Shakespeare's Satirical Comedy - the Merchant of Venice

Shakespeare's satirical comedy The Merchant of Venice is believed to have been written in 1596. During the sixteenth century prejudice influenced society so strongly that it could even be perceived to be the foundation social hierarchy throughout Europe. Shakespeare successfully captures three of the most key branches of prejudice in The Merchant of Venice through a range of characters and the theme of disguise. Readers are able to understand the impact of prejudice on European society through the effective way which Shakespeare portrays the idea through his play. In Act 3 Scene 2 Bassanio, a main character in the play, states "So may the outward shows be least themselves; the world is still deceived with ornament." Shakespeare entwines this quote into the play effectively to allow the audience to understand the concept of disguise in order to avoid hurtful prejudice and discrimination.

The first, and most obvious example of using disguise to avoid prejudice is introduced in Act 1 Scene 3. This is the key conflict in the plot and is the foundation of the storyline. The Jewish moneylender, Shylock, and the Christian Venetian merchant, Antonio, have a tense and strained background because of their opposing religions and their competitive businesses. Antonio confronts Shylock in order to ask for a loan of three thousand ducats which will allow his best friend, Bassanio to travel to Belmont and compete in a contest for his love, Portia's hand in marriage. Even by analyzing just this first encounter between the Christian and the Jew, we are able to grasp the anti-semitism which controlled Europe socially. As soon as the audience meet Shylock, we are pushed into a negative relationship which the character. However, throughout the play, Shakespeare makes it impossible for us to draw a final conclusion regarding our overall attitude towards the Jew. Shylock is shown in two lights. Firstly he is conveyed as a cold-hearted, blood-thirsty villain, yet we then see him as a lonely, alienated and misunderstood victim. Shakespeare never clearly sums up the character as victim or villain, allowing the audience to make their own inference about Shylock. The concept of disguise enters the complex scheme of Shylock's character development when we examine Shylock's seemingly contradicting actions. There appear to be two very clear sides to Shylock: the victim and the villain. The villain seems inhumane and monstrous as he agrees to loan Antonio money under a bond for 'a pound your fair flesh be forfeit." His reasoning for this unusual and bloodthirsty bond simply being that he "hates him for he is Christian." And he "lends out money gratis." However we see the victim show through in Shylock when he admits his offence at Antonio's discriminating behaviors towards him, "you call me misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine." From this small exert of raw