Choose any important scene from 'The Merchant of Venice'. Give an account of the play's background and via analysis of language and staging, show its importance to the play as a whole.

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Deepak Chandi

Choose any important scene from ‘The Merchant of Venice’. Give an account of the play’s background and via analysis of language and staging, show its importance to the play as a whole.

In the period of time that this play was written Jews were looked down upon. A few years prior to the play Jews were exiled from Great Britain. Therefore many people had never seen a Jew. This, and accounts from other people led them to believe that Jews were ‘creatures’. Consequently audiences of this play would have been shocked when Shakespeare portrayed Shylock as a human being.

For this essay I have chosen Act 4 Scene 2 ll. 1-115. This is the part where they are in court from the beginning upto the point that Nerissa enters. I have chosen this scene because I feel that it is one of the most important scenes in the play. It is the scene in which everything turns on its head and it’s also the scene in which Shakespeare introduces another story on the side (Bassanio and Gratiano giving their rings to Portia and Nerissa thinking they’ve given them to young lawyers). I have only gone upto line 115 for the purpose of this essay. It would take too long to analyse any more.

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I am going to stage this in modern times as it gives you more freedom of props and equipment. The first event that would happen in this scene would be the entrance of the cast.  I feel the best effect would be to have all the cast with the exception of the Duke already on stage. Then sharply raise the curtains, slowly brighten the lights and finally enter the Duke. He could wear clothing that would distinctly separate him from everyone else. Maybe a black tunic or something along those lines. He could also sit on a raised platform ...

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