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Summary

IN DEPTH analysis of quotes from the Merchant of Venice, covers most major topics in the course....

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QUOTES Antonio and Bassanio (Friendship) Act/Scene

Quote

Technique

Analysis

1.1.1

“In sooth I know not why I am so sad.”

Establishes/set s the scene as opening line

Opening with a melancholy character aligns with SS trends. A is immediately established as melancholy  this opening contrast the play as a comedy, the human experience of melancholy/depression/sadness

1.1.10

“like signor’s and rich burghers on the flood, or as it were the pageants of the sea”

Descriptive language, rhyming, flow, simile

Tells us that Antonio is a wealthy merchant, a sense of magnificence and boasting

1.1.33

“would scatter all her spices on the stream, enrobe the roaring waters with my silks”

Descriptive language, metaphor

Symbolising the wealth from the East that comes with A’s business/ships This whole passage by Salarino attempts to cheer up A  the future hangs over the first act with talks of ships, danger…

1.1.39

“I know Antonio, is sad to think upon his merchandise”

Reflective tone

“then let us say you are sad, because you are not merry”

There are dangers associated with the business  SS makes use of the conventional humour in A’s melancholy Complex  But goes beyond just the humours by exploring human a deeper meaning behind A’s sadness (w/ our emotions/psyc modern psychology we can look deeper) he – why do we  A has an unwillingness to understand feel sad?

1.1.78

“a stage where every man must play a part and mine a sad one” – referring to the world

Self-reflective, metaphor

A says this as a reflection of his own place in the world where his is “a sad one” Reflects the conformity plaguing society – wherein every person has a ‘pre-determined sole’ that limits individual adventure = Sadness? Melancholy? A boring life

1.1.110

“to you Antonio, I owe the most in money and in love” - B

Anachronism

After Bassanio enters the scene Antonio becomes questioning, more emotive  Amicitia Timothy Bright notion that to cure melancholy one needs friends Look at B with anachronism (wrong context), is he a fortune teller?

1.1.120

“tell me now what lady

Change of tone

Antonio has a better attitude – is B the cure for his

is the same to whom you swore a secret pilgrimage that you today promised to tell me of”

for

1.1.130

“to you, Antonio, I owe the most in money and in love”

Amicitia

Marriage can have adverse consequences on male friendship (jealousy, loss)

1.1.135

“within the eye of honour” “my purse, my person, my extremist means lie all unlocked to your occasion”

Pun/metaphor?

Establishes A as the honourable man – JC figure who will sacrifice for those he loves

Religious connotations

Double meaning

melancholy (Bright) The expectation was marriage – a journey /pilgrimage that everyone would undertake

He will give B anything he wants – PURSE is slang for genitals

1.1.160

Stereotyping “in Belmont is a lady richly left, she is fair and of wondrous virtues”

She has the traits a woman should have – beauty, money and personality (to some extent) She is not yet named – a woman in her place B doesn’t know her but is going to get her in a heroic adventure

1.165

Simile “renowned suitors and her sunny locks hand on Classical her temples like a Allusion golden fleece” “and many Jason’s come in quest of her”

Idealistic description of Portia – she is the prize of the heroes Commercial terms of description – women in relation with a monetary prize “passing the test” to get the woman – the language used degrades her to her monetary status

3.2.260

“the paper as the body of my friend, and every word in it a gaping wound, issuing lifeblood”

Biblical allusion Metaphor

B is in despair at the loss of A ships He is in debt to a friend JC type imagery again w A “body of Christ”

3.2.290

“the dearest friend to me, the kindest man, the best conditioned and unwearied spirit”

Martyrisation

Making A up to be so much better than S B idealises his friend to such a great extent

3.2.300

“when it is paid, bring you true friend along”

Homosocial relationship

A “life partner” can also be a brotherly relationship – SS doesn’t say its sexual but strong + platonic Male Friendship is honoured and appreciated

TRIAL SCENE SEPARATE 5.1.250

“Lord Bassanio, swear to keep this ring”

