The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare was written between 1594-1596.It is classified as a comedy; it is also a work of good triumphs over evil, but serious themes are examined and some issues remain unresolved. In the play Shakespeare has woven together plots from different books. Shakespeare gets the bond story and the story of the ring from an Italian novella, LL Pecorone, in a collection put together by Sir Geovanni and published in 1558. The story of the bond occurs in several sources including the Gesta Romanorum. In the modern post- Holocaust 20th century, the problem of Anti-Semitism had been shown; Shakespeare described Shylock as a stereotypical character of a cruel, money-obsessed Jew. The play makes generalisation about Jewish people being the same and using Shylock as a representative. The play revolves around two people; Shylock who is a vengeful, greedy money lender and a Jew, in contrast with Antonio, a generous, faithful Venetian merchant who is a Christian. There are two plots, the pound of flesh trial between Shylock and Antonio and the three-casket test involving Bassanio and Portia. Antonio is the character who is involved in the trial scene against Shylock. He is shown as being a good and faithful person (Christian) as shown when the Duke shows his sympathy towards him at the beginning of the trial "I am sorry for thee". He is a person who would do anything for his friend. In this case Bassanio. Shylock is a Jew vengeing for Antonio's flesh. At t... ... middle of paper ... ... Antonio has done unforgivable things to him in the past. The court room scene has expressed all characters' thoughts and emotions towards each other. The tension between the Jews and Christians are powerfully explored, though my view is that Shylock should be the winner but he is defeated. The trial scene is brilliantly shown in the courtroom as if a real life event. The actors who take part in this scene show their significance in helping to create a dramatic effect. For Shylock justice had been hanging throughout this scene, creating suspense. Antonio has won the case and a sentence has been given; though I think it is unreasonable. Shakespeare has successfully used devices to create a great impact on the audience. The effective use of language style and structure contributed effectively to the play's success.
Sigmund Freud, the father of psychology and psychoanalysis, spent a great deal of his time and effort examining the conscious and unconscious mind, which is pertinent to Hamlet. When reading Hamlet, most people jump to basic conclusions about Hamlets madness without delving into what the actual cause is, but using the psychoanalytic lens can give readers a better understanding of Hamlet’s insanity. For example, the main question of the play is why Hamlet didn't kill Claudius earlier in the play. Many people argue that he’s religious and is a man of inaction, but while looking through the psychoanalytic lens it is evident that Hamlet can’t kill Claudius until Gertrude is dead. Kendra Cherry is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist who holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is the author of What is an Oedipal Complex. Cherry gives a simple understanding of the Oedipal Complex which states “According to Freud, the boy (Hamlet) wishes to possess his mother and replace his father, who the child views as a rival for the mother's affections” (Cherry). In the play, Hamlet’s actions are motivated by the Oedipal Complex and his unconscious forces (id, ego, and superego) which prove that only by the death of Gertrude can Hamlet kill Claudius.
still a common view of Jews is for them to be penny pinching, both in
William Shakespeare was a Stratford Grammar School boy, who was a member of the Church of England, similar to just about everyone else in Stratford. However, due to some events that occurred in the Shakespeare family home, there is some evidence that could prove that the family may have had some Roman Catholic connections. When William Shakespeare was 10 years old, legal issues and debt took a toll on his family’s life. Shakespeare’s father’s stopped attending alderman meetings which resulted in the removal of his name to become an alderman, and he was also forced to sell his beautiful home. The cause of this crisis is unknown, however the records can be used to throw together the idea that there were peculiar religious events going on (Fox). Due to these mishaps, William Shakespeare’s religion is a bit of a mystery. The play, Hamlet, was written by William Shakespeare during the Elizabethan era, which happened to be a time when religious conflicts were a big deal (Alsaif). The protagonist in the story, Hamlet, is a character who seems to make his choices through his religious beliefs. Hamlet is a very indecisive person, but his thoughts on religion tend to persuade him. In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses the character of Hamlet to show the flaws in all religions. Hamlet does his best to follow the rules of Christianity, but he often questions the morality involved. Although Shakespeare belonged to the Church of England, he didn’t find any particular religion to be perfect.
