Merchant of Venice themes

Merchant of Venice themes

1. Men and women

   • women - helpless, vulnerable, pretty and treated as an object
     • Lorenzo refers to Jessica as a "shrew"
     • speak in prose - lower status
   • men - high status, dominant, wealthy, powerful
   • women not allowed in court
     • stereotype challenged when Portia goes to court
       • had power
   • Portia and caskets - like a prize to be won
   • when disaster averted - done by a woman
     • challenges stereotype

2. Appearance and reality

   • Caskets
     • Gold- pretty but if chooses, led by beauty
     • silver - second best but if chooses has a big ego
     • lead - less pretty but if chooses will gain Portia
   • Portia and Nerissa - 'can't do things' to start with but actually can
     • court case
   • Shylock - seen as horribly really victim
   • Jessica - supposed to be a Jew, denies religion + runs of with a christian

3. Venice and Belmont

   • Belmont
     • pastoral setting, typical comedy setting
     • Made up place
     • upper class/wealthy
     • Racist talk about Morocco's complexion
     • female dominated
   • venice
     • Male dominated
       • women have no power on paper
         • but Portia and Nerissa have power in court
     • strict law
     • Venice = urban setting - typical tragedy setting
   • different stories in each place

4. Justice and mercy

   • Shylock wanted justice in court
     • got legal justice not moral justice
   • Mercy - forgiveness someone who could be punished
   • Jessica - no mercy
   • Shylock force to become christian
     • believe mercy but not - only thing he had left
   • Justice - fair behaviour/treatment