Shylock is clearly the play’s villain, as indicated by his unrelenting insistence on taking his pound of flesh. Venice is depicted as a city of merchants, usurers, and cynical young men. Portia is a fine example of a romantic heroine in Shakespeare’s mature comedies: she is witty, rich, exacting in what… In this story, Antonio was a converted Jew. One interpretation of the play's structure is that Shakespeare meant to contrast the mercy of the main Christian characters with the Old Testament vengefulness of a Jew, who lacks the religious grace to comprehend mercy. Antonio's frustrated devotion is a form of idolatry: the right to live is yielded for the sake of the loved one. As the court grants Shylock his bond and Antonio prepares for Shylock's knife, Portia deftly appropriates Shylock's argument for "specific performance". [62], In David Fincher's 1995 crime thriller Seven, a lawyer, Eli Gould, is coerced to remove a pound of his own flesh and place it on a scale, alluding to the play. The Merchant of Venice is, by structural definition, a romantic comedy. They cite as evidence that Shylock's "trial" at the end of the play is a mockery of justice, with Portia acting as a judge when she has no right to do so. While many of Shakespeare’s plays can be easily categorized, some, like The Merchant of Venice, are unclear because of the combination of tragedy elements mixing in with the comedy. Gratiano is a likeable young man, but he is often flippant, overly talkative, and tactless. The first suitor, the Prince of Morocco, chooses the gold casket, interpreting its slogan, "Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire", as referring to Portia. speech when deciding whether or not to rape his Jewish maid. Bassanio, a young Venetian of noble rank, wishes to woo the beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia of Belmont. he Merchant of Venice begs the question, does mercy exist in the world? However, Shylock adamantly refuses any compensations and insists on the pound of flesh. The Duke, wishing to save Antonio but unable to nullify a contract, refers the case to a visitor. After a few days, Shylock hears that his daughter Jessica is squandering her stolen wealth in Genoa. Between religious intolerance and personal revenge, the play seems devoid of a merciful being. At Belmont, Bassanio receives a letter telling him that Antonio has been unable to repay the loan from Shylock. With its substantive themes of religious tolerance, mercy and cruelty, and women's subordination to the patriarchy, Merchant of Venice presages the serious turn of the Bard's comedies. Nerissa, as the lawyer's clerk, succeeds in likewise retrieving her ring from Gratiano, who does not see through her disguise. Portia is a beautiful, intelligent, and wealthy heiress from Belmont. In other words, the lovers occupy a much less significant position in the play’s plot than do lovers in Shakespeare’s other comedies. "[29], Some modern productions take further pains to show the sources of Shylock's thirst for vengeance. The date of composition of The Merchant of Venice is believed to be between 1596 and 1598. With its substantive themes of religious tolerance, mercy and cruelty, and women's subordination to the patriarchy, Merchant of Venice presages the serious turn of the Bard's comedies. Title: The Merchant of Venice Author of the Book: William Shakespeare First published in year: 1597 Genre of the Book: Play One of Shakespeare “short” and “easier to understand” plays. Moreover, unlike a … Classifying ‘The Merchant of Venice’ as a tragedy or comedy is difficult since it resembles both. This was the first known attempt by a dramatist to reverse the negative stereotype that Shylock personified. Although the trial scene is mainly about the punishment and saving of Antonio but there is a fight between Portia and Shylock. In this play Shylock gets his wealth back and becomes a Jew again. Another twist on the typical comedy has to do with Shakespeare’s complex and ambiguous treatment of Shylock. As in many comedies, the conflict at the heart of Merchant has the potential to end tragically. The Merchant of Venice is a typical example of a Shakespearean comedy in that its central conflict finds resolution before real harm comes to anyone. With elegant, contemporary artwork and a faithful but succinct adaptation, this graphic novel casts a classic drama in a provocative new light. ", "How do you make Shakespeare work on the radio?". [24], Jewish actor Jacob Adler and others report that the tradition of playing Shylock sympathetically began in the first half of the 19th century with Edmund Kean,[25] and that previously the role had been played "by a comedian as a repulsive clown or, alternatively, as a monster of unrelieved evil." The second suitor, the conceited Prince of Aragon, chooses the silver casket, which proclaims, "Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves", as he believes he is full of merit. Part of the BBC's Shakespeare Festival, the play also marked that 500 years had passed since the Venetian Ghetto was instituted. Poet John Donne, who was Dean of St Paul's Cathedral and a contemporary of Shakespeare, gave a sermon in 1624 perpetuating the Blood Libel – the entirely unsubstantiated anti-Semitic lie that Jews ritually murdered Christians to drink their blood and achieve salvation. After Antonio forfeits his deadly bond, Shylock demands the pound of flesh he’s been promised, and he almost succeeds in claiming it after … Critics who advocate this reading point to Portia’s illegitimate courtroom performance as evidence that the verdict against Shylock is unjust. It is the basis of the text published in the 1623 First Folio, which adds a number of stage directions, mainly musical cues.