The Merchant of Venice

1
The Merchant of Venice

• Written around 1596

2
Setting

• Two primary settings (place)
• Venice
• Place of trade and commerce
• Diverse mix of religions and ethnicities present
• Cross of East and West
• Belmont
• Place where lovers unite throughout the play
• Place where wealth is not earned, but inherited
• Time
• Around Mardi Gras
• Time of celebration and revelry

3
Shakespeares Relationship with Venice

• Unlikely that Shakespeare ever visited Venice
• Fascination with the city most likely due to its
• political independence
• relaxed sexual morals
• Love of pleasure
• Diversity and tolerance for difference
• Great wealth

4
Key Issues and Motifs

• Intermarriage
• Anti-Semitism
• Trade
• Male Friendships
• Family relationships
• Specifically, fathers and daughters
• Marriage
• Mercy
• The Law
• Self Interest vs. Love

• Money and Usury
• Charging a fee on the use of money
• Like charging Interest on a loan
• Conversion
• Bonds/ Oaths
• Revenge
• Triangles
• Three caskets, three rings, three friends, three
  weddings, three stories

5
Themes

• Friendship requires sacrifice
• Appearances are deceiving.
• Revenge destroys.
• Women can be as competent or more competent than
  men.
• Women can be as ruthless or more ruthless than
  men.
• Dont count your ships until theyre in port.

6
Anti-Semitism A brief history

• History of religious anti-Semitism began with the
  idea that the Jews were responsible for killing
  Christ.
• Jews were not allowed to hold public officer, so
  many became usurers, or money lenders.
• Non Jews became heavily indebted to Jews
• Non Jews spread Anti Semitic rumors to avoid
  paying their debts
• During Shakespeares time, there was a surge in
  Anti-Semitic sentiments due to the imprisonment
  of Queen Elizabeths Jewish doctor, Roderigo
  Lopez, for allegedly attempting to poison the
  queen.

7
Anti-Semitism in M of V

• Shylock, one of the main characters, is a Jewish
  man who seems to value money over family
• Is Shakespeare challenging this notion of
  Anti-Semitism or confirming it?

8
Comedy or Tragedy?

• A Shakespearean Comedy
• Depicts amusing events with a jovial tone
• Usually has a uniting of lovers at plays end
• Merchant of Venice was labeled a comedy but
  problems exist with this label
• During the time it was written, its overt racism
  and anti-Semitism may have been comedic, but they
  are no longer so.