ipl-logo

Shylock In The Merchant Of Venice

911 Words4 Pages

CHARACTERS
Shylock

Shylock is seen as The Merchant of Venice’s main figure, no consensus has been reached on whether to read him as a bloodthirsty man, Jewish stereotype, or a tragic figure who faces many trials. Certainly, Shylock is the play’s antagonist. Shylock is also created through the circumstances which he endured; in his pursuit of a pound of flesh, he frequently mentions the cruelty he has endured by Christian’s, which makes it difficult for us to call him a monster. Shylock’s cold attempt to seek revenge for the wrongs done to him by taking Antonio’s life, prevents us from seeing any positivity in his character. Shakespeare gives us a picture of Shylock as a cold hard revengeful man.

Portia

Smart, wealthy, and beautiful, Portia embodies the virtues that are typical of Shakespeare’s heroines. At the beginning of the play we do not see Portia’s potential, as she is a prisoner to her father’s dying wishes this opening appearance proves to reveal the rule abiding lady. She does not ignore the stipulations of her father’s will, she goes through a whole lot of suitors, happy to see these particular suitors go, but sad that she has no choice in the matter. When Bassanio arrives, however, Portia proves herself to be highly resourceful, begging the man she loves to stay a while before picking a chest, and finding loopholes in the will’s provision that we never thought existed. Portia’s efficiency comes from her ability to make the law work in the way she needs

Show More
Related

  • How Is Shylock Presented In The Crucible

    502 Words  | 3 Pages

    2. However, in Act 1, Scene 3, Shylock said, “I hate him for he is a Christian” Shylock is clearly contradicting himself. And this would have caused an uproar since the Elizabethan audiences were Christians, causing them to hate his character. D. Shylock enjoys hearing that Antonio’s ship had wrecked overseas and that Antonio is losing a fortune because of it. When Tubal broke the news to Shylock, he responded by saying, “I am very glad of it.

    Read More

  • Did Brutus Love Portia

    132 Words  | 1 Pages

    Brutus would rather tell Portia about the conspiracy, than to withhold secrets to his wife. This allows the reader to infer that his love for Portia is not of that time in 44 B.C where most Romans with a few exceptions treated their wives as possessions. Brutus did not act upon this, for he was not only an honorable Roman but a loving husband as well. The fact that Brutus allowed Portia to talk to him the way she did is only one supportive reason to claim he truly loved her. Another would be when Brutus says “Render me worthy of this noble wife!”

    Read More

  • Michael Corleone Vs The Godfather Research Paper

    1241 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Melancholy Dean vs. The Melancholy Don In Mario Puzo’s ‘The Godfather,’ the protagonist, Michael Corleone, is not typically looked at as a tragic hero. Although he does not have an obvious definitive “fatal flaw,” many similarities can be drawn between him and one of the most famous tragic heroes, Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Their roles as troubled heirs to power, the theme of revenge, and the concept of a fall from “grace” are only a few examples of how these two figures can be associated. To further explore, we must understand the origins of the stories and what set both of these characters up for their ultimate fate.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Ethos Pathos And Logos In Othello

    134 Words  | 1 Pages

    The sympathy felt for a character often remains through character revelation. In spite of the change in personality and morals the first impression of the character is not forgotten. Othello who commits violent acts throughout the play ends his life with honour, reminding us he was originally introduced as a respected man of high position. A person can be manipulated by others to act outside of their character, and their emotions can blind them from making good decisions. In the end a person’s true character is reflected upon the way they react to the results of their wrong doing.

    Read More

  • Stereotypes In Hamlet

    540 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout history, stereotypical profiles of what a man or woman should be have determined how they are perceived by others. Men dominate their marriage, prove themselves courageous in the line of battle, and do whatever they need to do in order to achieve their goals. Shakespeare's representation of women, and the ways in which his female roles are interpreted and enacted, have become a topic interest. In one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, Hamlet, a female character by the name, Ophelia, is portrayed as an immensely weak character.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare's Portia As A Powerless Woman

    849 Words  | 4 Pages

    Shakespeare’s language and choice of words portrays one of the most vital characters of the play, Portia, as a powerless woman to a large extent… but only in a certain way. Being ‘powerful’ has three meanings, one is “having great strength”, two is “having control over people and events”, and lastly three is “having a strong effect on people’s thoughts and feelings”. The two latter definitions are similar yet very different in this context. Making it possible for Portia to seem like a powerless woman, but surprisingly remain one of the most important characters.

