Salarino (Line 8)Your mind is tossing on the ocean;There were your argosies with portly sail, like signiors and rich burghers on the flood…

Salarino says Antonio must be concerned about his ships

Emotion of the human experience likned to commerce via metaphor. Immediate assumption money = root of all concern

Bassanio (Line 130) "To you Antonio/ I owe the most, in money and in love”

use of high modality “the most” reveals extent of power imbalance

use of “owe” and mention of “money” commodity relationships

Bassanio (Line 160) “In Belmont is a lady richly left/ and she is fair, and fairer of that word,/ of wondrous virtues”

series of adverbial words “richly” and “fairer” accentuate character’s description

“fair” and “virtues” are secondary to her being an heiress. relationships as a value-based transaction

Bassanio (Line 173) “Her sunny locks/ Hang on her temples like a golden fleece;/Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos’ strand,/ And many Jasons come in quest of her”

intertextual reference to Jason and the Argonaut’s quest for the Golden Fleece in Colchis. Portia = the prize in order to gain her father’s riches

Portia objectified/only valued by what can be gained from her. individuals can value relationships purely for material gain

Bassanio (Line 176) “had I but the means/ To hold a rival place with one of them,/ I have a minds presages me such thrift,/ That I should questionless be fortunate!”

exclamatory tone. desires wealth affirm his superior position amongst his peers

sense of identity and social standing underpinned by material wealth

Nerissa (Line 27) “Your father was ever virtuous; and holy men at their/ death have good inspirations: therefore the lottery,/ that he hath devised in these three chests of gold,/ silver and lead, whereof who chooses his meaning/ chooses you, will, no doubt, never be chosen by any/ rightly but one who shall rightly love”

hyperbole emphasise high esteem/value of Portia’s father. three chests = metonymic for Portia’s hand in marriage (a figure of speech in which a concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept)

Portia’s value reliant on father’s money. Shades her independance

Nerissa (Line 39-87) First there is the Neapolitan prince… Palatine.. French…England…Scottish…German

reudctionist language to objectify eg. racist adjectives and nouns

Portia seems to think these other characters are not up to her standard, revealing broader xenophobia of other cultures. the racial profiling indicates the xenophic reference to each other’s human experiences

Portia (Line 123) “If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good a/ heart as I can bid the other four farewell, I should be/ glad of his approach: if he have the condition of a/ saint and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he/ should shrive me than wive me”

demonic imagery, biblical allusions

xenophobic profiling/pre-emptive rejection of the Prince highlights humanity’s fears of ‘the other’. Portia discredits him as a human being/places his human experience beneath her own.

Bassanio/Shylock (Lines 7-10) Bassanio: “May you stead me? Will you pleasure me?Shall I/know your answer?”Shylock: “Three thousand ducats for three months and Antonio bound”

bound = motif throughout the play. Antonio figuratively and then literally bound to Shylock. Repition of “bound” highlights the value/price placed on Antonio’s humanity, abhorrent to the Christian norm

Commodification of relationships: Antonio’s value = the bound he promises

Bassanio/Shylock (Lines 31-37) Bassanio: “If it please you to dine with us”Shylock: “Yes, to smell pork; to ear of the habitation which/ your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into. I/will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you/walk with you, and so following, but I will not eat/with you, drink with you, nor pray with you

Diacope (repeating the same words or phrases separated by other words in the middle. emphasises an idea/creates rhythm.) Shylock, generally the villain is made to be sympathetic. His suspicion of the usually racist Christians shows the torment that his own experiences of Chrisitanity have taken on his humanity.

The hatred Shylock has lived through makes him hate in return. explores ideas of xenophobia and the way it impacts on the humanity of those who are discriminated against

Shylock (Lines 39-50) [Aside] How like a fawning publican he looks!/ I hate him for he is a Christian,/ But more for that in low simplicity/ He lends outs money gratis and brings down/ the rate of usance here with us in Venice./ If I can catch him once upon the hip,/ I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him./He hates our sacred nation, and he rails,/ Even there where merchants ost do congregate,/ On me, my bargains and my well-won thrift,/ Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe,/ If I forgive him!

private aside for audience to know his thoughts. There is an ancient grudge between Christians and Jews that Shylock feels personally constrained by

Shylock has internalised xenophobic views to which he has been subject to all his life. Long term xenophobic relations constrain his choices

