Merchant of Venice Essay The Role of Jessica - 500 Words

The Role of Jessica in Merchant of Venicenbsp;nbsp; nbsp; The character of Jessica, in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice serves an important function in respect to her father, Shylock. By deserting him for a Christian husband, Shylock loses the last person with whom he has any kind of tie. Shylock’s isolation becomes a vital part of his character, and drives his merciless actions against Antonio. Throughout the play, everyone who could claim any type of social or familial tie to Shylock leaves him. Launcelot the Clown, moves to a Christian master, who has the,grace of God... (II,ii L.139) His own daughter Jessica forsakes him, and his entire Jewish culture, to marry Lorenzo, and become a Christian. Thus Shylock has no one from†¦show more content†¦He can no longer think of people as separate from money. His bond with Antonio is thrown to such extremes because Antonio does not exist as a person in Shylock’s eyes. Instead, Antonio becomes a symbol for the kind of family Shylock yearns for. This desire comes out by Shylock’s words in the courtroom scene. After his defeat, Shylock tells the group that no matter the judgement, he is still ruined. He says: Nay, take my life and all! Pardon not that! You take my house when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house. You take my life When you do take the means whereby I live. (IV,i L.372-5) By removing from him his wealth, the court sentences Shylock to virtual nothingness. Shylock’s words here are loaded with emotion because he has been reduced to nothing. His selfish ways drive him from his entire house, and now those same feelings cause his money to also disappear. Shylock’s reply to the sentence in the passage above shows his isolation from the world of Christian motives. Money is truly Shylock’s only relative at the end of the play. Jessica’s disappearance becomes doubly-damaging with her theft of the gemstones, and the three thousand ducats. By taking money, Jessica not only removes herself from her father, but also steals the object through which Shylock has attached himself to. Shylock yearns for something to hold on to. HisShow MoreRelated Is The Merchant of Venice an Anti-Semitic Play? Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesIs The Merchant of Venice an Anti-Semitic Play?      Ã‚   The Merchant of Venice features a Jewish character that is abused and slandered by nearly every character in the play. Throughout the play the behavior of these characters seems justified. In this way, The Merchant of Venice appears to be an anti-Semitic play. However, The Merchant of Venice contains several key instances, which can be portrayed in a way that criticizes anti-Semitism. The first instance occurs in Act 1, scene 3 whenRead MoreThroughout A Patriarchal History, Some Bright Women Have1325 Words   |  6 Pagesbelieve that Venice is a male dominated society in William Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, if one reads closely he/she will discover that most of the major decisions, that affected the route of the play, were originally made by women. In her essay, Christine Hoff Kraemer writes, with a feminist approach, about women in this play and their role in power. Two main female characters, Portia: a wealthy and witty daughter bound to her de ceased father’s demand of marriage, and Jessica: the JewishRead MoreReligion in The Merchant of Venice Essay1956 Words   |  8 Pages Religion was a major factor in a number of Shakespeare’s plays. Religion motivated action and reasoning. In Shakespeare’s â€Å"The Merchant of Venice,† religion was more than a belief in a higher being; it reflected moral standards and ways of living. 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Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: it was my turquoise; / I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor: / I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. He wants revenge: Perhaps it is the loss of Jessica as well as all the harsh treatment he has suffered from Antonio - and others - over the years that makes him bitter enough to ask for Antonios pound of flesh. He cleverly argues in Act III, scene 1 that he is as much a man as a Christian is and soRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice Anti-Semite Essay2020 Words   |  9 PagesNowadays, many people consider the play â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† is one of the most problematic dramas written by Shakespeare because it promotes the prejudice against Jews or the ideology of anti-Semitism. In fact, the play depicts the villain as a devil, a usurer and a Jew who attempts to murder the good and godlike Christians for they have performed good will and mercy toward other people and ruined the Jew’s business. Whether it is his intention or not, Shakespeare chooses to create the imageRead MoreThe Role of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice2395 Words   |  10 PagesThe Role of Prejudice In The Merchant of Venice This paper discusses the subject of prejudice in the William Shakespeare play, The Merchant of Venice. I. Introduction William Shakespeares satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, believed to have been written in 1596 was an examination of hatred and greed.The premise deals with the antagonistic relationship between Shylock, a Jewish money-lender and Antonio, the Christian merchant, who is as generous as Shylock is greedy, particularly