Missing Persons (Character)
Bassanio
· Motivation – Bassanio wishes to woo and wed Portia, he also wants Antontio's well-being because he so devoted to him
· Obstacles – At first his lack of funds prevents him from wooing Portia, then he runs into the obstacle of the casket test. As for achieving Antonio's wellbeing, he runs into the obstacles of Antonio's ships apparently being lost at sea, and Shylock holding onto the agreement
· Action/What? – What the characters does or is willing to do to satisfy the want In order to woo and wed Portia, Bassanio is willing to strain his relationship with Antonio by asking him for money yet again, and travel far. He is also willing to risk failing the casket test and being forced to swear to never pursue her again. In order to protect Antonio, Bassanio is willing to pay many times Shylock's original price.
· Action/Why? – Why the character chooses these actions? Bassanio chooses to ask Antonio for money because he knows he can trust him in a tight spot (he's done it before), and he has really has a strong desire to try for Portia's hand. He tries to save Antonio's life because he is is closest friend, and he chooses the method of bribing Shylock because he is confident in his relationship with his new wife (it won't strain anything between them).
· Avowed Action/Why? vs. True Action/Why? – Why does the character SAY he does an action compared to the truth un why he does an action. Bassanio expresses that he would give is own life to protect Antonio. "Good cheer, Antonio! What, man, courage yet!/The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones and all,/Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood." (IV, 1, lines 133-155) He seems to be honest in this, traveling far to make it to Antonio's trial and repeatedly offering to sacrifice money and his life for him.
Portia
· Character(s) Motivation – Portia wishes to wed a good man that she loves, and support him and make him happy without breaking her late father's will. (Should we also include something about wanting to please/support Bassanio? After all she is willing to go to great lengths to aid Antonio because of Bassanio)
· Obstacles – Portia struggles with the arrival of many base, arrogant, or simply undesirable suitors. She also struggles with the fact that when Bassanio arrives she cannot simply marry him without breaking her father's will.
· Action/What? – What the characters does or is willing to do to satisfy the want In order to not break her father's will, she is willing to risk not marrying the one she loves. In order to support Bassanio and therefore Antonio, she is willing to provide great amounts of money, and concoct a scheme involving Nerissa and going under cover.
· Action/Why? – Why the character chooses these actions? She chooses to aid Antonio and pretend to be a man with Nerissa because she feels it is her duty as Bassanio's wife to support his close friend. "€¦for in companions/That do converse and waste the time together, /Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love,/There must be needs a like proportion/Of lineaments, of manners and spirit; Which makes me think that this Antonio, Being the bosom lover of my lord, Must needs be like my lord." (III, 4, lines 11- 18) Portia specifically offers support in the form of money because she is quite wealthy. There doesn't seem to be much difference in what she says and what she does, excepting the bit of fun she and Nerissa have with the rings and the expense of their husbands.
Shylock
€¢ Character Motivation – Shylock wishes to get revenge against Christian men, specifically Antonio, who treat him poorly because he is Jewish.
€¢ Obstacles – Shylock has to abide by the law, and so must find a way to avenge himself through legal means
€¢ Action/What? – What the character does or is willing to do to satisfy the want- Shylock creates an agreement with Antonio wherein, should Antonio fail to pay off his debt, Shylock may extract a pound of his flesh.
€¢ Action/Why? – Why the character chooses these actions?
€¢ Avowed Action/Why? vs. True Action/Why? – Why does the character SAY he does an action compared to the truth of why he does an action.- Shylock demands his pound of Antonio's flesh, claiming that he wants it because it is what he is owed, refusing to accept Bassiano's money. In actuality, he demands Antonio's flesh and nothing else, because he is bitter at Antonio for being prejudiced against him.
Antonio
€¢ Character(s) Motivation – Antonio is determined to see Bassanio happy
€¢ Obstacles – He must come to an agreement with Shylock that enables Bassanio to gain enough money to visit Portia and potentially marry her.