Antonio (Lines 99-104) “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose./ An evil sound producing holy witness/ Is like a villain with smiling cheek/A goodly apple rotten at the heart/O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath”

degree of juxtaposition: proximity of “villain” “smiling cheek” alongside “evil soul” “holy”“goodly apple” is a biblical allusion that encapsulates sin

juxtaposition = complexity to individual moralityapple= one can appear virtuous and be internally unwholly. this is a paradox of human experience

Shylock (Line 103) “Signor Antonio, many a time and oft/In the Rialto you have rated me/About my moneys and my usances. /Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,/ For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe. You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog, /And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine /And all for use of that which is mine own. /Well then, it now appears you need my help. /Go to, then! You come to me and you say, /Shylock, we would have moneys. You say so! /You, that did void your rheum upon my beard /And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur /Over your threshold! Moneys is your suit. /What should I say to you? Should I not say, /Hath a dog money? Is it possible /A cur can lend three thousand ducats? /Or /Shall I bend low and in a bondmans key /With bated breath and whispering humbleness /Say this:F/air sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last; /You spurned me such a day; another time /You called me dogand for these courtesies /Ill lend you thus much moneys?

Shylock discusses all the racism he/his fellow Jews have encountered, but that he will still lend money Animal Imagery to depict Shylock as subhuman/be racist

Shylock’s human experience encapsulates an irreconcilable struggle for acceptance due to xenophobia To the Christians, Shylock’s human experiences are summed up in their value as resources (ability to lend) rather than their character or humanity

Shylock (Line 146) “… If you repay me not on such a day,/ In such a place, such sum or sums are/ Express’d in the condition, let the forfeit/ Be nominated for an equal pound/ Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken/ In what part of your body pleaseth me

Use of economic and financial imagery and motifs to highlight wat characters view each other. Business contracts shape the relationships

the devalued nature of commodified relationships

Antonio/Bassanio (Line 181-185) Antonio “Hie thee, gentle Jew/The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind. Bassanio: I like not fair terms and a villain’s mind Antonio: Come on in this there can be no dismay;/ My ships come home a month before the day

Rhyme to end scene on a memorable noteForeshadowing regarding Antonio’s ships and revenge on ShylockAntonio’s sarcastic tone mocks Shylock and his severe bondHe will turn Christian = Christian epitome of good

lack of respect for Shylock’s humanity

Enter Morocco, a tawny Moor, all in white

Outline the cotuming (a visual theatrical technique), creating juxtaposition

use of “Morocco” reductionistwhite colouring severely contrast with dark skin, emphasise he is the ‘other’ when compared to Portia= superficial characteristics in people define them more than humanity/character

Moroco (Lines 1-4) “Mislike me not for my complexion,/ The shadow’d livery of the burnish’d sun,/ To whom I am a neighbour and near bred./ Bring me the fairest creature northward born”

Richness in imagery describing the darkness of skintoneAudience is directly commanded to not dislike another for skin tone/plea for acceptance

Flaws of the human experience that define another by race - in this case, Portia is displaying them.Morocco understands human experiences are overshadowed by physical experience “Bring the fairest creature” represents the objectification Portia has faced/ the same way she does with him

Morocco (Lines 25-31) “By this scimitar/That slew the Sophy and a Persian prince/That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,/ I would outstare the sternest eyes that look,/ Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth,/ Pluck the young suckling cubs from the she-bear,/ Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey

Morcco boasts he is great due to his physical prowess- ironic as his physical tawny complexion makes him lesser in Portia’s mind Morocco’s boasting shows he places a large amount of self-value onto himself, reflected later in his symbolic choice of the golden casket

Morocco’s self-worth comes from physical conquests/not his intellect and values, creating him to become a stereotypical caricature of the ‘Moorish’ people

Lancelot (Lines 1-3) “Certainly my conscience will serve me to run from/ this Jew my master. The fiend is at mine elbow and/ tempts me”

continues the ‘devil’ imagery that is frequently used to describe shylockShylock frequently referred to as “the Jew”. This is an aural motif (consider the spoken form of theatre)

the comparison to the devil/use of “the Jew” dehumanises him and marks his ‘otherness’ further salient

