Merchant of Venice Character Analysis

   Shakespeare's play, "The Merchant of Venice", is a comedy full of conflicts. The story is about a merchant, Antonio, who helps his good friend, Bassanio, borrow money to see the love of his life, Portia. In order to get the money, Antonio and Bassanio, had to make a deal with the loaner, Shylock. Throughout the story, you get to see how the conflicts of money, religion, and love all tie into the characters and how they develop in the story. One character in particular shows himself clearly throughout the whole story. Shylock is a greedy, mean Jew that clearly represents a narcissistic person. 

   In the story, Shylock is portrayed as a cruel Jew that only cares about his religion, money, and himself. In act one where they talk about lending the money, Shylock says "This kindness will I show. Go with me to the notary, seal me there, Your single bond, and, in merry sport, If you repay me not  on such a day, In such place, such sum or sum as are Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body pleaseth me." (Act 1, Scene 3, 140-148) This is a very clear representation of how Shylock is a very cruel, greedy person because he would take a pound of flesh from someone who couldn't pay off his debt. This bond is another reason of how selfish he is by not just lending the money to Bassanio and Antonio because of his own reasons. Further along the story, Shylock says  to Antonio "I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak. I'll have my bond, and therefore speak no more. I'll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, To shake the head relent, and sigh, and yield To Christian intercessor. Follow not; I'll have no speaking, I will have my bond." (Act 3, Scene 3, 12-17) After finding out Antonio can't pay back his debt, Shylock becomes greedier for his pound of flesh because of how Antonio used to treat him of being a Jew. He refuses to even talk to Antonio showing how selfish he can be to get what he wants. Shylock is a very important character to the story, he shows the bad side of how a person can be like greedy, selfish, and cruel. 

   Shylock has faced many problems throughout the story that deals with religion and money. In the beginning of the story a religion conflict occurs, Shylock says to Antonio "You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine, And all for use of that which is mine own." (Act 1, Scene 3, 10-14) The time this play was written, Christians and Jews didn't get along which is shown in the play between the other characters and Shylock. Shylock is constantly bullied throughout the story of being Jewish which could also be why he is bitter to the Christians like Antonio. Another conflict that happens when Shylock won't get his bond and is threatened to have most of his things taken away, Shylock says "Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that. You take my house, when you take the prop That doth sustain my house: you take my life, When do you take the means whereby I live." (Act 4, Scene 1, 370-373) After the judge rules he can't have his bond, Shylock is embarrassed and almost has to give up on his things. This is a big conflict because this bond is a main part of the story and now that it's done Shylock has to deal with it. Shylock faces many problems, but his bond and how he is treated is the biggest conflicts he deals with in the play. 

   Even though Shylock is portrayed as greedy and selfish, there is a lot to learn from outcomes of his actions. Towards the middle of the play, Jessica, his daughter, plans to escape him with the help of Lorenzo. Lorenzo explains the plan to Gratiano "I must tell thee all. She hath directed How I shall take her from her father's house, What gold and jewels she furnished with, What page suit she hath in readiness. if e'er the Jew her father come to heaven It will be for his gentle daughter's sake, And never dare misfortune cross her foot Unless she do it under this excuse: That she is a to a faithless Jew." (Act 2, Scene 4, 30-38) Jessica doesn't want to be a Jew like her father and escapes to be with Lorenzo taking as much as her fathers money she can carry. Shylock experiences this loss because of how he is as a person making him even more miserable than he already is. Also in the story, Shylock doesn't get anything he wants out of his bond made with Antonio. Portia tells Shylock "Thou shalt have nothing but forfeiture To her taken at they peril Jew." (Act 4, Scene 1, 39-40) After all the greediness and cruelty in order to get this bond, Shylock doesn't get anything even though the bond was broken. This shows how his actions showed to affect how he ended up at the end of the play. Shylock is primary example of a person not to because his personality of greed and selfishness ends up into outcomes that you didn't want. 

   Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice" is a very complicated but important character based on his personality of greed and selfishness. His actions results in to many conflicts which end up in solutions that don't benefit him but everyone else. Throughout the story, he became more and more greedy and selfish, but in the end, ended up with nothing. He is a perfect example of how acting in a negative way, such as greed and selfishness, will create more problems for you in life and make you live your life in a negative perspective. 

