In the first act of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, the Jewish moneylender Shylock proposes a “merry sport” to the merchant Antonio: he will lend Antonio the money he needs if Antonio agrees to let Shylock take a pound of his flesh should he default. 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. [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. 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. Does the play belong to the category of comedies or shall it rather be identified as a tragedy or problem play? 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. Gratiano is a likeable young man, but he is often flippant, overly talkative, and tactless. We don't mean "drama" in the sense that intense stuff goes down (although that's very true), but in the "dramatic" sense. genre Comedy. On this reading, Shylock’s sad end makes the play’s final act and the lovers’ quarrel at its center seem frivolous. 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. The Nazis used the usurious Shylock for their propaganda. 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. Say how I lov'd you, speak me fair in death; It is a tragedy as it is filled with emotional melodrama like most tragedies. He's not saying they're gay or they're straight, he's leaving it up to his actors. Her father left a will stipulating that each of her suitors must choose correctly from one of three caskets, made of gold, silver and lead respectively. This was a very popular and often-performed genre in Shakespeare’s day. Mercy. In this play Shylock gets his wealth back and becomes a Jew again. The play was entered in the Register of the Stationers Company, the method at that time of obtaining copyright for a new play, by James Roberts on 22 July 1598 under the title The Merchant of Venice, otherwise called The Jew of Venice. For instance, in the 2004 film adaptation directed by Michael Radford and starring Al Pacino as Shylock, the film begins with text and a montage of how Venetian Jews are cruelly abused by bigoted Christians. Harley Granville-Barker is among those who characterized The Merchant of Venice… Michael Radford, director of the 2004 film version starring Al Pacino, explained that, although the film contains a scene where Antonio and Bassanio actually kiss, the friendship between the two is platonic, in line with the prevailing view of male friendship at the time. The play continues the story of Shylock's daughter Jessica, who lives in an anti-semitic Venice and practices her Jewish faith in secret. Other plays that fall into this category include The Two Gentlemen of Verona, As You Like It, and Twelfth Night. The Merchant of Venice Characters: The main character is the merchant, Antonio who fails and becomes indebted to the merciless moneylender, Shylock. Productions of the play followed in Lübeck (1938), Berlin (1940), and elsewhere within the Nazi territory. There are also elements of comedy in it and moments full of laughter and fun. Here is the tale of young Bassanio, who, to win the love of fair Portia, entangles his dearest friend, Antonio, … 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. The Duke spares Shylock's life and says he may remit the forfeiture. Bassanio warns his companion to exercise self-control, and the two leave for Belmont. "Shylock, however unintentionally, did, in fact, hazard all for the sake of destroying the enemy he hated, and Antonio, however unthinkingly he signed the bond, hazarded all to secure the happiness of the man he loved." Also notable is Portia's speech about "the quality of mercy". Bassanio does not recognise his disguised wife, but offers to give a present to the supposed lawyer. [61], Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List (1993) depicts SS Lieutenant Amon Göth quoting Shylock's "Hath Not a Jew eyes?" Weber played Portia and Smalley, her husband, played Shylock. The Merchant of Venice has been performed more often than any other comedy by Shakespeare. 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 … Rowe expressed doubts about this interpretation as early as 1709; Doggett's success in the role meant that later productions would feature the troupe clown as Shylock. 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. In other words, the lovers occupy a much less significant position in the play’s plot than do lovers in Shakespeare’s other comedies. Thomas Doggett was Shylock, playing the role comically, perhaps even farcically. [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. [9], Shakespeare's play may be seen as a continuation of this tradition. "[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. Jewish critic Harold Bloom suggests that, although the play gives merit to both cases, the portraits are not even-handed: "Shylock's shrewd indictment of Christian hypocrisy delights us, but ... Shakespeare's intimations do not alleviate the savagery of his portrait of the Jew..."