William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice "The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare features, Shylock a very controversial character due to his religion, profession and personal traits. Professionally Shylock lends money to people in debt, in order to gain interest and profit. Although, this is very much central to our modern way of life, in the Elizabethan period, money lending was not accepted as an acceptable profession. Throughout "The Merchant of Venice" Shylock is portrayed as menacing, inhumane and slightly eccentric, yet at times misunderstood and induces sympathy from the reader.
There exists a kind of person who can be called by no other name than by “Magnificent Bastard”. They are masters of deception, bloody brilliant, unstoppable in achieving their goals even when it means grinding others into the dust, and yet they have such a flair, such a charming disposition, that they are often admired by even those who are wronged by them. Iago in Shakespeare’s play Othello is one such character. The audience may love or hate him, but either way they must admit that he commands the spot-light. In spite of this, the reason why Iago acts as he does is shrouded in mystery. Even when directly speaking to the audience about his motivations, Iago is not always truthful. In reality, while Iago derives great pleasure from manipulating others, his driving motivation throughout the entire play is his own jealousy; from being unrecognized for his greatness, to an impossible love for Desdemona, and of the virtuous characters all around him.
The complexity and effect of father-son relationships seems to be a theme that Shakespeare loved to explore in his writings. In Hamlet, the subject is used as a mechanism to identify the similarities between three very different characters: Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet. They have each lost their fathers to violent deaths, which leads them to seek vengeance. As different as they may seem, they all share the common desire to avenge their father’s deaths. The method they each approach this is what differentiates each of their characters, and allows the audience to discern their individual characteristics. Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet’s intense loyalty to their fathers drives them to individual extreme measures of revenge, exemplifying Shakespeare’s masterful use of describing the human psyche during Elizabethan times.
black general is the hero. This would have been at a time when much of
When in the course of human events, something’s are made self-evident, like having to read Hamlet and write about three soliloquies. These soliloquies tend to be very lengthy and have very sub surface meanings to them that require some enabled humanoids to use the frontal cortex of their neurological brains in order to understand these meanings. In other words, they are hard to understand, especially with them being written in the Shakespearean era of influence in the island Kingdoms that are Untied. However, they offer meanings unimaginable and crucial to the outcome of the play Hamlet. As I have just explained, the three soliloquies of Act I, II, III, of the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare have very deep important meanings and messages to them.
In William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Hamlet does avenge his father’s death but at the cost of many life’s. Multiple characters must be analyzed in order to make an opinion about Hamlet’s revenge. There are many reasons to hamlet delaying avenging his father’s death because he finds out from a ghost he could not trust. Hamlet can be compared to Laertes and Fortinbra. They are very similar but different and the same time. Each of them loved their fathers very much and felt as if they have to avenge their father’s death. Something they had in common has been that they felt their fathers were disrespected not only their fathers but them as well. Hamlet took a very weak approach to his father revenge where as in Laertes was quick to act and Fortinbra was in the middle.
<< In the play Hamlet by William Shakesphere, the main character, Hamlet, has a high level of intelligence. In Denmark, Hamlet is the son of the king who had recently passed away, and the queen who betrayed her husband to marry Hamlet's uncle soon after his death. Hamlet is hurt and uproared by his mother's betrayal and his uncle's rise to become king. He has an extraordinary understanding and comprehension of others and himself.
Transcending its own context, Shakespeare's revenge tragedy Hamlet, has reached beyond its 17th century Elizabethan context to still be relevant today. Many believe it is not the play that changes, but the audience that views them. Despite this, Hamlet is still viewed today in a similar manner as a significantly noteworthy play, exploring issues involving corruption in society as well as one's inner struggle to maintain morality, of which are still relevant in contemporary, 21st century society. It is through the corruption of the state and the characterisation of Hamlet and his struggles which Shakespeare utilises to make transcending observations about the human condition, portraying an array of contextual values, consequently deeming it highly worthy of a critical study.