Launcelot (Lines 23-30) “… to be ruled by my/ conscience, I should stay with the Jew my master,/ who, God bless the mark, is a kind of devil; and, to/ run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the/ fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil/ himself. Certainly the Jew is the very devil/ incarnation; nd , in my conscience is/ nut a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel/ me to stay with the Jew. The fiend gives the more/ friendly counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are/ at your command; I will run”

continues demonic imagery and characteristics

heavy use of demonic images used to describe Shylock accentuates his ‘otherness’ as he is automatically seen as ‘evil’ and therefore the opposing Christians are therefore ‘good’ regardless of their actions

Bassanio (Line 139) “… if it be preferement/ To leave a rich Jew’s service, to become/The follower of so poor aa gentlemen”Launcelot (Line 160) “I’lll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye”

repetition of ‘the Jew’ reductionist againLauncelot says he’ll leave the Jew (purely because of this)

characters’ human experiences and humanity are valued firstly off their race and secondly their wealth

Jessica (Lines 1-3) "I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so:/ Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,/ Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness.”

demonic imageryThis is an important scene for Jessica’s characterisation, and it primarily involves her being ashamed of being Jewish (calling her house ‘hell’ etc)

Jessica sees her own identity as a ‘heathen’ and her self value of her humanity is low due to her Jewishness

Launcelot (Lines 10-11) “Adieu! tears exhibit my tongue. Most beautiful/ pagan most sweet Jew!”

someones name is a metonym for their identity/individual experience, which Launcelot replaces with ‘pagan’ (very derogatory) and a ‘Jew’

Launcelot is unable to see her as an equal experiencing heartache and instead dehumanises the individual’s sense of self. He can’t use her name as this would afford her equal value to Christian counterparts and their human experiences

Jessica (Lines 16-21) “…Alack, what heinous sin is it in me/ to be ashamed to be my father’s child!/ But though I am a daughter to his blood,/ I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,/ If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife,/ Become a Christian and thy loving wife.”

emotive and visceral reflection eg ‘blood’ admits her own disgust at her Jewish background‘heinous sin’ provides religious symbolism and represents Jessica’s self hatred- she sees herself as a ‘sinner’ and wants to become a Christian to save her soul

Jessica doesn’t value the Jewish lived experience, and prizes Christianity as the way to cleanse herself and be valued. Jessica can only feel disgust for her own self-identity, and is unable to value her own humanity/experiences

Lorenzo (31-39) “[Jessica] hath directed/ How I shall take her from her father’s house,/ What goldand jewels she is furnish’d with,/ What page’s suit she hath in readiness./ If e’er the Jew her father come to heaven,/ It will be for his gentle daughter’s sake:/ And never dare misfortune cross her foot,/ Unless she do it under this excuse,/ That she is issue to a faithless Jew.”

Jessica’s wealth reduced to what she can steal from her father (similar to Portia)metonym, calls Shylock ‘faithless Jew’. stealing his daughter (his most valuable possession away) incentive. points to explore commodification of relationships Even with her lover Lorenzo, Jessica is still referred to as a jew

Jessica is not valued by even her lover Lorenzo as an equal due to her heritage. This is also due to the money she can provide

Launcelot (Lines 41-44) “[Aside to Jessica] Misstress, look out at/ window, for all this, There will come a Christian/ boy, will be worth a Jewess’ eye.”

third person euphemistic reference to Jessica, calling her a “jewess”Jessica is seen as less than Lorenzo despite being wealthyLorenzo is worth something to Jessica as he is a “Christian boy”

Jessica has no worth to Lorenzo as a person for her human qualities, instead only being treasured for what she can steal for him. in contrast, Lorenzo is ONLY values for his characteristics, that being he is ChristianComments on the hierarchy of human valueJessica’s human experiences are contingent on Lorenzo to be recognised

Salarino (Lines 7-8) “…To seal love’s bonds new-made, than they are wont/ to keep obliged faith unforfeited!”

word ‘bond’ connotates a double meaning: the link between lovers/economic connotations

Commodification of relationships. Love and unison are organic and natural forms of the emotional elements to human experience, but are underpinned by religious and fiscal themes. The reliance on relationships as underpinned by contractual terms reveals the lack of trust naturally afforded to Jewish characters within the text