Moment of surrender

Confession of his friendship w B, once B is married his family will come first, A resigns his claim on B marriage and friendship cannot co-exist  B must prioritise P to enter into a companion marriage

5.1.135

“Antonio, to whom I am so infinitely bound”

Amicitia

Homosocial friendships – the bonds that connect A+B and B+P must contest

Shylock (Anti-Semitism/Race Relations)

Act/Scene

Quote

1.3.15

“an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; third at Mexico, a fourth for England … The man is notwithstanding sufficient”

1.3.5

“Antonio shall become bound, well.” “three thousand ducats for three months, and Antonio bound” –

Foreshadowin g and repetition

“I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you… but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.” “I hate him for he is a Christian; but more for that… he lends out money gratis and brings down the rate usance here with us in Venice.”

Juxtaposition/ listing /contrast

Reflective of the consistent Jewish vs Christian narrative in the play – also a reflection of Shylock and A’s relationship that is purely commercial  further highlights the societal segregation that S contributes to

Contextual insight

Again reiterates the us vs them binary emphasised through the play as S  that is furthered by A as a Christian he cannot lend money with interest, does not just undermine S’s identity but his business

1.3.40

“If I can catch him on the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him”

Foreshadowin g

Alludes to the end of the play where S does catch A in a weak spot – ‘ancient’ further alludes to the ancient hate between Jews and Christian’s, again depicting how the characters let their religions/cultures lead the way they treat each other (human flaw)

1.3.85

“A thing not in his power to bring pass, but swayed and fashioned by the hand of heaven”

Retaliation to Shylock’s use of the bible

A believes GOD helped Jacob and S should trust in God not take advantage of those who can’t pay him back  A warns B not to be deceived by the typical Jewish manipulation of the Bible

1.3.63

“when Jacob grazed his

Biblical

Tells the story of Jacob and Laban to justify his own

1.3.26

1.3.35

Technique Asides

Analysis Asides take the place of soliloquys  S’s first scene introduces us to his feelings against A. Revenge tragedy disguise – calls A “a good (business) man” who he is willing to trade w/ The correlation between Antonio and many places around the world also reflects his wealth/mercantile enterprise that has enveloped Venice in this period Means Antonio will have to repay it – the words bond and bound are repeated throughout this scene and the play alluding to the end events where A will be tied up and bound by the contract – the word bond/bound

(Shylock has a negative reputation for committing usury. He charges extremely high rates of interest on his loans)

S himself also emphasises the difference between J & C’s  playing into societies roles

uncle Laban’s sheep”

allusion – Jacob makes Laban’s lambs be born with stripes so that they are given to him as payment per rules of the contract

business practises/defend himself Jew vs Christian dynamic is reflected in how they use the bible: OLD test = Jews (punitive, punishment God) NEW test = Christians (progressive/complex) Scholars have seen a progressive development in the portrayal of God, reflecting the contrasting belief of the way of life between J/C

“the devil can cite scripture for his purpose, an evil soul producing holy witness, is like a villain with a smiling check, a goodly apple rotten at the heart” “you call me misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine”

Antithesis 

Accusatory tone, harsh language

S makes reference to A’s past treatment of him, comparing him to a vicious dog and his isolation because of his faith Reflective of the ‘othering’ that S experiences that alienates him from society

1.3.110

“hath a dog money? Is it possible a cur can lend three thousand ducats?”

Racial stereotyping/sl ang

Racial stigmatisation secludes Shylock from the ‘in’ group of C’s, further shown is the institutionalised racism he feels as these beliefs are entrenched in society/and him through his life  leading to hate/disdain/a desire for revenge for the Christians

1.3.120

“You called me dog: and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much monies.”

Sarcasm and repetition

In S’s 1.3 speech – he repeats dog many times, reinforcing how he feels victimising by the C’s treatment of him, S’s disdain reflects the power of racial labels to permeate self-hate and stigmatisation Did A sew the seeds of his own demise? S sarcastically says bc of A’s treatment of him he will lend him the money – does this foreshadow A’s almost demise at the hands of S?

