The Merchant of Venice

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The Merchant of Venice

• Background Information

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The Merchant of Venice

• Written some time around 1597
• Written as a romantic comedy since it is about
  love and ends happily
• Fuses many dramatic elements romantic courtship,
  riddling love tests, eloping lovers, comic
  confusions, a gripping courtroom trial, and a
  seemingly harmonious final act
• At the core of the play is Shylock, the Jewish
  moneylender. He only appears in five of the 20
  scenes, but his presence dominates the play.

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Theatrical Traditions of Jews

• Roots of Shakespearean drama begin with mystery
  and miracle plays of the Middle Ages, which were
  performed by the church for a largely illiterate
  audience about Old and New Testament stories.
  Jews were often viewed as responsible for
  Christs crucifixion.
• Jews became the evil villains of Elizabethan
  drama. They were one-dimensional stereotypical
  characters.
• The Jew of Malta, written in 1589 by Christopher
  Marlowe, is one such work. Marlowe was
  Shakespeare greatest rival.

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The Jew of Malta
The Merchant of Venice
Both money-lenders Both have daughters who leave
home with fathers money Both despicable
characters
Shylock is presented as a complex man, whose
every action can be understood, and who
ultimately elicits sympathy from the modern
audience.
Barbaras is a villain who steals, cheats, and
indulges in murder until he finally meets a
gruesome end, boiling in oil.
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Jews in England

• 1075 in Oxford Jews were not confined to ghettos
  as many of their European counterparts, but they
  were not allowed to be citizens. Because
  Christians could not lend money with interest,
  many Jews earned lucrative livings as usurers.
  In trying to regain debt owed to them, Jews
  became the target of resentment.
• Late 12th Century Anti-Semitic sentiment
  culminated in two massacres, one at the
  coronation of Richard I in 1189 (30 Jews killed),
  and the other in the city of York in 1190 (150
  Jews killed).
• In fact, the Magna Carta, is a testament to
  growing Anti-Semitic feelingstwo clauses state
  that if a debtor dies debt is paid, neither heir
  or widow is responsible for paying it.
• 1275 Jews forbidden to be money-lenders as well
  as other edicts implemented taxation of Jews
  over 12 years old and wearing badges that
  identified them as Jews.
• 1290 (until 1655) Expelled from England

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Jews in Elizabethan Society

• Threat of Civil War
• Staved off threat of rebellion by dealing
  ruthlessly with threat of treason, real or
  perceived
• Climate of religious intolerance against
  Christians
• Jews who converted living quietly in England
  during Elizabeths reign
• In 1593 Rodrigo Lopez, the Queens physician, was
  accused of trying to poison her, allegedly in
  league with the King of Spain. He was convicted
  of treason and hung in 1594, and because he was
  one of the above Jews, yet another outbreak of
  anti-Jewish sentiment occurred.
• Therefore, it isnt known whether Shakespeare
  ever came into contact with anyone who was Jewish.

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Shakespeares Intent?

• Given the anti-Jewish climate in Elizabethan
  England and Shakespeares portrayal of Shylock as
  a negative stereotype, it would be reasonable to
  assume Shakespeare was an Anti-Semite.
• However, the rest of the details of the play do
  not support this.
• It has been suggested that the real evil is the
  corrupt value system of the principal Christian
  characters.Antonio, the merchant of the title,
  is the worst bigot Portia is also a racist, but
  not only were Jews her only victims.

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Contrasts Presented in the Play

• Jew against Christian
• Love against hate
• Usury against venture trading
• Mercy against justice
• Appearances are rarely what the seem gold and
  silver prove worthless, identities are mistaken,
  women disguised as men trick their husbands.

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Subplots

• Bond Plot
• Casket Plot
• Elopement Plot
• Ring Plot
• These plots are interwoven throughout the play.

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Reading Shakespeare A Review

• Unlocking Shakespeare's Language, by Randal
  Robinson
• Unusual Word Arrangements
• I ate the sandwich. I the sandwich ate. Ate
  the sandwich I. Ate I the sandwich. The
  sandwich I ate. The sandwich ate I.
• Robinson shows us that these four words can
  create six unique sentences which carry the same
  meaning.  Locate the subject, verb, and the
  object of the sentence.  Notice that the object
  of the sentence is often placed at the beginning
  (the sandwich) in front of the verb (ate) and
  subject (I).  Rearrange the words in the order
  that makes the most sense to you (I ate the
  sandwich). 

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• PoetryWe speak in prose (language without
  metrical structure).  Shakespeare wrote both
  prose and verse (poetry).  Much of the language
  discussion we will have in this guide revolves
  around Shakespeare's poetry.  So, it is important
  that you understand the following terms
• Blank Verse  unrhymed iambic pentameter.
• Iambic Pentameter  five beats of alternating
  unstressed and stressed syllables ten syllables
  per line.

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• OmissionsAgain, for the sake of his poetry,
  Shakespeare often left out letters, syllables,
  and whole words.  These omissions really aren't
  that much different from the way we speak today. 
  We say
• "Been to class yet?""No.  Heard Albrecht's
  givin' a test.""Wha'sup wi'that?
• We leave out words and parts of words to speed
  up our speech.  If we were speaking in complete
  sentences, we would say
• "Have you been to class yet?""No, I have not
  been to class.  I heard that Mrs. Albrecht is
  giving a test today.""What is up with that?"

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• A few examples of Shakespearean
  omissions/contractions follow
• 'tis it is ope open o'er over gi'
  give ne'er never
• i' in e'er ever oft often a'
  he e'en even