   

Reflection Questions

Reflection Questions (Sheryl &Madison):

1.)   The play opens with Antonio, the merchant, admitting that he is sad, but not knowing why.  Think of times when you’ve been sad.  Have you always understood exactly why, or has your sadness sometimes seemed strange to you?  Explain.

For me, sadness always seems to strange. Sometimes just the feeling of sadness can come over but there is no reason of it. Specific things can always make me sad like thinking of my grandpa, and I know exactly why I'm sad. Sometimes I can be happy but still have that gloomy sad feeling become a part of my day. Sadness is a tricky feeling because it can go into being depressed or angry and you get confused why you're even feeling that. The feeling of sadness is a feeling that takes a while for someone to shake off and be happy. Sadness is a strange feeling and it probably always will be. 

2.)   In Shakespeare’s time, lending money for interest was called “usury” and was generally considered immoral.  How have attitudes changed since then?

Now, interest is considered a good thing. When you invest your money into a bank, your interest gives you more money. People today want more and more money because that's the way we live today. The more money you have, the more you can get and how successful you can be. Before paying extra after a long time period was considered bad because of the lack of money all around. Now, people want more and more money to make their life easier.

3.)   Think of the recent banking crisis and the state of today’s economy.  Do you think it’s all right to lend someone a large amount of money based on their word and reputation even though they may not have any concrete evidence of being able to pay you back?

I don't think it's right because today in our economy we don't have a lot of money. I think it's okay to invest money into banks but you have to remember any bank can get robbed at any point in time. If your deciding based on reputations and their word I wouldn't put any money in that bank. Especially if there wouldn't be any chance of getting your money back. 

4.)   This play includes romantic love stories and also ethnic and religious conflict.  How well do you expect these elements to blend?

I don't expect these elements to blend well in the story. Ethnic and religion doesn't mix well because of the different views people have on it. When the ethnic and religious conflicts can also cause problems in the romantic love stories. When all these problems come together, it creates a big problem throughout the story. even though it will result in problems, it makes the story more interesting .

Shakespeare Statements

Statements:

Don’t rely on outward appearances when making judgments.

I agree with this statement because anyone can keep up with an appearances but still be different than who they really are. In my personal experience, I have notice that someone can be nice on the outside but turn out to be someone who is mean and ignorant when you get to know them. Also, you can get a mean impression but they turn out to be nice.

Justice is always blind.

I agree with this statement because justice should always be equal to everyone. Justice isn't biased or persuaded. In my personal experience, people who are different races seem to be punished unfairly before but now, justice is served to everyone.

A brotherly love between two friends can be just as strong as an intimate love between a man and a woman.

I disagree with this statement because you can love and support your friend or boyfriend/girlfriend but in different ways. You wouldn't be as intimate with friend than your boyfriend/girlfriend. You can still love your friend and boyfriend/girlfriend but there are different ways to do that.

You can break a promise as long as you have a good excuse

I disagree with statement because if you make a promise you should always keep it no matter what. In my personal experience I have gone through breaking a promise and have someone break their promise and it never turned out in a good way. Someone shouldn't break a promise because a person is trusting you and even with an excuse, you lose their trust.

Love is blind.

I agree with this statement because love can be with anyone and should be with anyone. Love bonds people together and creates a stronger bond between people. In my personal experience, I have had friends who I call my family because of the love that bonds us together. Love doesn't care who you are but it also accepts it.

Stereotypes are often right.

I disagree with this statement because most of the times stereotypes are wrong. In my personal experience, people think of the stereotype when I tell them that I do ballet. The stereotype of ballet and what it actually is, is majorly different. Stereotypes are never right in today's world.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is a good motto to live by.

I disagree and agree with this statement because it's good to give something and receive, but it's not always needed. When I'm is nice to someone, I do expect them to be nice to me, but if I give someone a gift, I don't need them to give something back and of the same value. Living by this motto can result in bad situations.

 

Of Mice and Men Poster

Team: Madison. Elizabeth, Tyler, and Nainoa

Of Mice and Men Vocab: Madison & Elizabeth

“ ‘Awright,’ she said contemptuously.” (Page 78)

Contemptuously - expressing extreme hatred or disapproval; contempt

The girl contemptuously gave her parents attitude because they wouldn't let her go to a unsupervised high school party.

"... "Curley gon'ta want get 'im lynched. Curley'll get 'im killed."" (Page 94)

Lynched - an illegal fatal consequence of a crime

The man was lynched after murdering someone in a dark alley. 

Metaphor Graphic FINAL

Metaphor Graphic