Jessica/Lorenzo (Lines 34-45)Jessica: “I am glad ‘tis night, you do not look on me,/ For I am much ashamed of my exchange:/ But love is blind and lovers cannot see/The pretty follies that themselves commit;/ For if they could, Cupid himself would blush/ To see me thus transformed to a boy.”Lorenzo: “Descend, for you must be my torchbearer.”Jessica: “What, must O hold a candle to my shames?/ They in themselves, good-sooth, are too light./ Why,’tis an office of discovery, love;/And I should be obscured.”

night = lack of exposure and Jessica can hide her Jewish featuresJessica frames that ‘lovers cannot see’ ie they aren’t jaded by the views of race or religion

As the torchbeaer Jessica is compelled to expose her shame to the world; her disguise as a Jew is overcome by the light of the torch. As with Portia, Jessica’s identity is underpinned by her father. Jessica’s situation extends to a manifestation of self-degrade; she is “ashamed of [her] exchange”

Morocco “The first, of gold, who this inscription bears,/ ‘Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire;’/The second, silver, which this promise carries,/ ‘Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves;’/ This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt,/ ‘Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.’”

features lexical choices such as ‘gain’ and ‘get’ when describing the wrong caskets

reveals that suitors must “give” all their humanity and experiences to his daughter, and not take her for granted.

Morroco (Lines 31-34) “As much as I deserve! Why that’s the lady:/ I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes,/ In graces and in qualities of breeding:/ But more than these, in love I do deserve./ What if I stray’d no further, but chose here?”

high modality language/assured tone reveals Morocco thinks highly of himself

Portia remains an object for him to win -morocco believes he deserves her despite not having done anything to deserve her

Portia (Lines 79-80) “A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains, go./ Let all of his complexion choose me so.”

euphemism: not use the Prince’s name, but the colour of his skinPortia implies stage direction to obscure the Prince from view, so audiences are left with a comment on his skin tone

Morocco is an overly racial figure and attention is only given to his skin colour/other stereotypical features, meaning this is what the audience will remember of him

Salanio (Lines 12-22) “I never heard a passion so confused,/So strange, outrageous, and so variable, /As the dog Jew did utter in the streets./My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter,/Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!/Justice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter!/A seald bag, two seald bags of ducats,/Of double ducats, stoln from me by my daughter!/And jewelstwo stones, two rich and precious stones/Stoln by my daughter! Justice, find the girl!/She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats.

likely a rumour/liedesigned to make a caricature of Jewish people This is Salanio’s understanding of Shylock, that he is only upset about the money.

Salanio dehumansies Shylock in a xenophobic and stereotypical way through the extensive use of caricature, while completely devaluing Shylock’s lived human experience and trauma

Prince of Arragon (523-5290“Whats here? The portrait of a blinking idiot/Presenting me a schedule! I will read it./How much unlike art thou to Portia!/How much unlike my hopes and my deservings!/Who chooseth me shall have as much as he deserves!/Did I deserve no more than a fools head?/Is that my prize? Are my deserts no better?”

less stereotyped than Morocco

Aragon has a greater sense of self-value than the ‘rewards’ he achieved

Servant (Lines 88-93) “A young Venetian, one that comes before/To signify the approaching of his lord;/ From whom he bringeth sensible regrets,To wit, besides commends and courteous breath,/ Gifts of rich value.”

Neither this Venetian or Prince of Aragon are portrayed in the same xenophobic manner as the prince of Morocco, primarily due to their Christian backgrounds

Salanio (Line 12) “good Antonio, the honest Antonio, O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!”

exaggeration when referencing Antonio Antonio is referred to as “good” and “honest” which contrasts with characterisation of Shylock

heightens Anotnio’s apparent goodness in society, showing class/religion as central to one’s human experience

SALANIO (Lines 19-20)Let me say 'amen' betimes, lest the devil cross myprayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew.SHYLOCKShe is damned for it.SALANIOThat's certain, if the devil may be her judge.SHYLOCKMy own flesh and blood to rebel!

euphemism and demonic imagery address Shylockmotif of flesh and blood

Once again, devil imagery refers to Shylock’s relegated position as a Jew/his life is construed as comparatively less than the Christians around him

SHYLOCK (Lines 35-38)I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood.SALARINOThere is more difference between thy flesh and hersthan between jet and ivory; more between your bloodsthan there is between red wine and rhenish. Buttell us, do you hear whether Antonio have had anyloss at sea or no?

