The Theme Of Revenge In The Merchant Of Venice - 1118 Words

Revenge is the central theme of The Merchant of Venice as the plot is centred around the theme of revenge, vengefulness is one of the main character traits present in a sizable number of characters and the main moral message is that revenge is a poor choice. While other themes in the play are present in the plot and moral message and the themes of love and friendship are more prevalent in the majority of the characters, revenge plays a more significant role in the play. These factors lead to a play that is centred around the theme of revenge. The plot of The Merchant of Venice is centred around the revenge of Shylock. Bassanio desires to go to Belmont to attempt to become the husband of wealthy Portia; however, Bassanio lacks the funds to†¦show more content†¦After Bassanio and Portia married, the sole purpose of the plot was to save Antonio from dying in the hands of Shylock. â€Å"Before a friend of this description shall lose a hair through Bassanio’s fault. First go with me to church and call me wife, and then away to Venice to your friend. For never shall you lie by Portia’s side with an unquiet soul. You shall have gold to pay the petty debt twenty times over.† (3.2. 308-314) The plot needs Shylock’s revenge to be entertaining, Shylock’s revenge is the substance of The Merchant of Venice. Prejudice also plays a significant role in the plot as an enabler for revenge. Without the religious discrimination against Shylock, the unusual terms of the bond would not have been real istic. â€Å"Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last; you spurned me such a day; another time you called me ’dog—and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much moneys? †¦ If you repay me not on such a day, in such a place, such sum or sums as are expressed in the condition, let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh† (1.3. 124-148). Although Shylock’s retribution would not be possible without religious prejudice, this theme is merely an enabler for the revenge. As the principal elements of the plot are centred around the theme of revenge, we are shown it is the primary plot element and, therefore, the central theme of the play. Many other characters inShow MoreRelatedTo Kill a Mockingbird and the Merchant of Venice861 Words   |  4 Pagesabout someone because they belong in a certain group or race Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird both are based on the theme of stereotypes. In the next 3 paragraphs I will talk about stereotypes in To Kill a Mockingbird, The Merchant of Venice, and finally compare the stereotypes in both. There are many stereotypes and these 2 stories contain many that are alike. One big theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is stereotypes. First of all there is a stereotype thatRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice And The Crucible1491 Words   |  6 Pageshuman relationships in their literary works: The Merchant of Venice and The Crucible respectively. They emphasize this thesis through examples of love, friendship, power and Christianity. Even though love and friendship are regarded as two forms of relationships where no one seeks any pragmatical purpose, in fact they covertly embody different sorts of self-interest. The triangular relationship among Antonio, Bassanio and Portia in The Merchant of Venice and the friendship between Abigail Williams andRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1445 Words   |  6 PagesTalia Warshawsky Ms. Rembert CGI English 11 HH 12 November 2014 Crashing Thru Venice William Shakespeare, possibly the most esteemed writer of all time, wrote a play titled The Merchant of Venice, near the end of the 1500 s. The play takes place in Venice, and while it can be described as what we now call a romantic comedy, it also draws attention to the harsh divides in the Venetian society brought on by conflicting beliefs and religions. Centuries later, in the early 2000 s, Paul Haggis wroteRead MoreEssay about Love and Hate Depicted in Shakespeares Merchant of Venice1038 Words   |  5 PagesLove and Hate Depicted in Shakespeares Merchant of Venice The Merchant of Venice is a play both about love and hate. Shakespeare illustrates the theme of hate most prominently through the prejudices of both Christians and Jews and their behaviour towards one another. The theme of love is shown amongst the Christians, in the love of friendship and marital love. The themes are emphasised in the settings of the play, Belmont symbolising love and Venice symbolising hate. As well as this the immoralityRead MoreThe Merchant of Venice938 Words   |  4 PagesLove and Hate The Merchant of Venice a play written by the famous poet and play writer, William Shakespeare, in the year 1596 - 1598. It is based on both love and hate. Shakespeare demonstrates the themes of love and hate clearly through various character. The friendship love is shown through Antonio towards Bassanio, romantic love is shown through Portia and Bassanio and self love is shown through shylock. However Shakespeare also illustrates hates during the play through the characters shylockRead More Merchant of Venice Essay: Universal Elements853 Words   |  4 Pages The Universal Elements of Merchant of Venicenbsp;nbsp; nbsp; Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice contains many themes and elements that are considered timeless or universal. Samuel Taylor Coleridge defines a timeless or universal element as a â€Å"representation of men in all ages and all times.†nbsp; A universal element is relevant to the life of every human being – it is universal. The first major theme that plays an important role in the play is the Christians’ prejudice against the Jews.Read MoreThe Merchant Of Venice As A Tragedy1363 Words   |  6 PagesThe Merchant of Venice is a tragedy Jean Racine, a French dramatist of the 17th century France, states, â€Å"Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel† (Goodreads). In the early days of its staging, the play The Merchant of Venice written by William Shakespeare is considered to be a comedy, but as the world develops there is controversy as whether to believe that the play is actually a tragedy. The play is centered on two main plots: the bond plot and the casket plot. The bondRead MoreExamples Of Literary Devices In The Merchant Of Venice879 Words   |  4 Pagesof Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Some of the most prominent devices used on TMOF are dramatic irony, allusion and symbolism. These devices help further develop theme ingrained in the story such as marriage, deceive, wealth, and religion. The use of literary devices helps ensure the story transitions smoothly and is pleasant to the reader, it might also help in the comprehension of the story ´s characters. Dramatic Irony is present several times in The Merchant of Venice, for example, in actRead MoreMerchant Of Venice Character Analysis1119 Words   |  5 PagesShylock, Antonio and Bassanio. Each individual character has their own faults which make them either relatable to the reader or draw the reader in more to try and understand the characters perspective. The theme I will be focusing on will be law and justice. In the Merchant of Venice, the theme of law and justice is represented in the court scene. During the duration of the court scene, Portia and Nerissa use their selfish wants to interrupt justice from taking place. Their intention is dependentRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian Revenge Analysis860 Words   |  4 PagesRevenge Revenge, it’s a cold word with a cold definition: The action or intent of harm to someone for the harm they have caused. In literature, it generally leads to either a characters death, or at the very least they’re physically or mentally harmed. It is a common theme in many stories, weather it’s the main subject of the theme, or just off to the side, it is often used to drive characters, cut loose ends, and sometimes, end a story. In the story â€Å"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian†