Introduction+to+Merchant+of+Venice

﻿ Understanding Merchant of Venice ﻿ A Critical Introduction

= Historical =
 * Protestant Reformation and the Merchant of Venice: play contains many Anti-Sematic elements, racist, and theological veiws (Stetner).
 * This work was inspired by The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlow, it's the social commentary on how Christians are hyporcritcal ("The Merchant of Venice").
 * "Shakespeare drew on several contemporary works as sources for the play, but cheifly on a story from Ser Giovanni Fiorentino's II Percorone ("The Merchant of Venice-Folger Shakespeare Library" Web)".
 * This work was originally a comedy, but today is viewed with more rude connotations (Myrick). This play is also considered a tragic comedy by some scholars (Hugo).
 * During the Renaissance Venice was one of Europe's major centers for commerce (Hugo).
 * Salerio states that going to church can increase one's anxiety reflecting the first objection to the Catholic dogma that God cannot intend for us to live under constant dread of perdition (Stetner).
 * This play was writting in 1596, 97 and was first performed in 1600 (SparkNotes).
 * The Pope decreed that lending money with intrest was wrong at the time of the play. The antagonist, Shylock, is a Jew and a money lender ("The Merchant of Venice Background").

= Literary Movement or Philosophical Ideas of the time = = Cultural = = Mythological/Achetypal = = Themes = = Works Cited =
 * Renaissance, followed the Middle Ages (Guisepi).
 * Interest in classical learning and values (Guisepi). Ancient Greece is greater than clergy (Mahoney).
 * Believed to have begun in Italy in the 14th century (Guisepi).
 * Greek literatrure stimulated the culture of literature ("Renaissance").
 * The idea of humanism surfaced (Fletcher).
 * The major religions of the time were Protestant and Catholic (Alchin).
 * Symbol: Bassiano's tale of woe is symbolized by his lost arrow, which is necessary to enter deeply into peril in order to pass out of it (Stetner).
 * Shylock and Antonio opposition symbolizes the confrontation of Judiasm and Christianity and also the old law and new law (Stetner).
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Greek and Roman Mythe Mentioned: golden fleece, Trolius and Cressida, Thisbe and Pyramus, Medea and Aeson, Diana (or Artemis), Orpheus, Endymion (Goodwin).
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The play seems to be centered around relationships and familial reconciliation (SparkNotes).
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Self interest is less improtant than relationships and love (SparkNotes). One example is that Shylock loves money more than he loves his daughter, but his love for her grows as the play developes (SparkNotes).
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The Christians value human relations more than Shylock, a Jew, who values money and business more (SparkNotes).
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">"Friendship requires sacrifice" - "Antonio risks his fortune-and later his life- to help Bassanio win Portia. Tubal lends Shylock the 3,000 ducats requested by Antonio. ("The Merchant of Venice: A Study Guide")"
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Intolerance of Religion (Banned in some schools) (Pearson Education).
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Deceptive Appearance and Disguise: this can be seen with Portia and Nerissa when they "adopt to help save Antonio" (Halio 442).