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Why were Jews money lenders in merchant of Venice?
In Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," Jews, particularly Shylock, are portrayed as moneylenders due to historical restrictions that prevented them from owning land or engaging in many trades during the Middle Ages. As a result, money lending became one of the few avenues available for Jews to earn a living. This profession was often stigmatized, leading to negative stereotypes about Jewish moneylenders, which Shakespeare reflects in his play. Additionally, the practice of usury—charging interest on loans—was frowned upon by Christians, further complicating the dynamics between Shylock and the Christian characters.
What is The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare?
The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, one of his best-known early plays. It involves a double plot: the first involves a young man called Bassanio who wants to marry the wealthy heiress Portia. The successful suitor must first pass a test which is to guess which of three chests Portia's picture is hidden in. He guesses right and they are married. The second plot arises because Bassanio is too poor to go courting Portia. He calls upon his friend Antonio, the Merchant of Venice in the title, who is in a little cash flow bind, but who agrees to borrow the money for Bassanio. He borrows the money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. Now, Shylock and Antonio dislike each other intensely and Antonio has behaved very rudely to Shylock in the past. Nevertheless, Shylock agrees to lend the money, and without interest, provided that Antonio will agree that if the loan is not repaid on time, Shylock may cut a pound of flesh from Antonio's body. Antonio expects to be able to pay, so he agrees, but he is wrong and is taken to court by Shylock, who expects to get the pound of flesh he bargained for, and kill his enemy Antonio in the process. Unfortunately Portia dresses up as a lawyer and finds a loophole which saves Antonio and destroys Shylock.
Why is portia seen as a perfect heroine in merchant of Venice?
Portia is clearly the heroine of The Merchant of Venice, since she takes action which foils Shylock's plan and saves Antonio's life, while being at the same time the object of Bassanio's adoration. But she is far from perfect: her comments about her suitors are mean and petty and occasionally racist. She does not content herself with foiling Shylock's plan; she has to destroy Shylock's life into the bargain. Her cruelty towards him goes far beyond what justice would require (he loses the money he loaned to Antonio because he insisted upon the unenforceable bond), far from showing him the mercy which she hypocritically praises then fails to practise. She intentionally pressures Bassanio into giving up his wedding ring and then criticises him for doing so, another example of her hypocrisy.
Why does antonio hate shylock in merchant of Venice?
Shylock is a Jew and as such has always been forced to live on the fringes of society. In effect he has an understandable chip on his shoulder. He is not looking for revenge he is just trying to outsmart him.
What punishment did portia impose shylock?
None. She was not the judge (although she is called a "judge" by the Duke, who is the real judge) and did not have the power to sentence Shylock. She did, however, advise the court that in her view Shylock fell under a statute which imposed a sentence of death or such lesser sentence as the court might see fit on an "alien" who made an attempt on the life of a citizen of Venice.
Who says the following and why Need and oppression starveth in thine eyes Contempt and beggary hang upon thy back The world is not thy friend nor the world's law The world affords no law to make thee?
These lines are spoken by the character of the Duke in William Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice." He addresses Shylock, the Jewish moneylender, highlighting the societal prejudice and hardship he faces. The Duke points out that Shylock's status as an outsider has led to his isolation and suffering, implying that the world does not provide the justice or support he deserves as a human being. This moment underscores themes of discrimination and the complexities of mercy and justice in the play.
How does Shylock react to the abusive treatment he receives at the hands of Christian Venetians?
Badly. Shylock, like many Jews, was forced into moneylending as a way of making money, because it was illegal for Jews to enter into kinds of commerce that involved ownership of substantial assets. At the same time as the Christians used his services, they held him and all the other Jews in contempt. He specifically mentions that Antonio had spit on him and called him a dog, and we see this to be true, as he calls him "devil" as in "the devil can quote Scripture to his own purpose." At the end of the play he is treated abominably. On the pretext that he is a "foreigner" in the city where he has lived his whole life, his money is taken from him and given to his goyische and feckless son-in-law, and he is forced to renounce his religion and practise Christianity. No wonder he leaves on the line "I am not well."
The similarities with belmont and Venice in the play merchant of Venice?
