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love in literature essay
treatment of the Jewish character in the merchant of Venice
love in literature essay
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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;
From the beginning of fiction, authors have constantly exploited the one topic that is sure to secure an audience: love. From the tragic romance of Tristan and Isolde to the satirical misadventures in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, literature seems obsessed with deciphering the mysteries of affection. The concept most debated is the question of where the line falls between lust and love and what occurs when the two are combined, and few portray it more clearly than Edmund Rostand in his French drama Cyrano de Bergerac. The influence of fickle physical attraction and deep romantic love on each other are explored by the interactions of the four main characters: De Guiche, Christian, Roxane, and Cyrano.
she tries to change her life to make it better, that she wants her own happiness.
who wanted to enter her life, she is left alone after her father’s death. Her attitude
At the start of the play, in Act 1 Scene 1, there is a theme of
How Shakespeare Presents Love and the Problems of Love in Romeo and Juliet With particular focus on Act 1 Scene 5 and Act 2 Scene 2, show how. Shakespeare presents love and the problems of love in Romeo and Juliet. In the book Romeo and Juliet we look at the love and passion between Romeo of the Montague house and Juliet of the Capulet house as well. the feud between the two houses. Act 1 scene 1:
When comparing A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth; there are a few similarities that can be discussed such as: love’s difficulties, magic and the significance of events that occur during day and night. On the other hand, there is one difference that can also be discussed like one was written as a comedy and the other was written as a tragedy. Comedy does typically begin chaotic and ends in order, while tragedies are written beginning with order and ends in chaos. This is evident in Macbeth when the main character Macbeth starts off in the play as a loyal individual but towards the end, begins to become an unstable murderer.
the play is not solely about love but also a lot of hatred is involved
Pure and Foolish Love in Othello Othello, the central character of William Shakespeare's play, is an excellent leader but a poor reasoner and foolish lover. The tragedy of Othello' is largely due to Othello's personality and life experience. Othello believes himself to be loved and respected by everyone around him as most people refer to him as the "noble General Othello". Othello, after realizing his tragic mistake of murdering his innocent wife, Desdemona, claims he "loved not wisely, but too well". This is an honest reflection of himself as his love was true and pure but also foolish.
Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, Vol. 34, No. 2, Elizabethan and Jacobean Drama (Spring, 1994), pp. 341-356 Published by: Rice University http://www.jstor.org/stable/450905
We know from the very opening scene of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet's love will end in
be in love. Mercutio treats love as a game; he thinks that if you are
Love is under the power of no one, including the power of Prospero from The Tempest. He seems to do very well at dictating everything that is going on on the island with the help of his books and his subjects, but he cannot control the love of Ferdinand and Miranda or the love of Caliban for the island. He cannot control the love that others feel because love is an infection, love is something he can oversee but cannot completely control, and his power comes solely from his books and his subjects. Prospero’s powers are not limitless.
True Love in The Merchant of Venice Among the various themes presented in the Merchant of Venice most important is the nature of true love. The casket plot helps illustrate the theme of the book. Through a variety of suitors the descriptions of the caskets, Shakespeare shows the reader how different people view true love. He also shows what is most important to the suitors and in some cases it is not true love, but material things and outward appearance. The first suitor who tries to win Portia's hand is the Prince of Morocco.
Love however, is the source of much confusion and complication in another of Shakespeare’s comedies, Twelfth Night. Men and women were seen as very different from each other at the time the play was written, they were therefore also treated in very different ways. Because of this Viola conceals her identity and adopts the role of a man, in order to better her safety whilst being alone on the island, and to get a job at Count Orsino’s court. In the play Shakespeare uses the gender confusion he has created from obscuring characters identities to explore the limits of female power and control within courtship, and their dominance within society. Violas frustration surrounding her inability to express her feelings to the Count because she is a woman is an example of the limiting rules of courtship which were upheld at the time. (Aside) ‘yet, a barful strife! Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife.’ Here she is already expressing her anxiety and emotion at being a woman, and having to keep her emotions hidden from those around her. She longs to be able to express her love as a man could, and in her disguise as Cesario she finds an opportunity to vent her feelings for the Count, but concealed as his words and towards Olivia. Viola is unaware of how her words may sound to Olivia because she is aware of their gender boundaries however Olivia isn’t and soon falls for Cesario. Because Olivia is a Lady and head of the household, and especially how she lacks a father figure, she has a lot more freedom in courtship. Duisinberre comments on this saying, ‘...Viola and Beatrice are women set free from their fathers, and their voice is that of the adult world.’ This is seen when Olivia immediately takes the dominant role in her and Cesarios relat...
Love, Hate, and the Influence of Money in “The Merchant of Venice” William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice presents a battle between love and hate, influenced by money. Written during the 16th Century, Shakespeare depicts an anti-Semitic era through the eyes of both Jews and Christians. Each perspective has it’s struggles, but what stays consistent between them is what makes this play so historical. Throughout this play, it becomes clear that a culture affected by love and hatred, under the influence of money, can deliver a powerful message that still speaks to readers today. Among the many different themes presented in The Merchant of Venice, the most prominent is true love.