[6]. The Merchant of Venice. Though based in part on Shakespeare's play, it was also based on, This was the first "big-screen" adaption of the play. She tells him that he must cut precisely one pound of flesh, no more, no less; she advises him that "if the scale do turn, But in the estimation of a hair, Thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate.". [70], Naomi Alderman's The Wolf in the Water is a radio-play first broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in 2016. The Merchant of Venice Characters: The main character is the merchant, Antonio who fails and becomes indebted to the merciless moneylender, Shylock. There was, states Auden, a traditional "association of sodomy with usury", reaching back at least as far as Dante, with which Shakespeare was likely familiar. As Balthazar, Portia in a famous speech repeatedly asks Shylock to show mercy, advising him that mercy "is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes" (Act IV, Sc 1, Line 185). [27] Jacob Adler was the most notable of the early 20th century: Adler played the role in Yiddish-language translation, first in Manhattan's Yiddish Theater District in the Lower East Side, and later on Broadway, where, to great acclaim, he performed the role in Yiddish in an otherwise English-language production. The play has elements of both genres, but one is clearly prevalent. [66], The Pianist is a 2002 film based on a memoir by Władysław Szpilman. This summary of sources is a quick and easy way to explore the contexts for The Merchant of Venice – from early modern ideas about trade and usury, Venice and Jewish culture to 20th-century productions by both Nazis and Yiddish companies in the shadow of the World War Two. Shylock has become more determined to exact revenge from Christians because his daughter Jessica eloped with the Christian Lorenzo and converted. That's the key for me in the relationship. speech redeems him and even makes him into something of a tragic figure; in the speech, Shylock argues that he is no different from the Christian characters. With slight variations much of English literature up until the 20th century depicts the Jew as "a monied, cruel, lecherous, avaricious outsider tolerated only because of his golden hoard".[15]. While the story hits upon the tragic element of despair, The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, is a comedy because lovers are separated, characters are in disguise, and the story has a happy ending. Although Merchant shares the basic structure of Shakespeare’s other comedies, they play also makes subtle deviations from typical comedic form. If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. Both suitors leave empty-handed, having rejected the lead casket because of the baseness of its material and the uninviting nature of its slogan, "Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath". [8] In Venice and in some other places, Jews were required to wear a red hat at all times in public to make sure that they were easily identified, and had to live in a ghetto. [71][72], Sarah B. Mantell's Everything that Never Happened is a play first produced in 2017 at the Yale School of Drama. Whether Bassanio had not once a love. Hath not a Jew eyes? time and place written 1598; London, England. [55], The rock musical Fire Angel was based on the story of the play, with the scene changed to the Little Italy district of New York. Bassanio and Gratiano leave for Venice, with money from Portia, to save Antonio's life by offering the money to Shylock. And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? She says that the contract allows Shylock to remove only the flesh, not the blood, of Antonio (see quibble). One might then ask, what genre of play is it? Granville cut the clownish Gobbos[22] in line with neoclassical decorum; he added a jail scene between Shylock and Antonio, and a more extended scene of toasting at a banquet scene. From the very beginning of The Merchant of Venice, we see the comedic element of lovers being separated time and time again. The villainy you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. [21] In 1701, George Granville staged a successful adaptation, titled The Jew of Venice, with Thomas Betterton as Bassanio. As in many comedies, the conflict at the heart of Merchant has the potential to end tragically. Defeated, Shylock consents to accept Bassanio's offer of money for the defaulted bond: first his offer to pay "the bond thrice", which Portia rebuffs, telling him to take his bond, and then merely the principal; but Portia also prevents him from doing this, on the ground that he has already refused it "in the open court". The earliest performance of which a record has survived was held at the court of King James in the spring of 1605, followed by a second performance a few days later, but there is no record of any further performances in the 17th century. The Nazis used the usurious Shylock for their propaganda. The doctor is Portia in disguise, and the law clerk who accompanies her is Nerissa, also disguised as a man. Molly Mahood pays special attention to the expectations of the play's first audience, and to our modern experience of seeing and hearing the play. Antonio has taken this potentially fatal turn because he despairs, not only over the loss of Bassanio in marriage but also because Bassanio cannot requite what Antonio feels for him. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. ", Even if Shakespeare did not intend the play to be read this way, the fact that it retains its power on stage for audiences who may perceive its central conflicts in radically different terms is an illustration of the subtlety of Shakespeare's characterisations. I am a Jew. Comedy refers to any discourse or work generally intended to be humorous or to amuse by inducing laughter, or in its simplest form comedy is a story with a happy ending. Meanwhile, in Belmont, Portia is awash with suitors. The Merchant of Venice. First she declines, but after he insists, Portia requests his ring and Antonio's gloves. As Bassanio ponders his choice, members of Portia's household sing a song that says that "fancy" (not true love) is "engend'red in the eyes, / With gazing fed";[2] Bassanio chooses the lead casket and wins Portia's hand. In his plays and poetry Shakespeare often depicted strong male bonds of varying homosociality, which has led some critics to infer that Bassanio returns Antonio's affections despite his obligation to marry:[19], ANTONIO: Commend me to your honourable wife: Harley Granville-Barker is among those who characterized The Merchant of Venice… Today, The Merchant of Venice is often read and played more like a problem play or even a tragedy. It is a tragedy as it is filled with emotional melodrama like most tragedies. Here is the tale of young Bassanio, who, to win the love of fair Portia, entangles his dearest friend, Antonio, … author William Shakespeare. Shylock's fatal flaw is to depend on the law, but "would he not walk out of that courtroom head erect, the very apotheosis of defiant hatred and scorn? At Belmont, Portia and Nerissa taunt and pretend to accuse their husbands before revealing they were really the lawyer and his clerk in disguise (V). Year Published: 1597 Language: English Country of Origin: England Source: Shakespeare, W. (1597).The Merchant of Venice.New York: Sully and Kleinteich. [3] In addition, the test of the suitors at Belmont, the merchant's rescue from the "pound of flesh" penalty by his friend's new wife disguised as a lawyer, and her demand for the betrothal ring in payment are all elements present in the 14th-century tale Il Pecorone by Giovanni Fiorentino, which was published in Milan in 1558. Here to this devil, to deliver you. Kean's Shylock established his reputation as an actor. "[65], One of the four short stories comprising Alan Isler's The Bacon Fancier (1999) is also told from Shylock's point of view. Shakespeare is supposedly writing about comedic characters in a comedic situation (see our discussion on "Genre" for more on this), but the plot of the play—and its constant closeness to danger—forces the reader to recognize that much more is going on than what's on the surface. At Venice, Antonio's ships are reported lost at sea, so the merchant cannot repay the bond. With this film, Weber became the first woman to direct a full-length feature film in America. Are not with me esteemed above thy life; Tell her the process of Antonio's end, [7] English Jews had been expelled under Edward I in 1290 and were not permitted to return until 1656 under the rule of Oliver Cromwell. She took a substantial amount of Shylock's wealth with her, as well as a turquoise ring which Shylock had been given by his late wife, Leah. [63], The German Belmont Prize was established in 1997,[64] referring to 'Belmont' as "a place of destiny where Portia's intelligence is at home." Weber played Portia and Smalley, her husband, played Shylock. The Merchant of Venice is technically classified as a comedy because it has a happy ending. The Merchant of Venice (c. 1596–97) uses a double plot structure to contrast a tale of romantic wooing with one that comes close to tragedy. Antonio says he is content that the state waive its claim to half Shylock's wealth if he can have his one-half share "in use" until Shylock's death, when the principal would be given to Lorenzo and Jessica. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599. Those who see the speech as sympathetic point out that Shylock says he learned the desire for revenge from the Christian characters: "If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The authoritative edition of The Merchant of Venice from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes:-Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play ... and the story shaped to fit a different genre. language English. (IV, i). Productions of the play followed in Lübeck (1938), Berlin (1940), and elsewhere within the Nazi territory. The characters who berated Shylock for dishonesty resort to trickery in order to win. Thus, if Shylock were to shed any drop of Antonio's blood, his "lands and goods" would be forfeited under Venetian laws. His hatred and his disdain for Venice's Christians throbs like a heart ready to burst. [12], In a series of articles called Observer, first published in 1785, British playwright Richard Cumberland created a character named Abraham Abrahams, who is quoted as saying, "I verily believe the odious character of Shylock has brought little less persecution upon us, poor scattered sons of Abraham, than the Inquisition itself. Synopsis and plot overview of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. As already mentioned in the introduction, it is difficult to define the genre of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? "[13] Cumberland later wrote a successful play, The Jew (1794), in which his title character, Sheva, is portrayed sympathetically, as both a kindhearted and generous man. [68][69], Christopher Moore combines The Merchant of Venice and Othello in his 2014 comic novel The Serpent of Venice, in which he makes Portia (from The Merchant of Venice) and Desdemona (from Othello) sisters. Caldecott, Henry Stratford (1895). (Later, Thomas Heyes' son and heir Laurence Heyes asked for and was granted a confirmation of his right to the play, on 8 July 1619.) This was a very popular and often-performed genre in Shakespeare’s day. What is unusual, however, is the fact that the lovers overcome their obstacles and marry each other midway through the play, before the main conflict has been resolved in Act IV. Take, for instance, the play’s treatment of lovers. In 16th century Venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused Jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions, the bitterly vengeful creditor demands a gruesome payment instead. Read The Merchant of Venice in simple, modern English. What's that good for? We can consider this play as a study of justice, mercy and revenge which we can surmise from the trial scene. The Merchant of Venice is technically classified as a comedy, but it's sometimes referred to as a "problem comedy" (mostly because it's so controversial) or a "tragicomedy," because it shares features in common with … [14], The depiction of Jews in literature throughout the centuries bears the close imprint of Shylock. In 16th century Venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused Jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions, the bitterly vengeful creditor demands a … Antonio's feelings for Bassanio are likened to a couplet from Shakespeare's Sonnets: "But since she pricked thee out for women's pleasure,/ Mine be thy love, and my love's use their treasure." Many modern readers and theatregoers have read the play as a plea for tolerance, noting that Shylock is a sympathetic character. Although Merchant shares the basic structure of Shakespeare's other comedies, they play also … For me, the problem with the re-timing of the story is that much of the logic fails to work with the later time period. We can consider this play as a study of justice, mercy and revenge which we can surmise from the trial scene. [10] The title page of the Quarto indicates that the play was sometimes known as The Jew of Venice in its day, which suggests that it was seen as similar to Marlowe's early 1590s work The Jew of Malta. Themes are central to understanding The Merchant of Venice as a play and identifying Shakespeare's social and political commentary. Looking at The Merchant of Venice, through the above definitions we find that it can be classified as both a … Portia says the Duke may waive the state's share, but not Antonio's. [16] Detractors note that Shylock ends the speech with a tone of revenge: "if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?" On the one hand, the play tells us that love is more important than money, mercy is preferable to revenge, and love lasts forever. He demands his pound of flesh from Antonio. Shortly after Kristallnacht in 1938, The Merchant of Venice was broadcast for propagandistic ends over the German airwaves. I don't think they have slept together but that's for the audience to decide."[20]. The title page of the first edition in 1600 states that it had been performed "divers times" by that date. Portia. Read The Merchant of Venice in simple, modern English. The play has elements of both genres, but one is clearly prevalent. Comedy; Drama. If you look at the choice of language ... you'll read very sensuous language. speech to Nazi soldiers. There are also elements of comedy in it and moments full of laughter and fun. Although few unclear elements of tragedy are apparent in this play, The Merchant … Joseph Fiennes, however, who plays Bassanio, encouraged a homoerotic interpretation and, in fact, surprised Irons with the kiss on set, which was filmed in one take. Antonio parts with his gloves without a second thought, but Bassanio gives the ring only after much persuasion