Are all the characters in the play Merchant of Venice as good or as bad as portrayed?
characters are said to be good it means there isn't anything bad about the character and when
From the starting of the play, The writer has categorised characters as good and bad. When the characters are said to be good it means there isn't anything bad about the character and when said bad vice-versa. But I don't agree with this.
characters are said to be good it means there isn't anything bad about
The first character introduced in the play is Antonio. He is rich, very helpful, loyal, trustworthy, really a true gentleman. He loves his friends and doesn't seem to have a love interest in the play. He is mostly paraded about in the play by his friends and the writer himself to be a pure and kind person. To me, he is not really as good a person as he is bestowed. He hates people based on their religion and beliefs. Him being a Christian, he hates all Jews. His biggest hatred is the towards Shylock, a jew merchant. So even if he is really honest and great, he should not in any way bully a person just because he happens to be a jew and their beliefs are different from his. It is explained that one of the reasons for his behaviour towards Shylock is due to Shylock giving out loans with interest which is against the bible. But analysing the character further we understand that this is just a plausible defence. play
characters are said to be good it means there isn't anything bad about the character and when
The next character, Bassanio. A handsome and dashing fellow. He really loves Antonio because Antonio always helps Bassanio with everything especially when it comes to money. Antonio being a blind fellow to love makes it very easy for Bassanio to deceive him. Bassanio is in love with Portia, a lovely rich lady who is in preparation to be won by any suitor who wins her. What really got me thinking about Bassanio’s intention is his opening remarks about Portia when he was talking to Antonio. Where he refers to Portia as ‘a rich-lady in waiting’.This mostly gives out the impression of Bassanio’s Intentions of wooing Portia to be because of her wealth and beauty. And almost fully neglecting the factor of her personality.which is considerably understandable due to Bassanio being a young prodigal. But later in the play, they do fall in love but i truly believe it’s for the wrong reasons
characters are said to be good it means there isn't anything bad about the character and when
Portia, she is the rich lady that Bassanio is wishing to woo. She is really beautiful. She is the prize to the puzzle her late father set in order for her to get an honest husband, who marries her for the right reasons and not because of her wealth and good looks. This was her father making sure that his daughter was taken care of after his time. When Bassanio really wins her in the play, we see her shift into a very obedient, loyal and loving wife. The downfall of her personality is that she easily criticise people very easily on the basis of their looks. And I believe it was wrong of her to tell the suitors that if they lost the puzzle, they cannot talk to another woman about marriage ever again.i.e.never marry if they choose wrong. She added this extra clause so that most of the suitors she didn’t like would be scared and would go away. So that she wouldn’t have a risk of having to marry them because neither did she have the chance to turn them down nor knew the answer to the puzzle. And when Bassanio came along she slightly cheated so that she can marry Bassanio because she liked how he was. Purely judgment of what was shown on the outside and his actions.
