The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice

Merchant of Venice deals with sensitive issues which are relevant even in today’s time.
Appearance versus reality lies at the core of the play. Also, the social standing of the era is pictured beautifully in the drama.

William Shakespeare is the most legendry English poet and writer. All over the world, he has been regarded as the greatest writer and the most marvelous dramatist. Often described as national poet of England, he was also known as the “Bard of Avon”.

Shakespeare was a prominent writer of Elizabethan era. This era, beginning from 1558 till
1603 has witnessed the most remarkable form of literature, and has also been termed as ‘the golden age of English literature’. The English renaissance was at its best and English literature and poetry flowered and blossomed to the maximum extent. This period is associated with discoveries and explorations. The national mindset prevailing among the people was the
Protestant Reformation. This was also the time for flourishing of theatre.

With such enormous activities buzzing in England, Shakespeare came out with the most legendry work. The English Renaissance was the contributory factor as it encouraged people to read more and more. The emphasis of theatre was growing and this background, William Shakespeare strived to create the most splendid literary works.

In the Elizabethan era, drama was not as it is understood today. Availability of props and outfits was very limited. In fact, boys used to disguise as girls to perform. However, it was a serious drama that struck the right note. The work was written in the best manner with the most influential dialogues and scenes to leave the desired effect on the spectators- whether cathartic or humorous.

One of the most popular plays of Shakespeare that is under discussion here is ‘The Merchant of
Venice’. In this play Shakespeare has showcased the triumph of love and friendship over greed and lust. Greed, revenge and self centeredness have been showed as the most vicious elements of the society. The play ends with the victory of love over these evils and propagated the age old wised words that love and human relations are far above greed and lust.

The most fitting lines in this [play to reveal the theme of the play is Portia’s speech, when dressed as a lawyer she recites:

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest;

It blesseth him that gives and him that...

Shakespeare has used his characters in the best possible manner to depict then prevailing social scenario. The play introduces Antonio and Bassonio as the business men of upper class.
Moreover, their mannerism depicts the fine character that is grounded in all Christians. On the other hand, Shylock, in the very beginning has been introduced as a beastly character. He has been introduces as a Jew, who is the central villain of the play. He sets out a plan to cut out a pound of flesh from the body of Antonio, who is the representative of all good.

The theme of love and friendship is pre-dominant throughout the play. When Antonio is unable to provide three thousand ducats to Bassonio, the latter takes the loan from Shylock, naming
Antonio as his loan guarantor. Antonio agrees to help his friend in every possible manner and this is where the beastly Jew gats a chance to pounce upon his business rival, who incidentally belongs to his rival religion as well.

Bassonio is a doting friend and the moment he comes to know that Antonio has been captured by Shylock, he takes money from Portia to rescue his friend. All this stands in complete contradiction to the selfishness and monstrous instincts of Shylock.

Elizabethan era did not witness women moving freely in the society along men and even outsmarting me. However, for friendship’s sake and to help out her love, Portia breaks the shackles of conventions and enters into the genre of men.

Cross dressing devise was familiar to the Renaissance drama as women were not allowed to perform in the drama. The pre-pubescent boys played their role. Shakespeare admired this stage convention and freely used this in his plays. It is used twice in this play, first used by Jessica to escape the boredom of the Shylock’s home. And second is used by Portia and Nerrisa to rescue
Antonia. They dressed as officers from the Venetian court. She disguises herself as Balthazar, the lawyer to fight out the cause for Antonio.

In the play Portia comments, “Thousand raw tricks of these bragging Jacks,” this implies men’s authority can be performed successfully. The clothing lends her confidence, power and position and declares, “I’ll prove the prettier fellow of the two, / And wear my dagger with the braver grace” (III.iv.64–65). This is where in the famous speech mentioned above, Balthazar asks
Shylock to show mercy. In the most eloquent manner, she tricks Shylock by placing the condition that he can take his one pound of flesh but without dripping a drop of blood as it will be against the bond. Defeated and outsmarted, Shylock is left with no option but to let go the bond. The climax of the play advocates the power of love and friendship is above everything else and it can make you win in the most stringent situations. Antonio, Bassonio and Portia exhibited these virtues of love and humanity and therefore were entitled to live happily. On the other hand,
Shylock, the most villainous character was bound to suffer ill fate.

