Depiction of Love in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

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Depiction of Love in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice is a play about both love and hate. Shakespeare

shows the theme of hate through the prejudice of both the Jews and the

Christians and the theme of love amongst the Christian love of

friendship and love of marriage. These themes are set in two different

places: Belmont (where Portia lives) and Venice (where Shylock lives).

Belmont symbolises love and Venice symbolises hate and because Belmont

conquers Venice, love conquers hate.

Shylock and his daughter, Jessica have quite a hateful relationship.

Shylock is keeping Jessica from contact of Christians, like in Act 2

Scene 5, when Shylock hears of a masque he says:

"Clamber not you up to the casements then,

Nor thrust your head into the public street

To gaze on Christian fools with varnished faces" (Shylock-2, 5,31-33)

This might explain why Jessica was so happy that she was going to

marry a Christian, "I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me //

A Christian!" (Jessica- 3,5,18-19), because she hates the fact that

her father is trying to make her do what he wants her to do and so, as

a kind of pay back, she marries the thing Shylock hates most. Shylock

also isn't very loving towards his daughter, which may be another

reason why Jessica felt she had to elope with Lorenzo. When Shylock

hears about this, he seems more worried about the jewels she took

rather than her, "…I would my // Daughter were dead at my foot, and

the jewels in // Her ear…" (Shylock- 3, 1, 83-85).

Jessica and Lorenzo have a strong loving relationship. Jessica is very

much in love with Lorenzo "Lorenzo, certain, and my love indeed; //

For who love I so much?" (Jessica 2.6,28-29) and is prepared to become

a Christian, which she seems to favour too. Lorenzo loves Jessica too,

and although he hates her father, he is smitten with her:

"Beshrew me but I love her heartiy;

for she is wise, if I can judge her;

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