1.3.89

1.3.104

Appearance vs Reality = paradox

Foreshadowin g

“devil / scripture” “evil / holy” S’s deceptive nature is emphasised through the use of Antithesis  exposes the opposing ‘you’ vs ‘we’ as Jews juxtapose the holiness of Christians Paradox of appearance vs reality as S is not what he seems to be, as really his inner self is corrupt (the deceptiveness of appearance)

The play allows modern audiences to understand the impact of othering/ the toxic results of the us vs them binary

1.3.123

“I am as like to call thee so again, to spit on thee again, to spurn thee too”

Repetition, unrelenting tone

A’s disregard for S’s speech is reflecting in the ignorance of the Christian’s throughout the play, he has no awareness for S’s hurt/isolation and is unrelenting in saying he would ‘spurn him again’, reflecting the superiority complex of the C The audience at the time would have agreed w/ Antonio, as he was heroic and not giving into the manipulative Jew

1.3.135

“your single bond, and in a merry sport”

Colloquial language

S connotes a violent bond to a ‘merry sport’, passing it off as a joke and inconsequential to hide his true intentions (disguise of the revenge tragedy protagonist) Shylock’s conniving desire/greed for revenge against the Christian’s is first revealed in this scene, wherein he is vilified against the context (Jew of Malta/Trial of Dr Lopez), to be a manipulative Jew

1.3.45

“content, in faith! I’ll seal to such a bond, and say there is much kindness in the Jew”

Sarcasm / comedy

Sarcasm of ‘kindness’ in the Jew, S plays into the stereotypes that Jew’s are vicious and violent – does SS purposely characterise S this way? Our modern POV allows us to view him with criticism as a product of his own context and treatment rather than just evil

“I do expect return of thrice times the value of this bond”

1.3.170

“hie thee, gentle Jew. The Hebrew will turn Christian, he grows kind”

Comedic foreshadowing of A’s downfall which is ultimately caused by his overconfidence Gentile = Jewish word for a non-Jew Sarcasm Dramatic Irony

Sarcasm and paralleling S with a non-Jew means that only non-Jews can be kind  A’s joking attitude fits to the comedic genre however has a sinister foreboding behind it that B picks up on “I like not fair terms and a villain’s mind” Picks up on the strangeness of S’s bond with them, B knows he is a ‘sinister’ Jew and feels foreboding

1.3.171

“In this there can be no dismay, my ships come home a month before the day”

Rhyming emphasises the confidence and optimism

A is tempting fate with his overconfidence. As a merchant he has high risk = high return but in the end A becomes a tragic comedy figure He is over-confident as he believes he is superior to the Jew

2.2.18

“to be ruled by my conscience. I should stay with the Jew my master who – is a kind

Racial stereotyping/ stigmatisation

Lancelot has the debate – should he leave his master Shylock? The moral debate of choosing between right and wrong Racial stereotypes of the Jew as the devil (who killed

Jesus) The post-modern perspective contrasts the humour that is intended The ‘clown’ does not fit the sombre events and racism

of devil!” “certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation”

2.2.86

“give him halter! I am famished in his service”

Exaggeration

Building up the image of Shylock as an evil, nasty, vilified Jew The ultimate punishment is to become a Jew – Jewish Decide that they killed Christ

“for I am a Jew if I service the Jew any longer” 2.3.10

“most beautiful pagan, most sweet Jew, if a Christian do not play the knave and get thee, I am much deceived”

Reiterates belief that to be a good /moral person you must be a Christian Lancelot questions – “are you your fathers daughter?

2.4.15

“what heinous sin is it in me, to be shamed to Contrast, exclamation be my father’s child! But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners”

Does Jessica not want to be his daughter because he is truly a bad person or because she desires to belong among the collective in society?  depicts the complexity of the human experience as we desire to part of the majority  Jessica is a paradox

Foreshadowin “I shall end this strife become a Christian and g thy loving wife”

Self-hate and institutionalised racism are clear as the foreshadowing alludes to the end of the play where everyone is Christian and the strife has ended

2.6.50

J: “with some moe ducats and be with you straight” G: “now by my hood, a gentle and no Jew!”