Shakespeare allows the audience to construct their own moral responses to both plays, "The Merchant of Venice," and "Macbeth" by using a range of dramatic methods such as aides, dialogs, soliloquy, and tone of voice, juxtaposition of lines, metaphor, similes and imagery. It is a Shakespeare's skills as a dramatist the he encourages thought and creates a moral debate amongst the audience as The Merchant of Venice has many different interpretations of Shylock's choice, unlike Macbeth, as the audience generally has a similar moral response. Shakespeare manipulates the audience so that he leaves them in a state of confusion, as moral interpretations of Shylock's choice vary throughout the audience. Indeed at the end of the play, the audience might question whether or not the characters have learnt a moral lesson from the events, and the outcome has not changed the character's behaviour, although the audience learns a moral lesson.In act 1: scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice, we witness Antonio's social power, being a wealthy Christian over a Jewish usurer. Shakespeare centres the attention to the cruel treatment Shylock receives by Antonio and invites the audience to sympathise with Shylock, "You call me misbeliever, cut throat dog/you spit on me Jewish gaberdine/and all for use of that which is mine own." The audience can sympathise with Shylock and justify his hatred and thirst for revenge over Antonio, although in Macbeth, the audience is wholly critical of Macbeth as in act 1: scene 2 Shakespeare highlights the King and Soldier's positive opinion of Macbeth, "brave Macbeth," "noble Macbeth." This leads the audience to criticise Macbeth when he makes the decision to kill the kind as Macbeth has no justification for his ambitious actions whereas, Shylock can be justified. Shakespeare is also keen to demonstrate Banquo in Macbeth as a character who discourages Macbeth's ideas to seize the crown, "tis strange:/And often sometimes, to win us our harm,/The instruments of darkness tell us truths,/Win us with honest trifles, to betrays,/In deepest consequence." Banquo cautions Macbeth and warns Macbeth not to pursue this ruthless ambition. In The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare has no friend to discourage him and has no character to kill his ambition.Shakespeare uses a dramatic aside in The Merchant of Venice, Act 1: Scene 3 which allows the audience to for the first time, witness Shylock's true intentions and thought processes, "I hate him for he is Christian;/If i catch him once upon the hip i will feed fat the ancient grudge i bear him." Shakespeare crafts the memorable line to establish Shylock's hatred for Antonio, and also to present Shylock to have no moral awareness and instead to show excitement and desperation for revenge which the audience criticises, but may also understand his hatred and thirst for revenge to an extent. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses an aside to give the audience further access to Macbeth's thoughts and an insight to his true intentions, "two truths are told,/As happy prologues to the swelling act/Of the imperial theme."Shakespeare uses the metaphor, "happy prologues" to provide clear evidence that Macbeth welcomes these titles to be king. Shakespeare continues to communicate Macbeth's thoughts through an aside showing that he is unsure of his choices, "Cannot be ill, cannot be good," "Why do i yield to that suggestion/Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair/And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,/Against the use of nature?" Shakespeare has presented Macbeth to have moral awareness between right and wrong, and has left him undecided yet easy to manipulate. Macbeth is seen to have human scrumples and believes the thought of killing the king to be horrifying. Macbeth has been shown by Shakespeare to understand differences between thought and action and Macbeth without the influence of another character does not have the strength to kill the king and might not act upon his thoughts.In Act 3: Scene 1, Shakespeare presents Shylock as a sympathetic character once again, so that the audience can justify his actions, "He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scored my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies." Shakespeare gives the audience alot of reason to sympathise with Shylock and criticise Antonio, also, justify Shylock's thirst for revenge. But Shakespeare in the same dialogue, allows the sympathy to be stripped from Shylock and leads the audience to criticise him once again, and the audience can sense Shylock's awareness of the control he has over Antonio in the lines, "To bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge." This establishes Shylock's motivation and his definite intention to extract the pound of flesh from Antonio, this creates debate throughout the audience from multiple opinions to Shylock's choice.
What is the relationship between antonio and shylock?
He treated him with disrespect because he was a Jew and a money lender. he spit at him in the merchant of Venice playbook act 1 scene 3: Act 1, Scene 3: Antonio called Shylock a misbeliever - insults his faith, called him a cur - a dog, spat on him, kicked him. Antonio was not sorry - he said he would gladly do it again. Shylock was treated horribly by Antonio and wanted revenge. (1.3.110)
How were the Jews treated up to 1596?
Not particularly well, we know this because we do and life was just utterly terrible. Jews were spat upon and people didn't really life them for their so called 'Jewish' ways. My guess is that you're studying the merchant of venice, as it was written in 1596, so yeah shylock is a jew and isn't liked. He is mocked predominantly because he is fat..
Could world war 2 have ended earlier if the allies did not insist upon total surrender?
Yes. world war 2 could have ended earlier if the allies did not insist upon total surrender.
Which casket does Arragon?
The prince of Arragon in The Merchant of Venice selects the silver casket with "Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves" written upon it, believing that he deserves every great thing that comes his way. As a result of his arrogance, he receives 'a portrait of a blinking idiot'.
