the Merchant of Venice

2021年2月10日发(作者：联系我们英文)

An Analysis of the Characters in the Merchant of Venice

Abstract

As we known that the merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare?s most important works. It is a comedy. The

theme of this play is to extol kindheartedness, friendship and love. And also it reflects the conflicts between the

capitalists and usurers at the beginning of the capitalist society. And it expresses the author?s humanist idea on

money, law and religion in capitalist society. This thesis analyzes the main figures in the play by using

independent and contrast ways. It shows the heavily flavor of humanism at the beginning of capitalist society; and

expresses some thoughts for society and human being. The thesis also makes a hard criticism to Shylock, who is a

representative of feudalism, and puts a heavy humanism on Portia. It displays the thoughts of feudalism

personality liberation, and stressing the great breakthrough of woman?s status and feminine consciousness in

Elizabethan era.

Key Words

Character analyzing; humanism; personality liberation; women consciousness

摘

要

众所周知，《威尼斯商人》是莎士比亚著名喜剧之一。

该剧的主题被定义为对善良、友谊和爱情的颂扬。

< p>
本剧不但反映了资本主义早期资产阶级同高利贷者间的矛盾冲突，也揭示了作者对资本主义社会金钱 、法

律和宗教信仰的人文主义观点。本论文采用了个案分析法以及对比分析法对该剧的主 要人物形象作了一一

剖析，展示了资本主义萌芽时期人文主义的浓厚气息，表达了莎士比 亚对社会、对人类生活的反思，并寄

以自己的理想。课题对封建旧势力的代表

< p>
——

夏洛克作了无情的批判，而对形象鲜明、富有光彩的鲍西娅

< p>
则添上了浓厚的人文主义理想色彩。文章彰显了女性个性解放，突显了文艺复兴时期伊丽莎白当权期 ，女

性地位、意识的重大突破。

关键词

人物分析；人文主义思想；个性解放；女性意识

Introduction

The Merchant of Venice is one of the Shakespeare?s famous comedies in his early time. It?s theme is to extol

kindness, friendship and love. It is the mirror of the contradiction between business bourgeois and usurer at the

beginning of the Capitalist society. It?s also expressed the author?s humanism ideas on money, law and religion in

this society. There, we mention Humanism--the main distinguishing feature of that period, also the brightness

characteristic which is shown from the important role in this play.

In this thesis, the author introduces the background of the play firstly. Reading the play, we can know that the

social background in the play is according with the real society. We know at that time, the society was under the

leadership of Elizabeth who was the symbol of power in England. Next the thesis gives an introduction of the main

figures in the play. Antonio is rich and kindhearted. From him we can see the spirit of humanism. Portia plays the

most important part in the play. The thesis talks about her character, her hobbies, and her attitude of love and the

inner meaning-humanism of this figure. She is the center of all these figures the play refers to. Humanism is an

ideological weapon for capitalism to fight the feudalism combat, and also it is the core idea of capitalism

advanced-literature in Renaissance, and its combat refers to the ideal of Feudalism in Middle Age, especially the

religion belief of Catholics. After that, the thesis gives more details about the information mentioned above. Then

the thesis compares the figures to give a highlight of the humanism spirit.

Ⅰ

. Social Background of the Play the Merchant of Venice

As is known, England is a developed country. Today, it also obtains very important status in the world. It is very

necessary to talk about the history of the growth of capitalism in England, especially in 16th century.