€¢ Action/What? – What the characters does or is willing to do to satisfy the want- He agrees to pay for Bassanio's bond and says that should his money not arrive in time for the deal to be met, he will let Shylock take a pound of his flesh in compensation.
€¢ Action/Why? – Why the character chooses these actions?
€¢ Avowed Action/Why? vs. True Action/Why? – Why does the character SAY he does an action compared to the truth of why he does an action. – There is not a real difference between Antonio's true action and avowed action. He says he creates the deal with Shylock to help his friend Bassanio, and that appears to be true. It is possible, as he is depressed at the beginning of the play, that he is trying to achieve greater happiness vicariously through Bassanio's happiness. This could be an ulterior motive to his helpfulness in aiding Bassanio's quest for Portia.
Lorenzo
€¢ Character(s) Motivation – Lorenzo wants to marry Jessica and have her convert to Christianity
€¢ Obstacles – Shylock does not want Jessica marrying Lorenzo, or any other Christian
€¢ Action/What? – What the characters does or is willing to do to satisfy the want¬-Lorenzo helps Jessica run away from Shylock's house during the night so that they can be together.
€¢ Action/Why? Lorenzo helps Jessica escape from Shylock, because he wants to marry her, and knows Shylock will not offer his permission, so he is left with the decision of choosing to follow Shylock's wishes, or secretly sneaking Jessica away from her father. He chooses the latter option because he is very motivated by his desire to marry Jessica and convert her to Christianity
Jessica
· ¨ Character(s) Motivation – Jessica wishes to marry Lorenzo, lead happy life with him, and dissociate herself from her father's ways.
· ¨ Obstacles – She must find a way escape from her father's house and convert to Christianity. However, she is slightly torn because she feels it wrong, or at least tragic, that she should be ashamed of being her father's daughter.
· ¨ Action/What? – Jessica sends Lorenzo a letter detailing how he should come to rescue her, and the preparations she has made for their new life together (parts of her father's wealth she has taken). She also converts to Christianity.
· ¨ Action/Why? – Because Jessica is a Jew, it is forbidden for her to marry Lorenzo because he isn't Jewish, and it is forbidden for him to marry her. This gives the reason for both her needing to escape from her father's household and for her to convert to Christianity. Converting to Christianity also helps her to further dissociate herself from her father's ways.
· ¨ Avowed Action/Why? vs. True Action/Why? – There doesn't seem to be a great difference between her avowed and true actions, however, one might question why she needed to take so much of her father's wealth. Yes, she and Lorenzo are poor and starting a new life with nothing, but as Shylock finds out after their escape, Jessica and Lorenzo have a bit of a spending spree directly following their elopement.
Gratiano
· ¨ Character(s) Motivation – Gratiano wishes to live his live in a hearty, fun-loving fashion. He also wishes for his friends, especially Antonio and Bassanio, to be as happy as he is.
· ¨ Obstacles – Gratiano's flippant, talkative manner is off-putting to civilized company. It almost prevents him from accompanying Bassanio on his trip. Shylock's refusing to show mercy to Antonio is an obstacle to Gratiano seeing his friends happy.
· ¨ Action/What/Why? – Bassanio says that he is willing to take on sober manners and act mildly. It is hard to tell whether he follows through on this or not because the action of the play moves away from him, however, neither Bassanio or Antonio reprimand him again. He accompanies Bassanio on his trip to Belmont, and also on his trip to defend Antonio. Gratiano is quite devoted to both Bassanio and Antonio as they are his close friends. He marries Nerissa in Belmont because he has fallen in love and he feels it will contribute to his happy lifestyle.