motif of flesh and blood to emphasise pain of loss

Shylock’s loss (grief/human experience) is brushed aside, as heis afforded little empathy Salarino chooses to defend Jessica as she is unlike her father (denounces her Jewish heritage). Because of this, Jessica’s value is higher

SHYLOCK (Lines 41-47)There I have another bad match: a bankrupt, aprodigal, who dare scarce show his head on theRialto; a beggar, that was used to come so smug uponthe mart; let him look to his bond: he was wont tocall me usurer; let him look to his bond: he waswont to lend money for a Christian courtesy; let himlook to his bond.

repetition of the word ‘bond’ = economic motif

many relationships are reduced to mere economic transactionseg. Antonio is only valuable to Shylock through the bond he can repay the humanity of individuals are judged by him within the confines of the ‘bonds’ that he creates for them

SHYLOCK (51-70)To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else,it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, andhindered me half a million; laughed at my losses,mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted mybargains, cooled my friends, heated mineenemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hathnot a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs,dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed withthe same food, hurt with the same weapons, subjectto the same diseases, healed by the same means,warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, asa Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poisonus, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we notrevenge? If we are like you in the rest, we willresemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christianwrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be byChristian example? Why, revenge. The villany youteach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but Iwill better the instruction.

opening sentence is full of accumulation, contrasted shortened syntax, repeated rhetorical questions. Shylock frames the mockery to which he has been subjected rhetorical questions accumulating synecdochal (a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa, as in England lost by six wickets (meaning ‘ the English cricket team’))

these questions provoke the audience’s consideration for why the Jewish human experience should be considered less than the Christian experience Shakespeare (via Shylock) appeals to our common humanity; beneath race, gender, religion our lives are constitued by a common understanding of what it means to be human Shylock begs for his human experiences to be valued - he desires equality and acceptance

SHYLOCK (Line 89)the thief gone with so much, and so much tofind the thief; and no satisfaction, no revenge:nor no in luck stirring but what lights on myshoulders; no sighs but of my breathing; no tearsbut of my shedding.

Shylock uses euphemism to refer to his daughter, the same way he is often referred to as the ‘Jew’

pain caused by abandonment

SHYLOCK (Line 108)Thou stickest a dagger in me: I shall never see mygold again: fourscore ducats at a sitting!fourscoreTUBAL (Line 110-119)One of them showed me a ring that he had of yourdaughter for a monkey.SHYLOCKOut upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: it was myturquoise; I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor:I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys.

Portrays concept of value in 2 ways:Represent Shylock’s value, therefore only fit to trade for monkey’s great value due to emotional connection, emotional side to Shylock

objects hold value based off of who they belong to, and the people beyond the objects

BASSANIO (Line 140-144) “Turn you where your lady is And claim her with a loving kiss. A gentle scroll. Fair lady, by your leave; I come by note, to give and to receive. Like one of two contending in a prize”

Wording or lexis is key to highlighting way Portia is a prize to be woneg. “fortune” “claim” “give and to receive” and “prize”

Portia once again secondary to her material wealth, she viewed his daughter as a possession to be given away

PORTIA (Lines 159-162)That only to stand high in your account,

I might in virtue, beauties, livings, friends,

Exceed account; but the full sum of me

Is sum of something, which, to term in gross,

Is an unlesson'd girl, unschool'd, unpractised;

Happy in this, she is not yet so old

But she may learn; happier than this,

She is not bred so dull but she can learn;

low modality “might” “unleeson’d…unschool’d” are examples of (euphemistic figure of speech that intentionally understates something or implies that it is lesser in significance or size than it really is), as Portia is intelligent

Portia frames that her humanity, and her lived experiences, are unfortunately only worth as much as she is able to give to Bassanio, her husband

PORTIA (Lines 174-177) “I give them with this ring;
Which when you part from, lose, or give away,
Let it presage the ruin of your love
And be my vantage to exclaim on you”

rings are an incredibly important symbol, that mirrors Shylock’s ‘bond’ motif

the ring ties Portia physically to him

GRATIANO (Lines 246-247) “We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece”

intertextual allusion to Jason and the Argonauts

BASSANIO (Lines 259-267) “Gentle lady,

When I did first impart my love to you,

I freely told you, all the wealth I had

Ran in my veins, I was a gentleman;