[18], Antonio's unexplained depression – "In sooth I know not why I am so sad" – and utter devotion to Bassanio has led some critics to theorise that he is suffering from unrequited love for Bassanio and is depressed because Bassanio is coming to an age where he will marry a woman. Critics today still continue to argue over the play's stance on the Jews and Judaism. In all these plays, the chief 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. One example is the Shakespeare-aficionado Chang in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), a Klingon, who quotes Shylock. He demands his pound of flesh from Antonio. [4] Elements of the trial scene are also found in The Orator by Alexandre Sylvane, published in translation in 1596. 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? The play has elements of both genres, but one is clearly prevalent. The Merchant of Venice. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? The author of The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare, has revolutionized the literary world with his tragic and comical plays.However, it has been long debated whether The Merchant of Venice should be identified as a tragedy or a comedy. Genre classification : The Merchant of Venice is regarded as a tragic comedy. speech to his brother Władysław in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Nazi occupation in World War II. You can view our. BASSANIO: But life itself, my wife, and all the world Her father’s will stipulates … Portia is a beautiful, intelligent, and wealthy heiress from Belmont. The forfeit of a merchant's deadly bond after standing surety for a friend's loan was a common tale in England in the late 16th century. [26], From Kean's time forward, all of the actors who have famously played the role, with the exception of Edwin Booth, who played Shylock as a simple villain, have chosen a sympathetic approach to the character; even Booth's father, Junius Brutus Booth, played the role sympathetically. 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. Characters are always hinting at their own complexity: Portia is obedient but devious, Antonio is self-sacrificing but self-pitying, and … This resolution is certainly devastating for Shylock, but nevertheless, the lack of fatalities marks the play’s ending as an appropriately “comic.”. She says that the contract allows Shylock to remove only the flesh, not the blood, of Antonio (see quibble). Revenge. The eligibility for the award is encapsulated by the inscription on the play's lead casket, "Who chooses me must give and hazard all he hath. 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? In a 1902 interview with Theater magazine, Adler pointed out that Shylock is a wealthy man, "rich enough to forgo the interest on three thousand ducats" and that Antonio is "far from the chivalrous gentleman he is made to appear. Whether Bassanio had not once a love. [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." First she declines, but after he insists, Portia requests his ring and Antonio's gloves. The 1600 edition is generally regarded as being accurate and reliable. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare Summary The play starts with the Bassanio, a young, nobleman, who wishes to marry a wealthy and beautiful lady Portia, the heiress of Belmont. The play is frequently staged today, but is potentially troubling to modern audiences because of its central themes, which can easily appear antisemitic. Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is problematic when it comes to classifying genre because it does not stay within the confines of any one category. In all these … - William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act 1, Scene 3 There is something about Shylock that I absolutely love. 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? In the 19th century, an emphasis was put on the fairy tale elements in the play. "The Merchant of Venice – World premiere", Bregenzer Festspiele. We can consider this play as a study of justice, mercy and revenge which we can surmise from the trial scene. 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." speech when deciding whether or not to rape his Jewish maid. 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. Portia. 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. Although the trial scene is mainly about the punishment and saving of Antonio but there is a fight between Portia and Shylock. Shortly after Kristallnacht in 1938, The Merchant of Venice was broadcast for propagandistic ends over the German airwaves. [17] In the trial Shylock represents what Elizabethan Christians believed to be the Jewish desire for "justice", contrasted with their obviously superior Christian value of mercy. 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. However, Shylock’s plan falls apart when Portia shows up in court disguised as a young male “doctor of the law.” (Incidentally, this instance of cross-dressing disguise constitutes another common feature of Shakespeare’s comedies.) Hath not a Jew eyes? It is the climax of the play where good prevails and evil gets punished. 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. Bassanio needs a loan of 3000 ducats to sponsor his marriage. 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. The Merchant of Venice is, by structural definition, a romantic comedy. Looking at The Merchant of Venice, through the above definitions we find that it can be classified as both a … 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. [58] In this retelling, Shylock and Antonio are friends and share a disdain for the crass anti-Semitism of the Christian community's laws. 