Merchant of Venice Essay Writing Guide

By: Henrique Bertulino

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10.04.2022

Merchant of Venice Essay Writing Guide

The Merchant of Venice clearly deserves the attention of readers, and high school students' analysis of the main themes of the play will help to better understand Shakespeare's work. For those who need homework help, further in the article there is a lot of useful information.

The Main Merchant of Venice Essay Topics

The main themes of the play:

  • honor and responsibility;
  • the all-conquering power of love;
  • help from friends in need;
  • the value of words.

The Theme of Friendship in William Shakespeare's Play

Bassanio and Antonio's friendship is merciful, as Antonio is willing to give his young friend everything that belongs to him, and even that which he does not have. And this theme of friendship in this comedy is deeply connected with the dream of a more wonderful life in which money should serve a person without making him a slave.

The Theme of Wealth in Shakespeare's Play

The theme is best represented by the storyline of the main characters: Shylock and Antonio, residents of Belmont. Antonio, for all his generosity, carries out trading operations, treating them as a natural and completely noble business. Bassanio is openly seeking to marry a wealthy heiress. And Portia, a skillful and sensible hostess, is by no means indifferent to her property. But for all of them, money is only a means of providing them with a bright and free life, not an end in itself, as for Jewish moneylender Shylock, who is in love with money, obsessed with a thirst for accumulation and able to do anything to increase his capital.

The Word's Value As One of the Leading Themes of the Merchant of Venice

The play tells about the value of the word and the obligations undertaken, for which one must be responsible. The plot develops around an ill-conceived contract and unfulfilled obligations by Antonio. The merchant Antonio, despite the fact that he assumed obligations and did not fulfill the terms of the contract, was able to avoid punishment and revenge from his blood enemy.

The Power of Love in the Merchant of Venice

In the comedy, the author praises true love. The feelings of Portia and Bassanio were able to defeat paternal authority, thus Shakespeare says that parents have no control over their children. Portia was forced to marry a suitor, but "is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father?" (Act I, Scene I).

Merchant of Venice Essay Sample (The Character of Shylock)

Shakespeare did not write anything similar to The Merchant of Venice. However, it is similar to the work of Christopher Marlowe, the Jew of Malta. The real situation of Jews in 16th century England was deplorable: they suffered from mistreatment. In modern Shakespeare's London, only baptized Jews belonged to the country's indigenous population. The play has some hints of anti-Semitism.

The reason for writing the play is not known for sure. It is believed that during his trip to Europe, the author met with Jews in Venice. The prototype of Shylock is often called Michael Locke (1532-1615), a merchant of a Chinese company in which de Vere in 1578-1579 invested 3,000 pounds to finance one of the expeditions. The expedition failed, and Locke paid his debts all his life. That's why the 3,000 ducats in the play are a hint of just that. "Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew."

Shylock's image is as follows: he is stingy, greedy, the enemy of fun. Wealth for him is a means of self-affirmation and pressure on others. His bloodthirstiness is confirmed by rather strange usury: a pound of flesh. Shylock, the character of the Renaissance, is rich and multifaceted.

At the end of the play, half of Shylock's fortune is taken away, and he must convert to Christianity. The theme portrayed by the Merchant of Venice is in favor of Christians, whose power at that time was over the Jews. The play shows how both religions originated in antiquity.

Tips for Writing a Merchant of Venice Essay

  • The play The Merchant of Venice is quite interesting and multifaceted. In order to successfully write an essay about this work, you need to choose the topic or character that most affected you. These can be, for example, female characters: Nerissa, Portia, Elizabethan. No less interesting are the male characters: Lorenzo, Gratiano. Also, one of the most noteworthy topics for your essay may be the theme of a medieval carnival. In Shakespeare's comedy, the tradition of such a holiday is very clearly traced.
  • If you find it difficult to get this kind of work, we advise you to seek help in writing services. Professionals will quickly and efficiently complete your assignment after just one click on the Write my essay button.
  • Once you have chosen the vector for writing your essay, sketch out your main ideas. For example, here are some thoughts on the theme of depicting the holidays in the play:

The population of Shakespeare's time with great pleasure came to watch the play on a famous plot. Since the "Venetian merchant" is often called a tragedy, it is safe to say that it originates from elements of the church rite and is closely associated with Christian holidays. The spirit of the holiday is clearly traced in the play.

  • Confirm your opinion with examples from the play and interesting quotes:

One of the brightest of these episodes is Shylock's concern for his home during a carnival celebration through the city streets:

"What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica:

Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum

And the vile squealing of the wry-neck'd fife,

Clamber not you up to the casements then,

Nor thrust your head into the public street."

  • Make sure your essay looks good. It should have a good structure: an introduction that is of interest; a body that contains theses and arguments; and a conclusion that summarizes what has been said. Also, note the absence of grammatical and punctuation mistakes in the text. If you have already written an essay and want it to look perfect, contact professional editors who will help you with essay editing.

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Henrique Bertulino

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I'm a medical doctor and brand manager. The process of getting into Med school and studying at it made me learn and apply many strategies to keep my productivity high while spending less time and effort. As a working student, I had to figure out how to study smarter, not harder. During this period, my interest in neurology and psychiatry, as well as my aspiration to help others, intensified. At Studybay, I use my knowledge, skills, and experience to develop helpful solutions for students and make their study paths more productive and fun.

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