How helpful is it to call the Merchant of Venice a comedy Essay Example For Students

How helpful is it to call the Merchant of Venice a comedy Essay The term comedy is a story that ends in a happy resolution, often in marriage. Since the Merchant of Venice is classed as a romantic comedy, it also involves an engaging heroine. The comedy usually involves a struggle but towards the end, all pieces are supposed to fall into place. The characters and their discomfitures engage our pleasurable attention rather than out profound concern M. H. Abhram (i. e. rather than feeling sympathetic for the misfortunes of characters on stage, we respond to them in a positive and amusing manner). One typical characteristic of a comedy is that it usually contains humour in one way or another. The Merchant of Venice is definitely a play which contains plenty of humours scenes. In fact, in the second scene of the play; a lighter humorous tone is introduced. In this scene, Portia describes the male characters using national stereotypes in quite an amusing manner. He bought his doublet in Italy, hose in France, and his behaviour everywhere. (L61). Portia also jokes and exaggerates her negative opinions of the gentlemen who want her hand in marriage God defend me from these two! (L44). The fact that this casual scene is written in prose rather than blank verse also suggests that the tone is less serious. Another comical scene is II. ii where Lancelot, Shylocks clumsy servant is introduced. There are many examples of malapropism in his speech Certainly the Jew is the very devil incarnation. (L21). We can tell that although he says incarnation he actually means incarnate. Though this may perhaps be less humorous to the modern audience, when this play was initially written; it is likely that an Elizabethan audience would have reacted differently to this. There is also darker ironic comedy later in the scene when Lancelots father Gobbo enters and fails to recognise his son. Master Young man, you (L25). Act II, scene ix can also be regarded as a humorous event in the story at the expense of the Prince of Arragon. In this scene, Arragon is portrayed as a man who is shallow since he refuses to give and hazard all he hath simply for base lead. This shows that he is one to judge on appearance. Arragon goes on to pick to dismiss the gold casket in a hypocritical manner as he refuses to jump with common spirits (L31). This not only reveals an inflated opinion of himself and a rather low opinion of others, causing the majority of the audience to respond unfavourably to actions. Furthermore, he rarely mentions Portia in this scene and this also gives us a negative impression of him. It is even more ironic the way he happens to get what he deserves (L49). Before he unlocks the casket, his assumption of desert (L50) is also another example of arrogance. Effectively, the Prince of Arragon has been made a scapegoat for the audience to laugh at and the way that he fails miserably in his quest despite his own self-confidence is quite amusing Still more fool I shall appear. (L72). This scene is also emphasised as something comedic considering how it contrasts with the previous casket scene with Morocco in II. viii. In this scene, though Morocco is confident in himself; he shows caring for Portia and picks the wrong casket for the right reason Never so rich a gem, Was set in worse than gold. (L54-55). So we feel sympathetic for his losses. Arragon has picked the wrong casket for the wrong reason so we laugh at his losses. The contrast makes Arragons losses even more laughable and even more amusing in comparison with Moroccos. Another area of the play which could perhaps be regarded as humorous could be II. viii where Salarino and Salanio are making cruel jokes mocking Shylock behind his back. My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! (L15). Although the modern audience may see this scene as a harsh one, to an Elizabethan audience; the response may have been very different. Back in Elizabethan times, there would have been issues of prejudice between Christians and Jews. Therefore, it is possible that a Christian audience who responded unfavourably to Shylock may have found this scene quite amusing. Speaking of the Elizabethan audience, they may also have found that Shylocks ending may have been positive. Although many would regard his end as one which is tragic, some could argue that by forcing Shylock to become a Christian; Antonio rescued Shylock and gave him salvation. This is due to the fact that in Elizabethan times, people believed that only Christians could go to heaven and Jews were unable to. The ring bond which both Bassanio and Gratiano make with their lovers could also be regarded as a comic event in the Merchant of Venice. It is made clear in Act III Scene ii that if this ring, Which when one parts from, Presages the ruin of love (L171-173). Though later in Act IV Scene I, Nerissa and Portia (disguised as the lawyer and clerk) request that these rings be given to them as reward for their good deed. For your love, Ill take this ring from you. (L423). This is done in order to test Bassanio and Gratiano on their faithfulness towards Portia and Nerissa. Ill see if I can get my husbands ring, Which I did make him swear to keep forever (L13-14). The use of dramatic irony gives the audience quite an amusing overview of the entire situation. Later in Act V, a joke is played on Bassanio and Gratiano by Portia and Nerissa giving them quite a scare as a way of punishing them for their carelessness. Nerissa for example complains that her ring was given away to a scrubbi d boy (L261). This is quite funny one the audiences part seeing the two males squirm at the feet of their lovers By my soul I swear I will nevermore break an oath with thee (L249). Though besides the humor, the episode of the ring bond runs through like a typical comedy. Even though the course of love between the ring bearers has not run smoothly, Gratiano and Bassanio were forgiven in the end. The last two lines of the play are displayed in rhyming couplets to emphasize the resolution. Well, while I live Ill fear no other thing, So sore as keeping safe Nerissas ring. (L306-307). Speaking of the rest of Act V, there is a strong sense of harmony. Soft stillness of the night Becomes the touches of sweet harmony. (L57). Like a romantic comedy it ends in a marriage. Not just one marriage, but three marriages. Who Do You Think Is Responsible For Eva's Death And Why? EssayIn Act V, Shylock has been reduced to a non-entity and this is a final statement of just how badly he has fallen due to his own actions and this effectively could characterize him as a tragic character. It is also arguable that all of the losses and all of the pain Antonio has gone through in this play could be regarded as something tragic. He is brought ever so close to his death and had Portia not been there to save him, his life would have been at the mercy of Shylock. Keeping in mind Shylocks personality, he would not have hesitated to cut his pound of flesh from Antonio. Antonio could perhaps also have a fatal flaw in him that leads to his potential downfall and I think this is probably his excessive caring and compassion for his friends. This is most evident in the first scene of the play when he speaks with Bassanio. In Bassanios speech starting from L121, we can tell he is trying to build up a persuasive argument to ask Antonio to lend him money. Before Bassanio finishes, Antonio tells him to let him know (L134) what he wants. My purse, my person, my extremest means, lie unlocked to your occasions. (L137-138). This shows he is willing to also offer up all of his services to Bassanio regardless of the consequence and it is carelessness that leads him into the predicament with Shylock. Though it is possible to say, that since Antonio did not die in the end and since he turned out relatively well; his role cannot be regarded as a tragic one. Antonio is in fact perhaps one of the luckiest characters in the play. Not only does he manage to escape death, he is also fortunate to have his ships arrive from sea despite all the other news that has come concerning it. Three of your argosies, richly come to harbour (L278, V. i. . Yet another counter-argument states that the miseries that Antonio suffers are not typical of a comedy either. The society in which this play is set in is also questionable when considering whether it is a comedy or tragedy. This world seems to be far more than the mere fairytale land at which it first appears. Unlike characters in an ordinary comedy, many of the characters in The Merchant of Venice possess a bitter prejudice against people of other races and religions. Most prominent of these areas are perhaps the attitudes of the Christian characters towards Shylock. Examples of this are shown in II. iii when Salarino and Solanio refer to Shylock as The villain Jew (L4) and The dog Jew (L14). Throughout the play, there are few times where others refer to Shylock by his name; many refer to him as The Jew, often coupled with various other unpleasant adjectives. This shows that these characters are discriminating against Shylock primarily due to his religion and his faith. In the opening scenes of the play, Portia also shows signs of racial discrimination when she speaks of Morocco, claiming that even if he hath the condition of a saint and the complexion of a devil (i. e. f he was of a darker skin colour). (L107), she would refuse to marry him. This shows that the world of this play is one this is somewhat unpleasant and not typical of a comedy. The ending in Act V is also more than it simply appears on the surface. Even though it may seem resolved and complete on the outside, there is still a prevailing dark undertone that one cannot help but realise. For example, during the romantic scene between Lorenzo and Jessica, other pairs of lovers are such as Troilus and Cressid (L4-6); Pyramus and Thisbe (L8); Dido and Carthage (L10-12) and Medea and Aeson (L13-14). When we look into the stories of these lovers, they all deal with tragedy and betrayal. For a newly married couple, it seems somewhat unusual and gloomy to compare themselves with these tragic lovers. Also, despite the fact that the tragic character of Shylock may have left the play; there are still a few areas where he is hinted at in the final scene. The man that hath no music, is fit for treasons, stratagems etc (L85). Since it is known for Shakespeare to generally relate positive things with music, it is unlikely that Lorenzo is referring to anyone else. However, this comment seems to reflect ironically upon Lorenzo when we consider what he has done in the past. He was in fact the one that used treasons and stratagems to win Jessica over and steal her from Shylock. It makes him appear a little hypocritical in his speech. Portia is also guilty of this when she speaks of her good deed in a naughty world. (L91). But when we think about all the pain Shylock has been put through, her actions were not necessarily a good deed. Lastly, in Act V; Antonio (though reunited with his money) is not united with any female in this play. He has no lover to share his fortunes with and this shows that Act V is perhaps not an entirely neat or happy ending and effectively shows that the ending of the Merchant of Venice may not be entirely comical after all. In the end however, I would say it is quite useful to classify The Merchant of Venice as a comedy. Even though many would argue that the it is a tragicomedy (with elements of both a tragedy and a comedy) or a problem play (a play that is difficult to characterise), there are very few films that are entirely clear cut with elements of only one type of play. For example, when we look at Macbeth there are some elements of humour in the play (Porter scene as Mac Duff enters Macbeths castle) but no one has ever doubted that the play is a tragedy. Tragic plays can have comic elements and comedic plays can have tragic elements. I believe that since The Merchant of Venice predominantly contains comic elements, it should be classified as a comedy.