Mat Weller

Merchant of Venice The Merchant of Venice was written by William Shakespeare and is set in 16th century Venice, which at the time was the commercial centre of Europe, it was considered to be the most expensive city in the world. Because of Venice being seen as the commercial centre William Shakespeare wrote the play about money and the greed that surrounds it. Venice was also had large ethnic communities especially Jewish people who formed the biggest of all the communities. They were extremely disliked by the Christians living in Venice, who enforced laws upon them stating that the Jewish people had to live on a island which was known as a ghetto. The Jewish people also had to be in there homes on the island by 12 o' clock. Although Venice was full of traders etc. the Jewish people were not aloud to trade so instead they made their living by lending money to any type of person, but the Jewish people would always charge a high interest rate. All this history of Venice explains many of the topics in the play, and William Shakespeare seems to have put characters around what was happening at the time. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX At the start of the court room scene Bassanio is so intent of saving his friend Antonio he offers Shylock the money which Portia had given him to help save Antonio. Shylock comes to the conclusion that he would rather stay with his original bond and take the pound of flesh instead of the money. The reason Shylock decides to stay with his bond instead of the money is because he is desperate to have his revenge on Antonio. When Shylock sees Bassanio face of desperation when he offers him the money he realises how much suffering he will cause whcih fuels him to continue. Before the arrival of Portia as the barister Shylock has decided to stay with his bond and caused the christians, Bassanio especially to feel upset knowing their friend, Antonio will soon die. When the desicion is made final the audience will begin to be part of the scene and feel as tense as well as upset as the christains are. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX When Portia enters the scene she is introduced in the way that she is a usual Barister, she also does not cause any confusion to Bassanio as she is made to be well disquised. When Portia is introduced the audience are made to believe that it is her because of past scenes, but he entrance helps create more tension and the audience is made to believe she mad cause a U-turn on Shylock's final decision. Shakespeare uses this disquise as it helps create more tension to the already tense atmosphere and also make the change in Shylock's punishment and loss in the more enjoyable and to add a twist in the story. The idea is of Portia as the barister is also more creative and original than a usual barister. Throughout this scene the audience will be keen to find out the out come and what Portia can do in the story. Because of the violentness of Shylock's approach for interest the audience may not want him be be successfull in killing Antonio and want him to suffer, although they may feel some sympathy for him at the end when he is punished. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Shylock when confronted with pleas for mercy over Antonio's life, begins to feel more hatred for the christians and knows how much suffering he will cause them by killing Antonio which is exactly what he wants. When Shylcok does not react to the pleas for mercy the christians begin to feel that Antonio will die surely and that nothing can stop Shylock. Shylcok is asked several questions from Portia of which he cannot answer and she begins to finds faults in the bond which she uses to stop Shylock. When she eventuallys stop him it relieves the audience as well as the christians on stage. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Before antonio is supposedly killed he and Bassanio have an exchange of effection, which will highten the tension in the atmosphere it will also make the audience feel as if they were the jury in the scene and sitting in the court room. Also in the Elizabethan times a male relationship was extremely important. Shakspeare also changes the languages subtley in the end of the scene using repition. to cause the audience reaction to the effection shown. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX When Portia begins to explain the definition of the bond the she reads it all and emhaisyses certain words and sentences. At this point in the play it is controlled by Portia. Portia then says Shylock can have his pound of flesh, but then goes on to say how he cant have any blood as it is not in the bond. When Shylock realises it is impossible to take the flesh he decides to take the money by he is told it is the pound of flesh or nothing as that is what the bond states. Shylock is then charged for trying to kill a man which he suffers from there until the end of the scene. This resolution to the play may releieve that audience and make them enjoy the play again in a happy state of mind . I feel that this scene balances the start from changing the powerful figure from Shylock at the start to Portia.