Another aspect portrayed by Shakespeare is that Christian characters are pure at heart and full of love and mercy, whereas the Jews are greedy and deceitful. Though, Shylock vacillates over the loss of the money and runs through the street crying, “O, my ducats! O, my daughter!” but on close inspection in Act III, Scene I, it becomes clearer that Shylock is hurt not for the money but, because of the loss of the ring given by his dead wife. Here, lies the underlying theme of the play- reality versus appearance.

The climax of the play is the disastrous end of Shylock, the greedy Jew. Probably this is the reason why several critics have considered this play as anti-Semetic. Critics have analyzed this play for over hundred years to get through the meaning hidden behind the simple plot. Several of them have reached to a similar conclusion- that the play is anti- semetic. Shakespeare has depicted Shylock in a beastly manner that the readers cannot stop hating him. This fact in itself reveals his anti-semetic instincts. Though few critics have gone as far as saying that Shakespeare was a Jew hater, while others believe that he was simply portraying the society around him and revealing the then prevailing social scenario. However, there are a bunch of thinkers who feel that by portraying Shylock in a very realistic manner, the playwright is trying to point out the
Christian hypocrisy.

In fact, Shylock has been considered the most interesting character of the play and film makers have gone ahead depicting Shylock as the loudest character of the play. In most of the adaptations made upon this play, focus has been upon Shylock, though Antonio is talked about in the title. In one of the most recent adaptations made by Michael Radford this issue has been voiced. The beginning scenes of the play expressly focus upon the raunchy racism that is prevalent throughout the play. Throughout the play, racism and anti-Semitism runs as an underlying theme that has been made more explicit by the film- makers. The beginning scene of the play shows Shylock in altercation with the merchant described in the Title while the former is rushing for his Jewish ghetto. This raunchy emphasis gains momentum as the play proceeds and
Shylock demands a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body.

Another aspect that is not voiced in the play but has been considered by the film- makers in their respective adaptations is the genre of the play. Is the play comic? Or is it a famous
Shakespearean tragedy of a Jew who meets a dreadful end because he is a Jew? The playwright has left this issue open, but the film makers have tried to incorporate some elements of comedy as well as tragedy. The episode of Portia and the three caskets has been shown on- screen in a very capricious manner. But the adaptation takes cognizance of the unique element infused by
Shakespeare- the brutal treatment of a dark hearted person in a most convincing form.

In this adaptation, to make the play look realistic, the entire shooting has been done in Venice.
This Venetian effect makes the sets and the background look real and entertaining. Portia’s castle has been showed as a soft place where positive aura prevails. On contradistinction, shylock’s abode has been showed as dark, dingy and foggy place that is full of malice.

The director of this plays has not confined the play only to Shakespeare’s vision. Rather, he imposes his own vision. Casting Al Pacino as Shylock has been a wise choice. His eyes, ears, make up, his behavior, being over protective of his daughter and sticking on to his horrendous bond-all add to the effects. At one point of time, h appears to be a horrific character. But when analyzed with dexterity, he appears to be the most human and most real of them all. His concerns for his daughter, his consciousness about his social status as a Jew and his grudges against the Christian community appear to be real characteristics of average human beings. And all this has been showcased by the Director aptly.

To give Elizabethan aura to the film and to make it appear like the play, Venetian costumes have been used along with Venetian locations. The cinematography of the film is excellent providing for the best picturesque moments.

Though the movie is based upon the play, yet it has its own perspective, that is, the director’s perspective. While Shakespeare ends on the note that the bond of men is over and above the bond of money, the film makers has something different to communicate. He tries to bring Shylock amidst the people to show how he was the only real character portrayed by
Shakespeare. The rest were too good to be true. Or that they were hypocrites.