Comedy Case

Shakespeare has written many plays, fourteen of them being comedies. Two of his famous comedies are The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice. Although no two plays are alike, The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice have similarities among them along with differences. In the first scenes of both plays it is easy to notice the similarities and differences between the two. Both plays start off with characters that are trying to further their lives with either with schooling or financially, characters having to be forced into marriage, and character's going to the extreme to win over an heiress's heart. One big difference that appears in the first scene of both plays is that the heiress's are very different from each other.

In the first scene of The Taming of the Shrew, Lucentio and his servant Tranio arrive in Padua to further his studies at the famous university. "And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study, virtue and that part of philosophy will I apply that treats of happiness by virtue specially to be achieved," Lucentio announces to Tranio that he is young and eager to learn new things (176). In the first scene of The Merchant of Venice, Antonio, a merchant of Venice, is complaining to his friends Salerio and Solanio about a sadness that has come over him, "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad," but he cannot explain to them why exactly he is sad (1121). Salerio and Solanio suggest to him that he much be sad due to his investments with the ship trading. Three men enter the scene, Antonio's kinsman Bassanio, and two other men named Lorenzio and Graziano. Graziano notices that Antonio did not look happy and he suggested that the merchant worries too much about business. Antonio responded by saying, "I hold the world but as the world, Graziano, a stage where every man must play a part, and mine is a sad one" (1123). In both The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice, Lucentio and Antonio both are very determined, hard working men. This is shown by their attitudes toward their schooling and business. Lucentio wants to further his education and hopefully gain a successful life with a good standing financially. Even though Antonio's business is a sad business he continues to work to stay financially stable. In the first scene of the two plays it is apparent that the two men are determined to work as hard as they have too to maintain a better life.

In The Taming of the Shrew, Baptista enters with his two daughters, Katherine and Bianca, along with Bianca's suitors, Hortensio and Gremio. At this point, Katherine is very angry because her father informed the suitors that they were free to court Katherine but Bianca was not allowed to marry before Katherine, "I pray you sir, is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?" (177). At Belmont, in The Merchant of Venice, Portia is talking to her waiting-gentlewoman, Nerissa, about being weary of the world because her father's will specifies she cannot decide for herself whether to take a husband. According to her father's will, Portia's suitors must choose between three chests, one of gold, one of silver, and one of lead, in the hopes of picking the chest that contains Portia's portrait. Nerissa tries to comfort Portia with her wise words, "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 you shall right love" (1126). The men who guess correctly will win Portia's hand in marriage, the men who guess incorrectly must swear to never to marry anyone.

In The Taming of the Shrew, Lucentio overhears Gremio and Hortensio talking about looking for someone to wed Katherine and a schoolmaster for Bianca. Lucentio then proclaims his love for Bianca to Tranio and is determined to court her, "I pray, sir, tell me; is it possible that love should of a sudden take such hold?" (179). In order to capture Bianca's heart, Lucentio goes under disguise as a teacher to tutor Bianca in the hope of being able to declare his love. In order