Pun – cynicism Gentle = Jewish word for non-Jew

Gratiano makes the parallel that Jessica can no longer be a Jew as she has done the ‘noble’ act of stealing from her father Exposes the hypocrisy of the Christians in the play as stealing is glorified – as long as it is from a Jew The play opens our eyes to the selfishness of man, the inherent desire to gain, and the easy way we can turn a blind eye to corrupt morality for our own gain

2.8.13

“the dog Jew did utter in the streets: ‘O, my ducats! O, my daughter!’ Fled with a Christian!... Justice! The Law! My ducats

Repetition, hyperbole, mocking

Suggests he values his money as much as his daughter, suggesting that his greed outweighs his love. The comedy of this scene relies on the absence of Shylock as it allows for him to be mocked – S is present in only 5 scenes of the play

and my daughter”

There is a lack of sympathy for a man who has been stripped from everything Is this the tipping point for Shylock? Losing his daughter takes his anger over the edge – now the Christians have taken everything from him; dignity, money, business and his daughter.

2.8.20

“And jewels – two stones, two rich and precious stones… why all the boys in Venice follow him”

Pun/double meaning Stones = testicles

Not only is he being followed and mocked by the C boys, but his ‘stones’ are the symbol of his manhood that has been taken His money and his future (daughter) strip him of his masculinity

2.8.25

“let good Antonio look he keep his day, or he shall pay for this”

Sarcasm, sinister tone, foreshadowing

Solanio’s sarcasm gives premonitions of disaster/foreshadows the end of the play – they do know that Shylock will want revenge but do not take him seriously  Christian superiority complex that ‘no one can hurt ‘good’ Antonio’

3.1.17

“lets the devil cross my prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew”

Racial stigmatisation, repletion, biblical alignment

By aligning Shylock as a ‘stain’ in their prayers, he is connoted with evil/un-holiness, by building up S as an faithless devil; he is constraint from true human experiences of sympathy and empathy; as his daughter has just been stolen  further reiterating the us vs them binary perpetuated throughout the play

3.1.20

“you knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my daughters flight”

Synecdoche? Accusatory tone

Not just accusing Solanio and Salarino but ALL Christians, of helping Jessica escape; this builds tensions and desire for revenge in Shylock as they are all to blame now for his loss of family which will equal loneliness + isolation

3.1.25-30

S: “she is damned for it” “my own flesh and blood”

Imperative

Here we see Shylock’s perspective on Jessica running away, he is angry and resentful = betrayal, she was all he had in the world and he has lost her, his own family Blood/culture are esp. important to Jews as they do not fit in in society, she has not just given up her father she has betrayed the Jewish community

3.1.30

Solanio: “rebels at it this years?”

Pun (“can you not get an erection”?)

Pun used to further emasculate Shylock  contextually a man was valued on his masculinity/dominance which was expressed through manhood (with no man hood was not a true man) Mocking of Shylock while he grieves the loss of his daughter represents the complex human ingrained nature of prejudice  why does S not deserve sympathy? It can be argued that his inhumane treatment of him is what ultimately makes him accept his “DOG” nature

3.1.35-55

SHYLOCKS SPEECH

PROSE

“if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge”

Personification of revenge

Transition from the beginning where the bond is in “merry sport”, the REVENGE TRAGEDY disguise has been lifted, and S’s true feelings are revealed where he desires to take revenge for what the LAW and society will not give him as a Jew

Antithesis

Antithesis emphasises/highlights the conflict between Antonio/Shylock and the Jews/Christian dynamic; one must scorn the other

“laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, thwarted my bargains” 3.1.35-55

“What’s his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew hands, organs sense, passions?”

Rhetorical questions

The RQ = audience will be inclined to listen to Shylock and understand his emotions (Post-modern) Unlike many other Jewish characters portrayed on England’s early modern stage, Shakespeare’s Shyloc...