The Merchant Of Venice Character Analysis
Quek Lin Yuan (25)
212
Act 2 (To be graded)
In Act 2 Scene 1, Portia is polite towards the Prince of Morocco and assures him that she would not discriminate against him for his dark complexion and he stood and equal chance. “Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair / As any comer I have look’d on yet / For my affection.” However, at the end of Scene 7, we later learn that Portia is rather racist, as she is prejudiced towards others of a very different skin colour, when she says “Let all of his complexion choose me so” after Morocco leaves. She hopes that other suitors who have similar skin colour would choose the wrong casket; hence she would not have to marry them. From this, we can also tell that Portia is rather double-faced, for she …show more content…
This helps to develop the characters fully by showing different sides of their personalities by emphasizing , so they take on a more “human” form. Appearance is what others perceive wheres reality underlies appearance; it is also the truth. It is possible that it is not uncommon to see the display of this particular theme in the setting of Venice, a centre for business and trade, where merchants or businessmen may perhaps be more scheming. Linking the theme of appearance versus reality to social context, similar to how Portia hid her true sentiments, others may put on masks of deception to achieve what they want while doing business. For example, Shylock appears to be polite and friendly towards Antonio and manages to get him to seal the deal and be tied to the bond, but in fact the reality is that Shylock has an ulterior motive to kill …show more content…
Personally, I have also come across others who spew lies to cover up for areas that they are lacking in, appearing more “proficient” than they actually are. Therefore the theme makes the play very relevant to our study. Through this we understand the complexities of the human condition, that sometimes what we perceive may not necessarily be what it is. This understanding can equip us with necessary life skills which can then be applied. For example, we learn to take things with a pinch of salt, and as looks can be deceiving, we never judge something or someone by appearance. Most importantly, we have to get to know someone well, past the “masks” before trusting him/her, or even allowing this particular individual to make decisions for us. The theme of appearance versus reality also helps to reinforce the value of sincerity and integrity in our modern, affluent society, where some put on masks for material
212
Act 2 (To be graded)
In Act 2 Scene 1, Portia is polite towards the Prince of Morocco and assures him that she would not discriminate against him for his dark complexion and he stood and equal chance. “Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair / As any comer I have look’d on yet / For my affection.” However, at the end of Scene 7, we later learn that Portia is rather racist, as she is prejudiced towards others of a very different skin colour, when she says “Let all of his complexion choose me so” after Morocco leaves. She hopes that other suitors who have similar skin colour would choose the wrong casket; hence she would not have to marry them. From this, we can also tell that Portia is rather double-faced, for she …show more content…
This helps to develop the characters fully by showing different sides of their personalities by emphasizing , so they take on a more “human” form. Appearance is what others perceive wheres reality underlies appearance; it is also the truth. It is possible that it is not uncommon to see the display of this particular theme in the setting of Venice, a centre for business and trade, where merchants or businessmen may perhaps be more scheming. Linking the theme of appearance versus reality to social context, similar to how Portia hid her true sentiments, others may put on masks of deception to achieve what they want while doing business. For example, Shylock appears to be polite and friendly towards Antonio and manages to get him to seal the deal and be tied to the bond, but in fact the reality is that Shylock has an ulterior motive to kill …show more content…
Personally, I have also come across others who spew lies to cover up for areas that they are lacking in, appearing more “proficient” than they actually are. Therefore the theme makes the play very relevant to our study. Through this we understand the complexities of the human condition, that sometimes what we perceive may not necessarily be what it is. This understanding can equip us with necessary life skills which can then be applied. For example, we learn to take things with a pinch of salt, and as looks can be deceiving, we never judge something or someone by appearance. Most importantly, we have to get to know someone well, past the “masks” before trusting him/her, or even allowing this particular individual to make decisions for us. The theme of appearance versus reality also helps to reinforce the value of sincerity and integrity in our modern, affluent society, where some put on masks for material