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. Lecture by James Shapiro: "Shakespeare and the Jews". 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". For other uses, see. The play was mentioned by Francis Meres in 1598, so it must have been familiar on the stage by that date. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599. [23], Arthur Sullivan wrote incidental music for the play in 1871. ), Other interpreters of the play regard Auden's conception of Antonio's sexual desire for Bassanio as questionable. 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. 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. The great thing about Shakespeare and why he's so difficult to pin down is his ambiguity. 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. Genre classification : The Merchant of Venice is regarded as a tragic comedy. I don't think they have slept together but that's for the audience to decide."[20]. This version (which featured a masque) was popular, and was acted for the next forty years. Thus, if Shylock were to shed any drop of Antonio's blood, his "lands and goods" would be forfeited under Venetian laws. That's the key for me in the relationship. English society in the Elizabethan and Jacobean era has been described as "judeophobic". date of first publication First published in the Quarto of 1600. He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies – and what's his reason? Portia is a fine example of a romantic heroine in Shakespeare’s mature comedies: she is witty, rich, exacting in what… Edmond Haraucourt, French playwright and poet, was commissioned in the 1880s by the actor and theatrical director Paul Porel to make a French-verse adaptation of The Merchant of Venice. he Merchant of Venice begs the question, does mercy exist in the world? Here to this devil, to deliver you. "[65], One of the four short stories comprising Alan Isler's The Bacon Fancier (1999) is also told from Shylock's point of view. The play has elements of both genres, but one is clearly prevalent. A date of 1596–97 is considered consistent with the play's style. Such a miscarriage of justice is no small problem, particularly given the play’s emphasis on the sanctity of Venetian law. Moreover, unlike a … From the very beginning of The Merchant of Venice, we see the comedic element of lovers being separated time and time again. If you poison us, do we not die? The Merchant of Venice is technically classified as a comedy because it has a happy ending. [60], The Star Trek franchise sometimes quote and paraphrase Shakespeare, including The Merchant of Venice. I am a Jew. [70], Naomi Alderman's The Wolf in the Water is a radio-play first broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in 2016. [66], The Pianist is a 2002 film based on a memoir by Władysław Szpilman. 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 date of composition of The Merchant of Venice is believed to be between 1596 and 1598. With money in hand, Bassanio leaves for Belmont with his friend Gratiano, who has asked to accompany him. Themes are central to understanding The Merchant of Venice as a play and identifying Shakespeare's social and political commentary. Jeremy Irons, in an interview, concurs with the director's view and states that he did not "play Antonio as gay". "Our English Homer; or, the Bacon-Shakespeare Controversy". She cites a law under which Shylock, as a Jew and therefore an "alien", having attempted to take the life of a citizen, has forfeited his property, half to the government and half to Antonio, leaving his life at the mercy of the Duke. Shylock is clearly the play’s villain, as indicated by his unrelenting insistence on taking his pound of flesh. Although the trial scene is mainly about the punishment and saving of Antonio but there is a fight between Portia and Shylock. Read The Merchant of Venice in simple, modern English. Bassanio and Gratiano leave for Venice, with money from Portia, to save Antonio's life by offering the money to Shylock. Having squandered his estate, he needs 3,000 ducats to subsidise his expenditures as a suitor. With this film, Weber became the first woman to direct a full-length feature film in America. Another interpretation of Shylock and a vision of how "must he be acted" appears at the conclusion of the autobiography of Alexander Granach, a noted Jewish stage and film actor in Weimar Germany (and later in Hollywood and on Broadway).[30]. On 28 October 1600 Roberts transferred his right to the play to the stationer Thomas Heyes; Heyes published the first quarto before the end of the year. full title The Comical History of the Merchant of Venice, or Otherwise Called the Jew of Venice. After Antonio forfeits his deadly bond, Shylock demands the pound of flesh he’s been promised, and he almost succeeds in claiming it after … [28], Kean and Irving presented a Shylock justified in wanting his revenge; Adler's Shylock evolved over the years he played the role, first as a stock Shakespearean villain, then as a man whose better nature was overcome by a desire for revenge, and finally as a man who operated not from revenge but from pride.

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