Comparing Merchant of Venice, Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing

Trickery and Disguise in Merchant of Venice, Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare uses similar comic elements to effect similar outcomes in his

works. Many of his plays utilize trickery and disguise to accomplish similar

endings.

Trickery plays a major role in The Merchant of Venice and drives most of

the action, while mistaken identity, specifically Portia's disguise as the

"learned attorney's" representative, plays a major role in the resolution of

the play. The first instance of trickery in the play is Bassanio's plan to

present himself as a financially sound suitor, when in truth, he is not.

Bassanio believes that he would stand a very good chance of being the

successful suitor if he had the proper money backing him. Bassanio then goes

to his friend Antonio to try to secure a loan to provide for his wooing.

O my Antonio, had I but the means/To hold a rival

place with one of them [other suitors]/I have a

mind presages me such thrift/That I should

questionless be fortunate!" (Shakespeare,

Merchant 1.1 173-176)

However, Antonio has, "neither the money, nor commodity/to raise a present

sum" but urges Bassanio to go through Venice to try to secure a loan using

Antonio's bond as credit (Shakespeare, Merchant 1.1 178-179).

One of the resident money-lenders of Venice is an individual called

Shylock, a person of Jewish descent. The practice of usury was traditionally

banned by the Christian church. This allowed many Jews, because their belief

system contained no objection to profitable money-lending, to become the de

facto loan officers. Bassanio approaches Shylock to ask for a loan, and

Shylock seems as if he is going to agree, however, he first asks to speak with

Antonio. It is revealed in an aside that Shylock harbors a secret hatred of

Antonio because of his religion and Shylock's belief that Antonio's practices

drive down the interest rates that Shylock can charge in Venice. Here we see

the second instance of trickery and deception within The Merchant of Venice.

Shylock seems to have great knowledge of the positions of Antonio's fleet and

ominously notes that, "ships are but boards, sailors but men" (Shakespeare,