A. The Social Information in Elizabeth Throne

Henry VIII died in 1547 and his nine-year-old son succeeded him. The son was known in history, Edward

Ⅵ

. The

boy-

king?s reign was a time of extreme Protestantism, for the Regency Council for

him consisted almost entirely

of the protestant faction. Edward

Ⅵ

died in 1553. only 15years old. Then his half-sister, Mary, a Catholic,

became Queen. The new Queen came to the throne at the age of twenty-five. After the coronation, her parliament

passed the necessary legislation to abolish the papal supremacy over the church, and gave Elizabeth all the powers

over the church which her father had held, though with the more modest title of “Supreme Government” of the

Church of England instead of “Supreme Head” Elizabeth died on 24 March, 1603 at the age of sixty

-nine. Her

forty- four-year reign had not only ensured the triumph of Protestantism in Britain and in Northern Europe, but had

greatly increased the wealth, power and prestige of England. Her navy triumphed over the great Armada of the

king of Spain; her sailors? circum navigated the world, and established a colony on the North American continent

which they named Virginia after their virgin queen. At home, the merchants were prosperous; the common people

enjoyed a higher standard of living than in most other European countries, and her reign was also full of

achievements in literature and other arts. After all, Elizabeth

Ⅰ

was one of the most successful despots to govern

England in English history.

①

(

李超

,

邓兴义

:34-37)

B. Special Social Background Reflecting in the Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice is one of the famous comedy plays written by Shakespeare in his early time. The theme of

this play is to extol kindness, friendship and love. It is the mirror of the contradiction between business bourgeois

and usurer at the beginning of capitalist society. It?s also expressed the author?s humanism ideas on money, law

and religion in this society. There, we mention Humanism--the main distinguishing feature of that period, also the

brightness characteristic which is shown from the important roles in this play. But, what is “humanism”?

Humanism is the ideological weapon of bourgeois to fight feudalism at Renaissance, is also the core idea of the

bourgeois? advanced

-literature in this time. Be directed against the world outlook of Medieval feudalism is the

spearhead of struggle, especially the religion belief of Catholicism. Church refers to God as the centre of cosmos.

At the heart of the Renaissance philosophy is the assertion of the greatness of man. And the elements of

Humanism are to establish the central status of human, their dignity and value, to advocate the spirit of rationalism

and science and to protest the supreme role of God admired in Middle Ages.

Shakespeare was a man of the late Renaissance who gave the fullest expression to humanist ideas. The Merchant

of Venice is one of the important works which finished in the First Flowering period of English Literature. In this

play, heroes and heroines fight for their own ideas and mould their own life according to their own free will and

bring us into happy and ideal world with singing, dancing, harmony with nature and freedom from the vices of the

world.

Ⅱ

. Analyzing the Heroes in the Play

In this play, Shakespeare portrays many roles. The proportion that male figures taking is much more notable than

female?s. So, it's necessary to narrate and display their nature chara

cter and symbol.

A. Antonio

Although the play?s title refers to him, Antonio is a rather lackluster character. He emerges in Act

Ⅰ

, scene

Ⅰ

as a

hopeless depressive, someone who cannot name the source of his melancholy and who, throughout the course of

the play, devolves into a self-pitying lump, unable to muster the energy required to defend himself against

execution. Antonio never names the cause of his melancholy, but the evidence seems to point to his being in love,

and the most likely object of his affection is Bassanio.

Antonio has risked the entirety of his fortune on oversea trading ventures, yet he agrees to guarantee the potentially

lethal loan Bassanio secures from Shylock. He is willing to offer up a pound of flesh, signifying a union that

grotesqu

ely alludes to the rite of marriage, where two partners become “one flesh”. Further evidence of the nature

of Antonio?s feelings for Bassanio appears later in the play, when Antonio?s proclamations resonate with the

hyperbole and self-satisfaction of a doo

med lover?s declaration: “pray God Bassanio come/ To see me pay his debt,

and then I care not”

②

(Act

Ⅲ

, Scene III, 35-

36) without a mate, he is indeed the “tainted wether”—

or castrated

ram

—

of the flock, and he will likely return to his favorite pastime of moping about the streets of Venice

②

(Act

Ⅳ

, Scene I, 113). After all, he has effectively disabled himself from pursuing hid hobby

—

abusing Shylock

—

by

insisting that the Jew convert to Christianity. Although a 16th century audience might have seen this demand as

merciful, as Shylock is saving himself from eternal damnation by converting, we are less likely to be convinced.

