2002 School Magazine

original works

Religious ideology in The Merchant of Venice

"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. healed by the same means. warmed and cooled 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 laugh? If You poison us, do we not die? And if You wrong us, shall we not revenge?"

Religion is a core motif that dominates character interaction within Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. The subject of how religious minorities interact with dominant religion in a society is of critical interest since to some extent Shakesepeare is putting forward the play as a microcosm of wider society. albeit wider Elizabethan society. The question facing today's audience is whether discriminatory treatment of religious minorities transcends the play's chronology and encompasses Instead a broader look at human nature. Since religion determines culture and culture determines law, it is arguable that religious differences lead to social. legal and economic incongruencies, which adversely impact on the religious minority. This predicament is perfectly described in the play and 15 also easily observable to modern audiences The two main religious discourses present in the play are Judaism and Christianity. Throughout the play, Shakespeare portrays Judaism as a staunch rel'g on that places great importance on stability. family and loyalty. Shakes peare has foregrounded Jewish commitment to their religion. These beliefs can be clearly seen in the character, Shylock. Shylock, although vimed by Christianity and OStracised from Venetian society as a result of anti-Semitic attitudes, remains true to his beliefs. Shylock's need for money stems not from greed, but rather from his need for stability. His inability to control his life. drives him to prepare for the future. He cares a great deal for his dead wife, Leah and is hurt to the bone by his daughter's betrayal. To a lesser extent, these beliefs are also shown through Shylock's friend. Tubal. Although he does not agree with Shylock's quest for revenge, Tubal remains supportive of Shylock to the very end In contrast, Christianity is portrayed badly throughout the play for a modern audience, appearing to value money and happiness above all else. Shakes peare has clearly foregrounded their need for wealth among the Christian characters. This can clearly be seen through the characters of Antonio and Bassanio. Antonio's life seems to be a long string of spur-of-the-moment decisions with little thought for the future. Bassanio's first words in the play are "in Belmont is a lady richly left" and in spite of his precarious financial situation, he still frivolously throws a party for the entire city of Venice. To a smaller degree, this is also portrayed in the character Portia. Porna's warm courtesy for her suitors is clearly contrasted with her cold dismissal of them, once they have failed the test. Portia is eloquent h speaking of the beauties of mercy but it is cold mercy indeed that she and the other Chr'stians have to offer Shylock .! The play provides an empathetic but thought-provoking account of minority groups. The author has positioned the audience to feel sympathetic toward Shylock and the majority of the audience feels a sense of empathy and compassion for him. Despised by the community and with few friends or family. it is not hard to understand Shylock's feelings of resentment and his hatred of Antonio. There 's however a small minority who see Shylock as the true v'11a'n of the play. This was perhaps the prevalent interpretation or reading position of the Elizabethan audience for whom the play was written. According to this interpretation, Shylock is a greedy "loan shark" who simply wishes to kill Antonio. motivated by feelings of cruelty and malice. They believe that his punishment is totally justified; however, this point of view falls to take into account Shylock's impassioned plea for empathy or the hardship Shylock has endured at the hands of Christians Religion also doinnates the female characters in this play. Their whole existence is controlled by their customs and beliefs, which in turn, are controlled by religion. Long after her father's death, Porna must accede to her father's choice of a husband As a dutiful Christian daughter, she follows her father's wishes to the last. lessica is also manipulated by religion. She is unable to socialise with certain people. unable to eat certain foods and unable to marry whom she would, purely because of the religion she was born into. Shakes peare shows us that religion has in part defned the people that Portia and Jessica have become In a modern context, the play is conducive to a feminist interpretation, showing that for women, religion can act as a force for physical oppression and bondage as much as a force for spiritual liberation. One does not have to be Germaine Greer to realise the systemic sexism inherent in the play It is clear that the problem of the discrimination against minority religious groups has been, and still is, present in society today In the Second World War, thousands of Jews were hunted down and killed by Naz' Germany. In recent Years they have instead been empowered by the modern world. with the creation of Israel. One must question whether either situation is truly desirable Centuries after The Merchant of renice was written, society has still not Yet grasped fully how to treat minority groups

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