from Antonio, as earlier in the play he promised his wife never to lose, sell or give it. As a piece of theatre, this version is well-paced and well-cast - Maggie Smith as Portia, Christopher Gable as Bassanio, Charles Gray as Antonio, Frank Finlay as Shylock. This third marriage only has significance insofar as it makes it possible for Portia and Nerissa to play a parallel trick on their new husbands in the final act. full title The Comical History of the Merchant of Venice, or Otherwise Called the Jew of Venice. When the play was first produced and published, it was classified as a comedy since its “[…] main thematic and structural elements […] seem to belong to the category of romantic comedy rather than elsewhere.” (Holderness 1998: 24). Whoever picks the right casket wins Portia's hand. Putting The Merchant of Venice in context: a summary of sources. The Merchant of Venice is a typical example of a Shakespearean comedy in that its central conflict finds resolution before real harm comes to anyone. He identifies himself as Balthazar, a young male "doctor of the law", bearing a letter of recommendation to the Duke from the learned lawyer Bellario. [58] In this retelling, Shylock and Antonio are friends and share a disdain for the crass anti-Semitism of the Christian community's laws. In this film, Henryk Szpilman reads Shylock's "Hath Not a Jew eyes?" One example is the Shakespeare-aficionado Chang in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), a Klingon, who quotes Shylock. This version (which featured a masque) was popular, and was acted for the next forty years. Shylock’s famous speech in Act III, when he asks, “If you prick us, do we not bleed?,” offers a powerful rebuttal to the anti-Semitism rampant in the world of the play. The Merchant of Venice is a typical example of a Shakespearean comedy in that its central conflict finds resolution before real harm comes to anyone. The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play written by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. It is the climax of the play where good prevails and evil gets punished. (Auden sees the theme of usury in the play as a comment on human relations in a mercantile society. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Despite an initial suggestion that he should be hanged for his attempt to forfeit Antonio’s life, Shylock ends up with a less serious sentence: he loses half of his fortune and has to convert to Christianity. If you poison us, do we not die? Though some describe The Merchant of Venice as a comedy because it ends with the marriage of its heroes Portia and Bassanio, it can also be described as a kind of "revenge tragedy." The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play written by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. speech on humanity. Salerino's reference to his ship the Andrew (I, i, 27) is thought to be an allusion to the Spanish ship St. Andrew, captured by the English at Cádiz in 1596. It is difficult to know whether the sympathetic reading of Shylock is entirely due to changing sensibilities among readers – or whether Shakespeare, a writer who created complex, multi-faceted characters, deliberately intended this reading. GENRE. Why, revenge. [73][74][75], This article is about Shakespeare's play. I feel there has to be a great love between the two characters ... there's great attraction. Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? [56][57], Arnold Wesker's play The Merchant (1976) is a reimagining of Shakespeare's story. The climax of the play is set in the court of the Duke of Venice. Braham Murray directed. At its very root, a comedy is a drama with a humorous or satirical tone, and The Merchant of Venice’s comic relief scenes and characters provide the audience with this humorous air. "Arnold Wesker, 83, Writer of Working-Class Dramas, Dies", "Arnold Wesker: the radical bard of working Britain", "French Spy Spoof Set in Swinging '67 Rio", "The Merchant of Venice: what happened next", "Review: 'Everything That Never Happened' reconsiders 'The Merchant of Venice' through a Jewish perspective", "Everything That Never Happened – Boston Court Pasadena", The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Merchant_of_Venice&oldid=1015332798, Articles with incomplete citations from June 2020, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Gratiano – friend of Antonio and Bassanio; in love with Nerissa; later the husband of Nerissa, Lorenzo – friend of Antonio and Bassanio; in love with Jessica; later the husband of Jessica, Nerissa – Portia's waiting maid – in love with Gratiano; later the wife of Gratiano; disguises herself as Portia's clerk, Launcelot Gobbo – servant of Shylock; later a servant of Bassanio; son of Old Gobbo, Duke of Venice – authority who presides over the case of Shylock's bond, Salarino and Salanio (also known as Solanio) – friends of Antonio and Bassanio, Salerio – a messenger from Venice; friend of Antonio, Bassanio and others, Magnificoes of Venice, officers of the Court of Justice, gaolers, servants to Portia, and other attendants and Doctor Bellario, cousin of Portia.

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