in their lives. The Merchant of Venice is a highly effective feminist play, which is demonstrated through the assertive and cleverRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1685 Words   |  7 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The play The Merchant of Venice  by William Shakespeare is anti-semetic because anti semetic thoughts and actions are incorporated in a majority of his charcters. The actions of these Christian charcters go against Shylock, and other Jews presented in the play; as a result, establishing a clear seperation between the two ethnic groups. The constant hatred and mistreatment towards Shylock only enhances the division since it develops the idea that Christianity is the sup erior religion. AlthoughRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare2046 Words   |  9 PagesEssay Abbesath.K Throughout the education system, there seems to be an unofficial consensus that pieces of literature that are deemed â€Å"controversial† should not be taught in school. The Merchant of Venice falls into this category due to the Anti-Semitism which exists within the play making it â€Å"controversial† therefore, banned. On the contrary, this play should not be considered controversial and it should not be banned due to the learning experiences and knowledge that can be gained by readingRead MoreThe Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare2080 Words   |  9 PagesThe Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare The play revolves around one main plot and three sub-plots. The main plot centres on the question of mercy and forgiveness as seen in the relationship between Antonio, the kind Christian, and Shylock, the unrelenting Jew. The three subplots revolve around the romances of Portia and Bassanio (the most important couple in the play), of Lorenzo and Jessica, and of Gratiano and Nerissa (the least important couple of the play)Read MoreThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare Essay2233 Words   |  9 Pagesâ€Å"The Merchant of Venice† by William Shakespeare, explains the differences of religion and greed. There was a guy who needed a loan so he could go across the country to marry the girl of his dreams. He didn t have the money so he asked a Jew name Shylock. Shylock lends the guy money but he told him â€Å"If you don’t pay me back, I get to take a pound of your flesh† (pg. 143). We all know if someone needs money and you have it you would give it to them and you’ll have power over that person. Therefore