Colonialism In Shylock

Said (1979) keeps an eye on the key concepts in post colonial theory like colonialism and empire. He has revealed the ideological practices of colonialism. His critical views provide a detailed description of the Western thinking towards the East. The western outlook of otherness towards eastern culture, customs and beliefs are presented by him in an apt manner. He draws upon the writings of many western writers to show the positive picture of the Orient. As a Palestinian living in the West, Said has firsthand experience of European imperialism and racism. His commentary on the cultural contrast between the east and the west is very persuasive and conclusive.

Spivak (1988) is the first theorist working for the female cause. She has introduced the concept of female marginalization in the field of Subaltern literature. In her

Horwich (1977) deals with unsolved riddle and the dilemmas the in Merchant of Venice. One unsolved riddle is the selection of Venice and Belmont for the setting of the play. The two cities are poles apart. The city of Venice is faced with many social problems due the presence of the Jews in it. On the opposite, the city of Belmont is at peace because it has no Jews as its subjects. Thus, the Jewish minority is always looked upon as a black sheep and a bone of contention in the society.

Marzola (1997) takes a look at the drama, “Merchant of Venice” from multiple perspectives. His main focus is on the issue of identity crisis of Shylock and racial prejudice of the other characters towards him. Another point focused in his discussion is the role of Bassanio, who intends to marry Portia just to gain control on both her body and wealth but his character is still treated in a positive manner. Moreover, he tries to prove that the drama exposes the bitter and inhumane attitude of Shylock juxtaposed against the affectionate and behavior of the other characters in the