Racism And Prejudice By William Shakespeare s The...

Intolerable Hostility Imagine being paranoid everyday of your life knowing all that you do is being watched and judged. Imagine being mocked and rejected every moment of your life just because you are of different religion. No one likes to be judged and left out because of their religion and what they believe in, however there is racism and prejudice present in the world. William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is one of his most controversial plays. Written in the 16th century England, the play poses many questions concerning racial, religious and human differences due to anti-semitism being very common at the time. The story is set in Venice where a merchant named Antonio lived. His poor friend Bassanio wants to charm and marry a lovely, rich girl of Belmont called Portia, but he needs money to reach her. He approaches Antonio for the money. Antonio could not lend money to Bassanio because his ships are gone. Both of them go to a Jew moneylender called Shylock and asked for 3,000 ducats. He gave money on one condition, if Antonio could not return his money in three months, then Shylock can have Antonio’s pound of flesh. Antonio agrees to Shylock s condition because he is confident that his ships will return within three months. Bassanio reached Belmont and married Portia. 3 months pass, and Antonio’s ships gets lost in a storm. Shylock wants his pound of flesh. Bassanio goes to Venice and Portia follows him in disguise of a male lawyer. Portia reaches Venice andShow MoreRelatedThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1445 Words   |  6 PagesCGI English 11 HH 12 November 2014 Crashing Thru Venice William Shakespeare, possibly the most esteemed writer of all time, wrote a play titled The Merchant of Venice, near the end of the 1500 s. The play takes place in Venice, and while it can be described as what we now call a romantic comedy, it also draws attention to the harsh divides in the Venetian society brought on by conflicting beliefs and religions. Centuries later, in the early 2000 s, Paul Haggis wrote and directed a film called CrashRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Merchant Of Venice 1918 Words   |  8 PagesPerformance Analysis of T he Merchant of Venice Jordan Thomas Mullineaux-Davis William Shakespeare has regularly throughout time been referred to and could be viewed as anti-Semitic because of the cultural implications within many of his plays. A particularly strong example of this could be The Merchant of Venice. This essay will explore arguments of post-colonialism within The Merchant of Venice, discussing the pertinent issues of anti-semitism, racial isolation and prejudice. It will also comment onRead MoreIs Shylock The Villain Or Victim In The Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1411 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Analysis Shylock Is Shylock the villain or the victim in the Merchant of Venice? In the play the ‘Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare the antagonist Shylock is both the victim and the villain. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender and is initially portrayed as anger filled and bloodthirsty but as the play continues we begin to see him as more human and his emotions become more evident. As the antagonist, Shylock is a fearful adversary to Antonio, the protagonist. But as good begins toRead MoreRacism And Manipulation Of William Shakespeare s Othello2226 Words   |  9 Pages Racism and Manipulation In William Shakespeare’s Othello Racism has been an inevitable aspect of human society throughout the centuries, from Elizabethan England to â€Å" Separate but equal, here in The United States not too long ago. Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello, portrays a young, and recently married Moor named Othello. His own demise is initiated by various deceits, such as his lofty new position as the Venetian Republic’s army general. During the time Shakespeare lived there was an overallRead MoreRace in Five Film Versions of Shakespeares Othello Essay example4150 Words   |  17 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Othello is only moderately interested in questions of race and racism. For Shakespeare, Othellos blackness was mainly a plot device. Though the bard did demonstrate concerns about racial and religious prejudice, in Othello and The Merchant of Venice, his interest in the tragedy of the Moor was principally psychological. For Shakespeare and his contemporary audience, Othello was about jealousy, hatred, and vind ictiveness. The play has aged well, as have all ShakespearesRead MoreLangston Hughes Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 PagesUnable to find work, Homer and Carrie Clark moved to Chicago, leaving fourteen-year-old Langston alone in a rented room in Cleveland. Central High School became a safe haven for Langston. Although few black students attended, very little racial prejudice existed. Langston especially enjoyed classes in graphic and applied arts, taught by Clara Dieke, a young teacher who insisted that her students stick to a thing until it is done. In addition to academic classes, Langston lettered in track and field