Not only does Antonio?s reputation as an anti

-Semite precede him, but the only instance in the play when he

breaks out of his doldrums in his “storm” against Shylock

②

(Act

Ⅰ

, Scene III, 132). In this play, Antonio proves

his character is melancholy, cruelty and some seldom saying

—

homo***ual.

B. Bassanio

It is said Middle Ages is the most deathly stillness period in Europe. It also can be seemed it?s the time that west

E

urope?s culture and literature go to grave. As to the pillar of spirit, there is nothing except a total series of

religious doctrine. In this environment, people used compliment and boast words to exchange their minds and

thoughts. In that society, everyone remain under artificial mask wandered in different kinds of occasion. An

absolutely undisguised money relationship makes the true human nature into ash during the masks scraped each

other. Bassanio, a noble who is neatly dressed, whose speech and deportment is natural and graceful, gradually

becomes a declining aristocrat by spending

without restraint. He is a handsome and intelligent young man. But living in such a society, what his every day?s

schedule is to squander money on different meeting and use blandishment speech to talk with other aristocrat. His

property is limitation. Once he runs behind his expenses, he will ask his best friend

—

the wealth merchant in

Venice

—

Antonio for money. From the context, it seems he never returned what he borrowed. To be such a man

who wants of lofty aspiration. Maybe the best method frees himself from poverty is to get a profitable marriage.

And we mostly can make sure; to obtain money is more important than to marry Portia. This can be improved in

later

—

he give

s his bride?s ring to the clerk. Although his lover has declared that if he loses her ring, she will never

pardon him.

C. Shylock

Shylock in this play is the antagonist. He is the model of usurer. Most people read him as a bogeyman, a clownish

Jewish stereotype. He is selfish, curtly, avaricious and niggard. Once he has the chance to revenge his foe. He will

try his best to make the other into deathtrap. In the court, he is clam and wisdom, even fights for several

Christian?s joint attack. But most of his speech is coarse, and sometimes “mean”. All of this makes people take

unkindly to him. But with the several aspects sagacious with Antonio, it makes him be a mult-personality figure.

Being a pagan who lives in Christian society he has strong emotion on racial constriction and the enthusiasm of

raising Jewish people?s status. Living in this society, he suffers too much public humiliation and oppression as he

says in the following:

“He hath disgraced me, and hinder?d me half a million; laught at my loss, mockt

at my gains, scorn?d my nation,

thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what?s his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew

eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with

the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal?d by the same means, warm?d and cool?d by the same winter

and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laught? If you porion

us, do we not die? And if you

wrong us, shall we not revenge?”

②

(Act

Ⅲ

Scene

Ⅰ

50-63)

His frequently mentions of the cruelty he has endured at Christian hands make it hard for us to label him a natural

born monster. Shylock argues that Jews are humans and calls his quest for vengeance the product of lessons taught

to hi

m by the cruelty of Venice citizens. In such condition, his “malicious” is much more reasonable.

Besides the facial of Shylock?s malignance, actually, he is a person whose sense of decency has been fractured by

the persecution he endures. Comparatively, those kindness and wisdom Christian, in fact, have another hideous

feature. So, in my mind, Shylock is a man who is worth sympathizing.

III. Analyzing the Central Character in the Novel--Portia

The girl embodies the virtues that are typical for Shakespeare?

s heroines--it has no surprise that she emerges as the

antidote to Shylock?s malice. She is the pretty

-witted aristocrat young girl. She is enthusiasm and graceful;

resourceful and humorous; wealthy and beautiful. She is the perfect female who glitters the humanism ideal in her

life. This is Portia.

