William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice contains many examples that insult Jews because they were the minority in London in Shakespeare’s time. Although many parts of the play could be interpreted as offensive in modern times‚ Elizabethan audiences found them comical. The majority of London’s population at the time was anti-Semitic because there were very few Jews living there. Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice supports anti-Semitism actions and thoughts and therefore
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In the play The Merchant of Venice Shylock‚ a rich Jewish moneylender in Venice agrees to loan Bassanio three thousand ducats on Antonio’s guarantee. Shylock is made to be the villain in the Merchant of Venice because of some of the things he does. But even though he may not have been the only one in the wrong‚ he is still guilty of the deadly sins of‚ avarice‚ envy‚ and wrath. Shylock is guilty of avarice for these reasons; for one Shylock loans money to Antonio at the cost of a pound
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In this assessment I will analyse Shakespeare’s use of language‚ structure and dramatic techniques to present the relationship between Shylock and the Christians at different points of the play. I will first look at Act 1 Scene 3‚ where we learn that Shylock has suffered mercilessly at the hands of the Christians and now harbors an almost sadistic hatred towards them. This can be evidence by Shylock’s statement to Antonio. “You………gabardine‚”. This statement allows the audience to gain an understanding
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Shylock in the play was treated very bad by the Christian people. All the people in the play all said hateful things to him and spat on him. For his "un-Christian" behavior he was called a dog Jew by everyone he doesn’t even know. Shylock was fed up with Christians hating the Jews‚ so he made a bond with Antonio to get revenge. The bond had a slight catch to it‚ if Antonio did not pay him back on time then he would have to give Shylock a pound of his own flesh. He deliberately asks for a pound of
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Final Essay for Merchant of Venice Although the Merchant of Venice‚ written by the renowned playwright William Shakespeare‚ is part of brilliant romantic comedy series‚ it is known largely for its drama and intense allusions to themes and concerns of the time period‚ which may be looked at differently in the modern society. The title of the play refers to the character of Antonio‚ who is ‘the Merchant of Venice’‚ even though the Jewish moneylender‚ Shylock is the more prominent character‚ who leaves
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Are Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Jonson’s Volpone devoted to ‘the performance of justice’? Justice has intrinsic links with laws and rules – two motifs that are central to both Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice and Jonson’s Volpone. These include laws of the Venetian state‚ the contracts between business men‚ friends or lovers and Biblical laws. Strict adherence to the law is questioned as to whether or not it truly brings justice as often the varying laws of state‚ love‚ business and
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SAT Examples: 1. John D Rockefeller was a famous American businessman and philanthropist. He was the initiator of the Standard Oil Company‚ which later became the leading company in the United States oil industry. Despite of this success‚ Rockefeller had to go through a harsh childhood. Born in a six children family‚ Rockefeller did not receive too much attention from his parents. Rockefeller’s father was a lumberman while his mother was a homemaker. Consequently‚ Rockefeller had to experience a
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The Merchant of Venice Study Guide Name: ______________________________ Hour ____ Shakespeare gets contract story from Italian novel collection by Ser Giovanni Fiorentino circa 1558. “Pound of flesh” story occurs as early as 1378. Casket plot appeared in Greek romances—is used as a means of a test. Act I 1. What important background information is established in the first scene? 2. Does Shakespeare intend the audience to view Bassanio as a spendthrift and a “gold digger”? 3. Why‚ in
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or Victim It is without doubt that William Shakespeare’s suspenseful play of The Merchant of Venice evokes complex feelings within a reader. Throughout the play‚ Shylock is portrayed as the antagonist‚ a miserable‚ cruel and prosaic figure menacing enough to endanger the happiness of Venetian citizens. At the same time‚ one feels a curious compassion for this character. In the 2004 film of The Merchant of Venice adaptation starring Al Pacino‚ Shylock is portrayed as a justifiably angry man: he
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hello my name is abby Jessica‚ Shylock’s daughter plans to elope with Lorenzo against her father’s wishes‚ were he to know. Jessica reveals her shame for her father... At Shylock’s house‚ Jessica is planning to leave her father. She tells Launcelot that "Our house is hell‚ and thou‚ a merry devil‚ / Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness" (Line 2). Jessica also reveals that Launcelot will help her to escape her father Shylock by conveying a letter to Lorenzo‚ the man Jessica intends to marry
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