MERCHANT OF VENICE

The story is all about Basanio, a penniless noble man from Venice, had asked
his friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant, he asked to lend him money in order
that he might sail to Belmont and try for the hand of Portia, a rich, beautiful
heiress of Belmont. However, Antonio’s money is all engaged in his business
and his ships are all away at various ports. There is nothing they can do but
seek out the Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Shylock is aggrieved towards
Antonio who has bad come up against him because he spat and cursing him in
the market.

That time, there is antisemitism, who discriminate against Jews, It is common

in Shakespeare’s time. Shylock is all aware of that disdain all the Christians
have for him and his Jewish brothers. Because of his willingness to help
Basanio. What Antonio is proposing, is only business transaction,nothing more.
Shylock is convince but not before he impose a condition of his own. If Antonio
will fail to pay the loan, then Shylock will take a pound of his flesh as payment.
It is a tyrannical agreement but Antonio is certain he will have no trouble
paying him the money and so agrees. He further invites Shylock, in the spirit of
a good-natured relationship. Reluctantly, Shylock agrees.What Shylock does
not know is that his daughter Jessica has fallen in love with the Christian
nobleman Lorenzo. And Lorenzo steal away Jessica from her father’s house.
And set sail for Belmont to help them for new life.When Basanio get there, he
waste no time in making the choice and he chose the lead basket. And
whoever chooses the correct casket will win her heart and fortune. So he made
it. Until news comes from Venice that Antonio lost all his ships. So he must
return and save his friend. He left his wife as they celebrating the feast. And
later, followed them in Venice and pretend to be a Lawyer together with his
maid Nerissa to save Antonio’s life.

When Shylock felt hopeless and angry because of his daughter and his money
were lost. He is in verge of his anger to definitely will not accept anything but
pound of flesh. As Antonio’s trial unfolds, Shylock has lost and not only has he
failed in this but the court now seeks its own form of justice on the man who
would show no mercy to his enemy. Shylock is forced to give up half his
money and the rest is to go to his daughter on his death, furthermore, and
most cruelly he is forced to give up his religion and become that most hated of
all things, a Christian. It is indeed a heavy punishment.
After that, the payment would be the ring that Portia gave him and bid him he
will never remove but the doctor and the clerk owes them debt of gratitude.
Surprisingly, they reveal the truth that they had disguised themselves as that
Doctor and clerk to save Antonio’s life. As everything goes well as they look
thoughtfully for a long time and they decided to leave Antonio alone. While
Jessica has difficulty handling or coping with her feelings for the father she has
abandoned.

In this story, The relationship between Antonio and Bassanio creates a bit of
conflict between Antonio and Portia, a conflict she is willing to test by
demanding that Bassanio gives her his ring. The fact that Bassanio eventually
gives away his ring, as does Gratiano, implies that Bassanio chooses Antonio
over Portia. Portia gets mad with Bassanio in the next scene for loving a man
more than her. It shows how sad Shylock was at this point and also how happy
Antonio, Bassanio and Gratiano are. I felt satisfied when reading to know that
Shylock was brought to justice because he would not show mercy. It was a
happy ending to the scene, which I enjoyed. I enjoyed this classic "The
Merchant of Venice" and looking over the themes including justice, mercy, love,
anti-Semitism and hate. Also this character shines through in Shylock and
leaves wishing for him to lose his trial at the court of justice. I felt while reading
it has more emphasis was put on Shylock's character than Antonio's but in the
text a more wide spread emphasis was placed on both of the characters. This
character shines through in Shylock and leaves the audience wishing for him
to lose his trial at the court of justice. And the friendship of Antonio and
Basanio were sacrificial and even felt melancholy, as their willing to help even
trade all of his money. He would do everything. Furthermore, one of the
highlights of this literature is the quote that we could live by in our everyday life.
And still applicable until today.
“So may the outward shows be least themselves:
The world is still deceived with ornament.
In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,
But, being seasoned with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of evil? In religion,
What damned error, but some sober brow
Will bless it and approve it with a text,
Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?
There is no vice so simple but assumes
Some mark of virtue on his outward parts.”
― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

“Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses,
affections, passions? ...If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us,
shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.
If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong
a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example?”

This quote would definitely had great impact for me. In the late century
when discrimination for the Jews is high at that time.

In sooth I know not why I am so sad. It wearies me, you say it wearies you;
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff ‘tis made of, where of it is
born, I am to learn And such a want-wit sadness makes of me That I have
much ado to know myself. (MOV 1.1.1–7)'