A. The Essential Nature of Portia

At the beginning of the play, however, we do not see Portia?s potential for initiative and resourcefulness, as she is

a near prisoner, feeling herself absolutely bound to follow

her father?s dying wishes. This open appearance,

however, proves to be a revealing introduction to Portia, who emerges as that rarest of combinations--a free spirit

who abides rigidly by rules. When Bassanio asks Belmont to choose his chest, she proves herself to be highly

resourceful, begging the man she loves to stay a while before picking a chest, and finding loophole in the will?s

provision that we never thought possible. Also, in her defeat of Shylock, she prevails by applying a more rigid

standard than Shylock, agreeing that he can get a pound of flesh, but adding that it does not to allow for any loss of

blood. Anybody can break the rules, but Portia?s effectiveness comes from her ability to make the law work for her.

After depriving Bassanio of his ring, she stops the prank before it goes far, and she even insinuates that she has

been unfaithful. These entire can proves Portia?s wit, resource, and humor

B. The Humanism Spirit Shown by Portia

Portia is the main character in this play. She embodies th

e virtues that are typical for Shakespeare?s heroines.

Being a wealth young girl, she is beautiful, gentle and tender, and full of stratagems. She lives in Belmont--a

peaceful world, and recruits the newest ideological trends. So, her mind is equipped by humanism. She is a cute

girl, even her father?s behest; she would like to abide by. Humanism has several contents. One of them is the

Rationalism object to Obscurantism. It advocates treasuring people intelligent. And it is said the most reason of

people is

dignity depending on the power of rational. Rational is human?s nature, science is the source of joyful.

So, when Bassanio arrives, Portia use her resourceful mind to call his attention to pick the correct chest.

I pray you, tarry: pause a day or two

Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong,

I lost your company: therefore, forbear a while.

②

(Act

Ⅲ

Scene

Ⅱ

1-5)

……

Before you venture for me. I could teach you

How to choose right

……

The seeming truth which cunning times put on

To entrap the wisest. Therefore, thou gaudy gold,

Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee;

Nor none of thee, thou stale and common drudge,

Tween man and man: but thou, thou meager lead,

Which rather threatenest than dost promise aught,

Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence;

And here choose I: ---Joy be the consequence!

②

(Act

Ⅲ

Scene

Ⅱ

100-107)

This is the evidence that Portia never resigns herself to her fate. In order to peruse her own happiness and love, she

makes use of her wisdom obeyed her father?s will as well as marry with the Mr. Right. This is one aspect. The

other one is that when she argued with Shylock to act defense as a means of attack on the court, and consolidate at

every step.

Shylock thought he encountered bosom friend at beginning. And later, suddenly he realized he has

lost his preponderance. Portia?s

brilliance talent and Shylock?s weakened defense, both make people cannot help

laughing. Considered her attitude towards love and the performance she acts on court. There is no doubt that she is

a remarkable humanist.

C. Portia--a Self-conscious Female

Portia is a beautiful, dignity and wealth girl. And the most important thing is she obtains strongly female

self-consciousness. She knows what is she needs, and try her best to pursue. She has an insight into the world

which she exists

—

the code of ethics, th

e value…, she knows what?s the role she plays. So, she can vacillate freely

in the male society, gets her goal and not to go against the rules. In this play, it seems she just does two things:

help her to choose a husband; help her husband to rescue Antonio. Both of them have fully demonstrated her

intelligence, and reveal her anti-

tradition figure. It?s the time when she chooses her husband to show her ability to

suit male society. Portia not only has the female self-consciousness, but also understands thoroughly what is the

status and role woman obtains in male society. She knows the method which keeps away from conflicts. To her

husband, she is an angle: sheepish, tender and obedient. When Bassanio chooses the correct casket, she

immediately says she is a

n “unwise, lack

-

education girl”. Is she really so humble? No. Portia knows very clearly

that man dislikes woman is more sensible and prior than men themselves. So she makes her modest on purpose.

But at the same she would like to show her important role when she gives her ring to Bassanio, she says:

Myself and what is mine to you and yours

Is now converted: but now I was the lord

Of this fair mansion, master of my servants,

Queen O?er myself; and even now, but now,

This house, these servants, and this same myself,

Are yours, my lord: I give them with this ring;

Which when you part from, lose, or give away,

Let it persage the ruin of your love,

And be my vantage to exclaim on you.

②