In looking at the characters, their desires, and their actions, there is a great contrast between all of the Christian characters and Shylock the Jew. Not only are all of the Christian characters "right" and the "good guys" and Shylock "wrong" and the "bad guy," the Christians seem more human. The Christians, even those who have their faults (Antonio mistreating Shylock, Gratiano being overly flippant, etc.) have more human desire and a greater thirst for a good life. They desire things that will make themselves and others happy. Shylock, however, only wants revenge and his "justice." It's as if he is somehow sub-human. The difference is not just about moral rights and wrongs but entire states of being and outlooks on life. This plays into the overall themes in the play, which focus on what it means to be a good person.
IMAGES
· Dominant Images – Images/motifs in the play that underscore or augment the play's action
The Pound of Flesh
· The pound of flesh is a dominant image, because it represents Shylock's lack of mercy and bloodlust. It is not enough for him to be paid back for his bond in money. Antonio has always persecuted him for being Jewish and now he must pay with something truly painful, and ultimately life threatening. This idea of being merciless is important to the play, because it is Shylock's downfall. He ends up losing his fortune (although it is returned upon his conversion) because he did not take the Christian path and forgive Antonio his debts, or at least take Bassanio's offere of Portia's money.
The Three Caskets
· Gold, silver and lead
o The three caskets contain gold, silver and lead. The prize of Portia's hand in marriage is hidden in the lead casket. The gold and silver caskets represent wealth and glamor. They are desirable, but also often chased after by those who are greedy. The lead is a strong image, because, as the correct choice, it symbolizes risking everything for faith (or in Bassanio and Portia's case, love). This idea of risk for faith follows the strong pattern of Christian ideals that can be found throughout the play. The three caskets demonstrate the importance of ignoring greed in order to find something higher, such as love.
· Repeated Images – Images that reappear throughout the course of the play
· Sea Images:
The sea images apply directly to Antonio having several merchant ships at sea – they remind us again and again that everything is riding on his ships coming back safely. If they don't come back with a profit he dies at Shylock's hand.
· "€¦the pageants of the sea" (I, 1, line 11)
"Your mind is tossing on the ocean/there where your argosies with portly sail€¦" (I, i, 8-9)
"I should not see the sandy hourglass run/ But I should think of shallows and of flats /and see wealthy Andrew docked in sand/vailing her high top lower than her ribs€¦" (I, i, 25-29)
"But fish not with this melancholy bait/ For this fool gudgeon, this opinion," (I, i, 101-102)
"when he did redeem/the virgin tribute paid by howling Troy/to the sea-monster" (III, 2, lines 57-59)
"€¦with a willow in her hand Upon the wild sea banks, and wav'd her love to come again to Cathage." (V, i, 100)
· Religious References:
The religious references, many of them specifically Hebrew, are constantly accentuating the big Holy Christian vs. Evil Jew theme.
"When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep-/This Jacob from our holy Abram was/ As his wise mother wrought in his behalf/ The third possessor," (I, iii, 69-71)
"The Prodigal Christian€¦" (70)
"Black Monday€¦Ash Wednesday€¦" (72)
"Jacob's staff€¦" (72)
"..a gentle and no Jew" (75) – jews are bad
"€¦wise, fair and true€¦" (75)
"This shrine, this mortal breathing saint," (77)
"The figure of an angel" (78)
"Look how the floor of heaven Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold." (V, i, 102)
· Nature Images:
The nature images often connect to the people within the play, reinforcing moods through the personification of an animal or element.
"Venus' pigeons fly€¦" (73) Venus is a reference to love and pigeons are common (not fancy).
"Strumpet wind€¦" (74) – prostitute wind
"There are a sort of men whose visages do cream and mantle like a standing pond," (I, i, 88-89)
"the lion's shadow ere himself, And ran dismay'd away" (V, i. 100) "muddy vesture of decay.." Soul will stay on earth if you don't take Christian path.
· Famous Figures:
These famous figures are used to hyperbolize the situations the characters find themselves in through the use of familiar characters known to audiences. These characters are also religious figures of Ancient Greece though their notoriety and out-datedness seems to negate the disdain placed upon the other non-Christian images.