    Read More

  • Betrayal In Hamlet Essay

    750 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hamlet now thinks that all women are like her. “If a woman like his mother could betray the memory of his father then can other women be different?” (Roychowdhury, 2). This is similar to the thoughts in Hamlet’s head and is why he is so harsh on Ophelia.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Essay: The Conspirator Brutus

    1348 Words  | 6 Pages

    While he is having his so-called crisis over his decision, she notices and understands that something is troubling him, and tries to comfort him (2.1.237). She repeatedly asks what is wrong, and he continues to ignore her questions and tell her nothing (2.1.257-290). Eventually to prove her strength and trustworthiness, Portia stabs herself in her leg (2.1.300). Would someone who drove their wife to self-harm to secure their attention be called an honorable or loyal spouse? Once more regarding Portia, near the end of the play, Brutus speaks of her death in an emotionless, stone-cold way (4.3.150).

    Read More

  • How Does Shakespeare Use Rhetorical Devices In Julius Caesar

    733 Words  | 3 Pages

    Trying to convince someone into believing someone's side is hard to do especially when they have no idea how to give a persuasive speech correctly. In Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar, the characters are put into a situation where they much persuade their ¨audience¨ into believing/siding with them. A good example of this is Portia, who is trying to convince her husband, Brutus, into revealing his troubles to her. On the other hand, Anthony has Rome as a whole for an audience, he was trying to change the mind of the people to target the conspirators as the villians for killing Caesar. Both use rhetorical devices to their advantage to try and gain their ¨audiences¨ trust, and in the end both are successful in a way.

    Read More

  • Manipulation In Othello

    1981 Words  | 8 Pages

    When one considers the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Othello stands out as the main character, the tragic hero, and Iago as the antagonist. The idea that “Othello’s killing of Desdemona is not murder, but a sacrifice. He is to save Desdemona from herself, not in hate but in honour”(Bradley, 1905) is true to the reader as Desdemona can be seen as a sacrificial hero and Othello’s murder act is due to the manipulation placed on him by Iago. This manipulation leads to him killing her as for her to keep her honour. Othello’s friendship with Iago is flawed as well as the actions committed, these actions either instigate out of individual choices or manipulation.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Honor In Julius Caesar

    693 Words  | 3 Pages

    One’s reputation is gathered by the honor bestowed on them. Throughout the ancient and modern world honor is envied by many. During the study and read of Julius Caesar, a Shakespearian play following the death of Pompey and Caesar’s downfall, many characters are tested to being honorable. The merit of having honor and being honorable are central themes within the play. Characters are affected by their decisions because of their lust for reputation.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Cruelty In Othello

    556 Words  | 3 Pages

    A Cruel Game Unknown to Othello, Iago was motivated by a cruelty that demanded the utter destruction of Othello’s public and private life. In the play Othello, by William Shakespeare, Iago is the main antagonist to the protagonist of the story. Iago is motivated by cruelty; his final goal is see all of his adversaries suffer. Cruelty is an especially crucial theme to any story, for it reveals the ugly truth about a character who is primarily motivated by cruelty. The social and political gains of Iago’s cruelty display how the theme functions in a work of literature and what it reveals about both the perpetrator and victim.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Portia And Calpurnia

    901 Words  | 4 Pages

    Compare and Contrast Portia and Calpurnia Have you ever wondered how similar, two people are? Have you ever wondered how different they are? The book Ii 'm here to talk about is The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare. The book is about how Julius Caesar died. But Ii 'm not here to talk about Julius Caesar;, I am going to talk about how Portia and Calpurnia are the same and different.

    Read More

  • Jealousy Quotes In Othello

    759 Words  | 4 Pages

    The tragedy of Othello written by William Shakespeare presents the main character Othello as a respectable, honorable, and dignified man. However, because of his insecurities and good nature he is easily taken advantage of and manipulated by his alleged friends. Shakespeare is known for his exceptional ability to compose plays full of deceit, revenge, and jealousy. Jealousy is an underlying theme throughout the tragedy and has been represented by many of the main characters, such as Iago, Roderigo, and Othello. The topic of jealousy will ultimately lead to the demise of many characters throughout the tragedy.

    Read More

  • The Merchant Of Venice Is Shylock A Villain Analysis

    709 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the story, “The Merchant of Venice,” there is a character named Shylock. Shylock is a Jewish citizen who lives in Venice, a place where Jewish people are one of the lowest class of citizens. This piece by Shakespeare creates this controversial character that can be viewed as a villain or victim. In this play, through the archetypal lense, we can see that Shylock is a villain because of his hatred and his desire for revenge. Some people may see Shylock as a victim because during the time period in which the story is wrote, jewish people were treated like animals and given nearly no rights or role in society.

    Read More

More about Shylock In The Merchant Of Venice

Open Document