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In modern and post-modern times, The Merchant of Venice has been criticized at a near constant rate for its perceived racism in its portrayal of the Jewish money lender Shylock, who is perceived as little more than a compendium of the harsh stereotypes held by the Elizabethan audience toward the Jews. ... But amongst this almost wholly negative portrayal of a Jew, Shakespeare, through Shylock, makes one of the most poetic and beautiful cases against prejudice in the whole of literary history. ... In the same way that Shylock exists to criticize the racism of the times, the character of Portia also functions as an impliment for criticizing the nature of men in Britain at the time which, despite having a matriarchal head of state (Queen Elizabeth, of course), was incredibly sexist. ... The villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction ( III, i, 52-72)
It is in these words that Shakespeare states his purpose as it relates to his views on the subject of prejudice. ...
The Merchant of Venice is designated as one of Shakespeares comedies, in a classical sense because it involves a wedding, as all classical comedies do. ... They spat blood and bile at racism, sexism, and hypocrisy, but always in the context of a comedic performance. ... It seems that it was much the same way with Shakespeares Merchant of Venice. ...
In regards to The Merchant of Venice, critics, readers, and audience members seem to concentrate almost solely on the character of Shylock and his relationship to
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prejudices in Elizabethan England, but beyond Shylock, Shakespeare puts forth another social criticism that is in some ways even more veiled than his previous criticisms of racism. ... He chooses to address this in The Merchant of Venice through the character of Portia. ... Her character is so central to the story of The Merchant of Venice that she, and by extension her importance and strength as a woman, could not be glossed over by Shakespeare’s audience. ... Underneath this veneer of entertainment however, there lies a deeper motive and purpose, specifically in the work of The Merchant of Venice. ... The Merchant of Venice’s status as a comedy further emphasizes this point, as comedies are largely viewed as more frivolous than dramas.
Approximate Word count = 2524
Approximate Pages = 10.1
(250 words per page double spaced)
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