The Merchant of Venice

Posted on 03 November 2017 by William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare s most popular comedies, but it remains deeply controversial The text may seem anti Semitic yet repeatedly, in performance, it has revealed a contrasting nature Shylock, though vanquished in the law court, often triumphs in the theatre In his intensity he can dominate the play, challenging abrasively its romantic and lyrical affirmations What results is a bitter sweet drama.Though The Merchant of Venice offers some of the traditional pleasures of romantic comedy, it also exposes the operations of prejudice Thus Shakespeare remains our contemporary. Read The Merchant of Venice author William Shakespeare – kino-fada.fr Many years ago I believed this play to be an early experiment in tragi comedy featuring Shylock, a nemesis of almost tragic proportions, who both because of the sympathies he evokes and the evil determination he represents unbalances the play, making the last act in Belmont seem like a hollow exercise in formal completeness More recently, I believed that Shylock was essentially a comic villain, one dark splash on a predominately sunny canvas that embodies f0r us the fallen world of Venice tra Many years ago I believed this play to be an early experiment in tragi comedy featuring Shylock, a nemesis of almost tragic proportions, who both because of the sympathies he evokes and the evil determination he represents unbalances the play, making the last act in Belmont seem like a hollow exercise in formal completeness More recently, I believed that Shylock was essentially a comic villain, one dark splash on a predominately sunny canvas that embodies f0r us the fallen world of Venice transformed by the magic of Portia s Belmont I also believe our knowledge of the Holocaust makes it impossible to appreciate the play fully in this way Now after my recent re reading I m no longer sure what to think For one thing taking the title seriously this time I feel that Antonio the merchant, both in his unexplained sadness, his love whether erotic or paternal or both for Bassanio, and his unredeemed solitariness, is extremely important to the...view spoiler hide spoiler ,, , 50 , view spoiler hide spoiler ,, , 50 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2004 , view spoiler hide spoiler , , view spoiler hide spoiler , ,2 , , , view spoiler , , , hide spoiler view spoiler hide spoiler 3 1 2 stars.This review contains huge spoilers.Well I certainly did not expect that ending I didn t imagine Portia to be one to give second chances, especially after seeing her scheming to discover who isimportant to Bassanio, herself or Antonio It bothered me to see her tricking Bassanio with no repent Incidentally, I feel sad for Antonio In my opinion, he did deserve to end up wealthy but not alone Same for Shylock, even though I can t ignore his showing cruelty instead of mer 3 1 2 stars.This review contains huge spoilers.Well I certainly did not expect that ending I didn t imagine Portia to be one to give second chances, especially after seeing .... 13 Maybe because I read this play with the famous controversy of its antisemitism on my mind, or because I expected a true hearted villain, Iago fashion , in the Jewish usurer Skylock, but I reached the last scene of the play with the extraordinary sensation that the Jew s failure to execute the bloodthirsty bond wasof an anecdote than a climatic victory over evil.Shakespeare s precise wordplay presents a flesh and bone figure in Shylock, a flawed human being, a man who has been mocked and p Maybe because I read this play with the famous controversy of its antisemitism on my mind, or because I expected a true hearted villain, Iago fashion , in the Jewish usurer Skylock, ...The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare is the old classics selection for catching up on classics for September 2016 This comedy, first printed in 1609 five years prior to Shakespeare s death, offers many pressing issues of its day that are unfortunately still relevant today It is still widely studied in schools yet is banned in many places as well due to its anti Semitic portrayal of Jews and some lewdness It is in ...The pretty islands of Venice, in the shallow lagoon, atop the blue, Adriatic Sea, as the blazing rays of the Sun, shine down, on the brilliant colors of the homes, the calm canals full of boats , with cargo, from faraway lands, a glorious past, but an uncertain future, the rise of Portugal, worries the people The city once powerful, a short distance from the Italian mainland, vastly wealthy, is in declineAntonio, the most successful mer...Although the most famous speech from this piece is, deservedly and understandably, Shylock s prick us monologue, I think that theuseful speech to talk about what I felt about the play is Portia s only slightly less famous quality of mercy speech in the court room scene The quality of mercy is not strain d,It droppeth as the gentle rain from heavenUpon the place beneath it is twice blest It blesseth him that gives and him that takes Tis mightiest in the mightiest it becomesThe throne Although the most famous speech from this piece is, deservedly and understandably, Shylock s prick us monologue, I think that theuseful speech to talk about what I felt about the play is Portia s only slightly less famous quality of mercy speech in the court room scene The quality of mercy is not strain d,It droppeth as the gentle rain from heavenUpon the place beneath it is twice blest It blesseth him that gives and him that takes Tis mightiest in the mightiest it becomesThe throned monarch better than his crown His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,The attribute to awe and majesty,Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings But mercy is above this sceptred sway It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,It is an attribute to God himself And earthly power doth then show likest God sW...One had best state this matter very plainly To recover the comic splendor of The Merchant of Venice now, you need to be either a scholar or an anti Semite, or best of all an anti Semitic scholar Harold Bloom See how yond justice rails upon yond simple thief.Hark in thine ear change places, and handy dandy,which is the justice, which is the thief King Lear IV.vi.151 4 Which is the merchant here and which the Jew The Merchant of Venice THE BLACK SWAN OF VENICE The traditionalOne had best state this matter very plainly To recover the comic splendor of The Merchant of Venice now, you need to be either a scholar or an anti Semite, or best of all an anti Semitic scholar Harold Bloom See how yond justice rails upon yond simple thief.Hark ...Book Review3 of 5 stars to The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare My review is an excerpt from a paper I wrote on appearance versus reality in Shakespeare s plays In many of William Shakespeare s famous plays, reality was not quite what it appeared to be Instead, it was a rather warped appearance that someone molded in a specific way for a particular reason Reality has been altered in Shakespeare s plays often by characters who have been known to lie, scheme, and create facades, jBook Review3 of 5 stars to The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare My review is an excerpt from a paper I wrote on appearance versus reality in Shakespeare s plays In many of Wil...

English
03 November 2017

William Shakespeare