While a revenge tragedy by definition, William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is first and foremost a play concerning memory. The importance and effect of memory and the ars memoria could not be stressed more. Memory, remembrance, or, in some cases the lack there of, frame much of the dialog throughout the work and are therefore unmistakable themes of the play. In Act one, scene five, the ghost of old king Hamlet uses memory as a call to arms, “Mark me…Remember me,” he commands his astonished son (1. 5. 2, 91). This supernatural encounter, with its simple directives to memory, changes everything for Denmark. Memory becomes Hamlet’s foundation for avenging his father’s murder. However, his dwelling in the past soon proves problematic and his memory of the phantom’s words becomes warped. Hamlet regrettably suffers from selective memory when it comes to his father’s directives. This corrupted recollection of the ghost’s instructions develops into the core conflict of the tragedy. While Hamlet is ultimately able to reach his vengeful goal, it is not in a timely manner and certainly not without added bloodshed; making each casualty of the play a result of Hamlet’s inability to follow orders, to remember correctly.
Do the males in Hamlet’s society feel that women are inferior to them? It certainly seems that way, but is it possible that the males behave in this manner due to their own self-loathing? Hamlet by Shakespeare is considered to one the most tragic plays ever written. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, has one of the worst mothers. She knowingly marries her husband’s murderer, Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle. In one of the most convoluted plots in literature, Hamlet is on a mission to avenge his father’s murder, punish Gertrude, and rid himself of Ophelia, whom he has driven to madness. In the end, Hamlet’s intense need for revenge is his ultimate downfall. Even though Hamlet seems to be the victim, in some ways, he is actually the villain because of the ways that he treats his mother, Gertrude, and Ophelia. The women meet their fate due to their lack of independence. After a closer examination, there is evidence to show that the women's actions, or lack thereof, are the reasons behind their demise. In particular, three factors come into play in terms of a Feminist standpoint. First, upon closer examination of the text, it becomes apparent that women lack wise decision-making in matters of love. Secondly, women's feeble minds deter them to make shrewd decisions, as they are immature and weak. Finally, a male-dominated society affects the females’ decision making ability because they are being controlled by the men around them. Therefore, an obvious focus for the audience in Shakespeare’s, Hamlet is the prince’s indecisiveness; however, what is more noteworthy is the overt suggestion in this play that females are incapable of reaching wise decisions. Clearly the patriarchal values displayed by the men in their conversations with women in Hamlet, u...
Iago’s deceit and manipulation in Othello Iago is widely credited, in the words of Agatha Christie, as “the greatest villain of all time”. He is a manipulative character who “weaves a web of deceit” by exploiting even the tiniest faults in others. By maintaining a facade of comedy and boyishness he uses his honesty and twisted truth to play others “like a virtuoso” and “drive... them to madness”. In the play Othello, Act 2 Scene 1 is perhaps the most enlightening scene with regards to the truly manipulative character of Iago.
The expression “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” is never taken literally in the modern day, as it only exaggerates the idea of payback or karma, but this saying took a whole new meaning in the famous tragic-revenge play of Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare in 1601.What is so appealing about this masterpiece, to audiences of many decades, is the fact that revenge plays a rather large role throughout the play, motivating not only characters but developing an extensive plot. Revenge is the dominant theme that is intertwined into every character’s actions, forcing some to act out of blind anger and emotion instead of thoughtful reasoning. Senseless, emotional retaliation took hold of Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet; consuming their lives with the obligation to take vengeance on the people who killed their fathers. Revenge almost led to the downfall of all three men and is an emotion that is rationalized to easily. Shakespeare develops the plot by using revenge as the backbone to the story, showing characters like Fortinbras and Laertes fulfilling their vengeance easily while Hamlet hesitates murder with every prime opportunity. However glorious revenge may seem, it is a very dangerous theory to live by, as clearly represented in Hamlet.