And then I told you true: and yet, dear lady,

Rating myself at nothing, you shall see

How much I was a braggart. When I told you

My state was nothing, I should then have told you

That I was worse than nothing;”

hyperbole “I was worse than nothing” dramatic, emphasises dependence on Antonio

compares the way Bassanio and Portia value their own experience as a human - eg. Portia is rich but suffers in other areas

(Lines 305-315)PORTIAWhat sum owes he the Jew?BASSANIOFor me three thousand ducats.PORTIAWhat, no more?Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond;Double six thousand, and then treble that,Before a friend of this descriptionShall 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 sideWith an unquiet soul.

symbolic power of wealth Portia has over Bassanio flips the power dynamic Bassanio previously treated Portia as a prize to be one, and now she treats him like a possession

Portia's wealth allows her to actively make choices/determine her human experiences in a way Bassanio can’t

Enter Shylock the Jew and Solanio and Antonio and the JAiler

Jailer acts a physical embodiment of the bond motif, has no lines beyond stage direction

his presence is a silent but visual reminder of the nature of their relationship

SHYLOCK (Lines 7-8)“Thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause;

But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs:”

animalistic imagery

impact of relations/predjudice/xenophobia

ANTONIO (29-34)“The duke cannot deny the course of law:

For the commodity that strangers have

With us in Venice, if it be denied,

Will much impeach the justice of his state;

Since that the trade and profit of the city

Consisteth of all nations.”

argumentative tone, elevate to a tragedy

Antonio’s cockiness hints at the privilege he has been afforded throughout his life

(Lines 58-64)PORTIACome on, Nerissa; I have work in handThat you yet know not of: we'll see our husbandsBefore they think of us.NERISSAShall they see us?PORTIAThey shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit,That they shall think we are accomplishedWith that we lack.

example of euphemism “accomplished with that we lack” the men will view them as valuable and active members of society, something they arent normally afforded as women

how characters view their own value explores how bodies are symbolically valued within society, along gendered lines

JESSICA (Lines 30-34) “there is no mercy forme in heaven, because I am a Jew's daughter: and hesays, you are no good member of the commonwealth,for in converting Jews to Christians, you raise theprice of pork.”

distateful xenophobic jokeconversion to Christianity = raise the price of pork = reduces her value in society (???)

Jewish characters are unable to truly escape their characterisation/stereotypes, they will always be considered less than Christians

DUKe (Lines 18-27)“Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too,That thou but lead'st this fashion of thy maliceTo the last hour of act; and then 'tis thoughtThou'lt show thy mercy and remorse more strangeThan is thy strange apparent cruelty;And where thou now exact'st the penalty,Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh,Thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture,But, touch'd with human gentleness and love,Forgive a moiety of the principal;”

Theme of Justice- the Duke’slines question the audience as well as Shlock body and flesh are described creating viceral reaction. bond motif, flesh motif

SHYLOCK(Lines 37-40)And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn

To have the due and forfeit of my bond:

If you deny it, let the danger light

Upon your charter and your city's freedom.pon your charter and your city's freedom.”

shylock demands the bond be paid in blood

demonstrates the dehumanising effects of xenophobia in society Even though his Jewish faith means nothing to the Christians, he uses it as profound way to express his humanity and identity in the world

(Lines 64-66)BASSANIO

This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,

To excuse the current of thy cruelty.

SHYLOCK

I am not bound to please thee with my answers.

bond motif

Shylock’s relationship with Antonio (and therefore Bassanio) is no further than the bond/material agreement he has signed

SHYLOCK (Lines 90-95)“What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?You have among you many a purchased slave,Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules,You use in abject and in slavish parts,Because you bought them: shall I say to you,Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?”

Shylock literally owns Antonio’s flesh due to the bond Shylock now dehumanises Antonio, canine imageryShylock is the ‘dog’, Antonio is the ‘mule’

effects of xenophobia

(Line 224-230)PORTIA (BALTHASAR)“there is no power in VeniceCan alter a decree established:'Twill be recorded for a precedent,And many an error by the same exampleWill rush into the state: it cannot be.”SHYLOCK“O noble judge! O excellent young man!”

