William Shakespeare Research Paper

Biographical Summary

Shakespeare is an incredible playwright and author, however it was difficult for him to become as successful as he is. Shakespeare was born to a family in the middle class. So, he did not attend university or get a mentor to teach him. He did not grow up with money, nor did he marry into it. He was not a lead in any plays, and the only reason he was able to make successful plays was because royalty favored his writing. However, through all of the obstacles in his life, Shakespeare still became the well-known author that he is in modern times.

Shakespeare was born April 23, 1564 to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. His father was a glove maker, and his mother was the daughter of a wealthy farmer. While Shakespeare was young,

He finds that Shylock, the Jew and “villain” of the story is a “malevolent force, who is finally overcome by the more generous world in which he lives” and is taken down. (Foster “The Merchant of Venice”) However, he is not a villain he is the victim of an Anti-Semitic town who all desire that he leaves. He is treated terribly by his Christian neighbors, a multitude of them even using the term “Jew” in a negative word or insult. He is excluded from the “network of beautiful friendships that unites the others” due to his religion and the business that he runs. (Foster “The Merchant of Venice”) He finally has enough of it, and decides to take revenge on Antonio, his greatest critic. Antonio criticizes Shylock’s line of work saying that it is dishonest. So, he undermines Shylock’s business for countless years, costing Shylock money. The desire to pursue revenge against a person that has constantly stolen money and peace of mind does not create a villain. Every human desires to obtain their revenge, especially if they have been wronged as much as Shylock. Antonio and the rest of the Christian city mistreat Shylock and his religion. They constantly insulted Shylock “call’dst [him] a dog” even “before [they] hadst a cause.” (Shakespeare III III) Shylock uses their insult of him being a dog to justify his desire to obtain the pound of flesh owed to him. He states that “since I am a dog, beware my fangs” using the insult that

He hurries home to pay off a friend’s debt, and takes a servant away from an abusive master. When Launcelot requests that he serve Bassanio, he responds telling Launcelot to “Take leave of thy old master and inquire my lodging out.” Launcelot is a fellow Christian, so Bassanio desires to protect him from the torture of the Jew Shylock. Even if that means he takes on another servant that he will have to work hard to pay. However, there is a selfish personality to him. The reason that Bassanio desires to marry Portia is to pay off his depts. In the beginning, he says that “[his] chief care is to come fairly off from the great debts.” So he actually uses Portia for her money, instead of the true love that he claims to possess. Also, he loves his lavish lifestyle, but he is bad with money, the first time that we meet him, he states “Tis not unknown to you, Antonio, how much I have disabled mine estate by something showing a more swelling port than my faint means would grant continuance.” What he is saying is that he loves his lifestyle, but he had no money, and is buried under a pile of dept. He borrows money from people around town, that includes his friend Antonio, whom “[he] owes the most in money and in love.” He is saying that his rich friend Antonio is the person that he has borrowed the most money from. Bassanio decides to go to Belmont to marry a rich girl, and pay off all of his