The Merchant Of Venice Analysis

In a typical Shakespearean play it often incorporates a great conflict or debate between two characters. As such, we want to divulge into the meanings of these orations and the themes of free will connected in them. In one particular scene in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, we have two orations during the trial between Antonio and Shylock. These orations are the climax to the play, in which the final judgement is based upon who can better speak his case to the Duke, who is the one deciding final action in the case. During this argument we can see the silver lining of both sides, which is shown through allusion and presents the theme of race/ religion that is present in the venetian court. At the start of the trial, we can see the animosity

Nearing the end of the trial we see that as Shylock attempts to take his pound of flesh, the men talk about what they could possible do to save Antonio. Both Bassanio and Gratiano said that they would trade their wives’ lives if they would be able to change the decision of Shylock. Although the irony is the fact that both of their wives are in fact there, bringing up the idea of how marriage was thought of at the time. Which like Bassanio, was a way in which wealth could be transferred. This is the idea that all the marriages that happen in the play exist out of convenience or necessity. Which in fact was the reason why Bassanio wanted to marry Portia in the first place. Because he believed that if he did marry her, he would be free of his financial problems. In the case of Graziano he decided to marry Nerissa because he was there when Bassanio proposed to Portia. Nerissa only married Nerissa in order to mirror Bassanio’s actions, which is shown ``You saw…, I beheld...You loved…, I loved`` (III.II.2) indicating that the marriage was out of convenience rather than love.

So in the Merchant of Venice we can see that the relationship between characters can mean something very different. The different thoughts that each character carries is an important part in the play, we can see how religion can be affect one’s quality of life and how marriage is more of a tool for wealth rather than love. Mercy also becomes a silver lining when it was used in order to turn the trial onto Shylock, resulting him converting to Christianity. So we can see how religion and ethics become part of a large story in the Merchant of