Shylock is entitled to the bond he is requesting

inconsistencies of the legal system, implore the audience to decide whether the system is fair

(Lines 123-125)PORTIAWhy dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?SHYLOCKTo cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there.

butcher imagery to paint Shylock as a craven manlines carrying implied stage and prop directionsShylock would appear very different to the Christians around him (bent over, sharpening knife)

Shylock is position physically apart from the others, performing sinister actions to show an evil, vindictive nature similar to the visual alienation the Morrocaan prince faced

(Lines 292-297)BASSANIOAntonio, I am married to a wifeWhich is as dear to me as life itself;But life itself, my wife, and all the world,Are not with me esteem'd above thy life:I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them allHere to this devil, to deliver you.

Bassanio’s marriage is of less value to him than his friendship with Antonio

The impact of commodification of relationships/emotional transactions Bassanio married Portia first and foremost for wealth, but is just friends with Antonio, therefore values him far more

(Lines 329-334)SHYLOCKI take this offer, then; pay the bond thriceAnd let the Christian go.BASSANIOHere is the money.PORTIASoft!The Jew shall have all justice; soft! no haste:He shall have nothing but the penalty.GRATIANOO Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!

Portia says Shylock can’t have the bond, but has nothing hubris= the character’s flaws bring on their downfall

in this case, Shylock’s hubris is his greed and vindictiveness The characters lives are dictated by law, order and societal norms

(Lines 359-369)PORTIATarry, Jew:The law hath yet another hold on you.It is enacted in the laws of Venice,If it be proved against an alienThat by direct or indirect attemptsHe seek the life of any citizen,The party 'gainst the which he doth contriveShall seize one half his goods; the other halfComes to the privy coffer of the state;And the offender's life lies in the mercyOf the duke only,”

As a Jew, Shylock isn’t recognised as citizen of the city-state, despite living there his whole life, and therefore must give up all wealth

As a consequence of xenophobia and his own desire for revenge, Shylock must bow down to the word of the law Due to his position as the ‘other’, the characters don’t value his humanity and lived experiences

ANTONIO (Lines 400-403) “He presently become a Christian;The other, that he do record a gift,Here in the court, of all he dies possess'd,Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter.”

this is meant to be a moment of catharsis, as Shylock has been beated/bad has been defeated Shakespeare challenges this technique as we feel sympathy

Shylock has been beaten due to his hubris his punishment is to convert, which is worse than a fine as it changes his core humanity

(Lines 464-466)ANTONIOMy Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring:Let his deservings and my love withalBe valued against your wife's commandment.

continuing the theme of Bassanio’s commitment to Antonio, convinces Bassanio to give ring. male relationships (and non-commodified relationships)= more important than marriage lexical choice of ‘deservings’ demonstrates that in Antonio’s opinion, saving his life is more important than marriage

hierarchy of relationships/valuing each other, tied to gender, money etc

(Lines 5-10)GRATIANOFair sir, you are well o'erta'enMy Lord Bassanio upon more adviceHath sent you here this ring, and doth entreatYour company at dinner.PORTIAThat cannot be:His ring I do accept most thankfully:

the ring is a symbol of trust, giving it away is a betrayal of trust

as the ring was the bond to Portia, Bassanio has forfeited his side and concretely chosen friendship over marriage (including the financial benefits involved) Portia has proof of this and therefore even more power

(Lines 158-164)GRATIANOAbout a hoop of gold, a paltry ringThat she did give me, whose posy wasFor all the world like cutler's poetryUpon a knife, 'Love me, and leave me not.'NERISSAWhat talk you of the posy or the value?You swore to me, when I did give it you,That you would wear it till your hour of death

highlights importance of ring’s symbolism contrast of values Gratiano = “paltry ring” little more than a “hoop of gold”Nerissa = emotional attachment

The ring is worth more as the emotion attached to it by
Nerissa, and therefore is a symbol other human emotions that should not be discarded so easily Similiar to Shylock’s attachment to ring

(Lines 212-215)PORTIAIf you had known the virtue of the ring,Or half her worthiness that gave the ring,Or your own honour to contain the ring,You would not then have parted with the ring.

repetition of ‘ring’ to highlight the value The ring is a symbol of ‘virtue’ and ‘honour’ that can’t be discarded as easily as the pagan ring given to Shylock’s wife by the usurer

Portia’s ring is a manifestation of the trust and power that Portia’s wealth has over Bassanio, and that Portia literally has a significant power over Bassanio as she ‘binds him’ to her with the ring