"€¦Hang on her temples like a golden fleece/ Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos' strond/ And many Jasons come in quest of her," (I, i, 169-172).
"If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as Diana unless I be obtained by the manner of my father's will," (I, ii, 105-107)
· Misc. Images:
The use of personification in describing Death as not only an entity to be capitalized, but also an animal corpse emphasizes its terribleness. Bassanio's wedding ring is a symbol of his devotion to his wife, and since he gives it up to repay Antonio's "lawyer" it also symbolizes his gratitude to both the lawyer for helping Antonio, and Antonio for helping him.
"A carrion Death€¦" (78)
Bassiano's wedding ring
· Images in the Title – Is there a dominant image in the Title? What is its importance?
The Merchant of Venice: The Merchant of Venice is referring to Antonio. Antonio is worthy of being the title character because he represents the good Christian values reflected in the play. He is willing to sacrifice not only his fortune, but also his well being for the good of his friend Bassanio, and he expects to gain nothing in return. He is altruistic and caring.
Themes of play as derived from images:
The predominant images revolve around religious themes, and ideals pertaining to goodness. For example, as previously stated, the three caskets represent taking a leap of faith and choosing substance over wealth. All of the Christian images are related to positive ideas, which connect to the fact that within this play Christianity is a symbol of goodness, whereas Judaism is not. The famous figures and much of the nature, and specifically sea images increase the stakes of the characters in the play, and puts pressure on their decisions between following the good Christian path or falling short.
THEME
¨ Interpret the author's potential messages – what issues is the author exploring
¨ What are the abstract concepts which part of all of the play is "about?"
The play explores the following themes:
Love versus money
· Shylock chooses money over love, as demonstrated by the fact that when his daughter runs away he is he is preoccupied by the loss of his "ducats." He says, "I shall never see my gold again." He values her in terms of financial dealings and other materials ("precious jewels" "a diamond gone") instead of missing the girl herself.
· The three caskets that determine Portia's husband contain gold, silver and lead, but despite gold and silver having a higher monetary value, lead is the casket that Portia's picture is in, meaning the suitor who chooses lead will be able to wed Portia.
Taking risks on faith to achieve greater happiness
· Antonio and Bassanio risk being unable to pay off their debt to Shylock in order for Bassanio to seek the greater happiness derived from being Portia's husband
· Bassanio risks choosing the wrong casket and being exiled from Portia's company permanently for the chance to choose the right casket and be with Portia for the rest of his life.
Charity and mercy versus hatred and vengeance
· Antonio is willing to pay for Bassanio to go to Portia and try to marry her, whereas Shylock is unwilling to lend Bassanio the money on goof faith, and must instead have a promise of money or flesh from Antonio
· Portia is willing to lose large amounts of money to help Antonio pay off his debt to Shylock, even though she has never met Antonio. She simply believes him to be a good man, and knows that he means a great deal to her husband.
· Shylock is unwilling to move past his hatred and desire for vengeance when he has a chance to take a pound of Antonio's flesh. He demands the flesh despite offers of more than the amount of money he is owed, showing no mercy.
· When Shylock loses everything, Antonio offers him mercy, reinstating his fortunes and sparing his punishment, so long as Shylock converts to Christianity.
All of these themes can be contained within the overarching theme:
· Supposed Christian values versus Jewish values (or non-Christian values)
o Christians are supposed to value love over money, choosing to behave in charitable ways, and having great faith. They should not be greedy, ignoring self-interest in order to bring happiness to others. Also, they are supposed to be merciful, not wrathful, and choose love and forgiveness over hatred.
What this play is about:
In summary, these themes create a play that comments on what it takes to be a good person. Looking past the Christian/Jewish stereotypes of the time in which this was written, the characteristics that make a person a "good Christian" in this story are also ideals that make a good person in general. All of the themes comment on different aspects of being a good person, such as choosing love over money and greed, or choosing mercy over vengeance.