Discuss Shakespeare's portrayal of the Trial scene in "The Merchant of Venice".

Discuss Shakespeare’s portrayal of the Trial scene in “The Merchant of Venice”

“The Merchant of Venice” is a play based around the conflicts of religion and of justice and morality. It relates fundamentally to specifically Jews in a Christian society. Jews have been segregated from society and massacred throughout the centuries, but in Shakespeare’s day as long as they outwardly conformed to Christianity no particular hostility was shown to them. Many were in fact forced to convert to Christianity as the Christians saw this as merciful. The Merchant of Venice shows how hard it was for a Jew to make a good life for himself and be respected. Even the title shows how much prejudice there was at the time. The play is based around Shylock (a Jew) and yet it is named after Antonio (a Christian), who doesn’t play as big a part as Shylock. This is most likely because people wouldn’t want to see a play about a Jew; they weren’t seen as important enough. However, plays about Jews were becoming popular, as Marlowe had written a play called “The Jew of Malta” which dealt with stereotypical views of Jews – hooked nose etc. It shows a Jew (Barabas) as being thoroughly evil, but Shakespeare doesn’t really treat on that idea. He shows us how Shylock is a human being who had himself been wronged.

In Shakespeare’s time what Shylock was doing (lending money) was frowned upon. Trade was acceptable because there was an element of adventure and risk, but even then times were changing and people were finding that they needed loans to extend their business. This was one of the few businesses that Jews were allowed to operate and moneylenders were often Jews. The interest paid was resented and so was the wealth of the Jews.

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This element is shown throughout the play and especially in the trial scene. It is the key scene and the climax and resolution of the conflict between the ideals of justice that are interpreted by the two religions. For example in the Old Testament they believe in “an eye for and eye, a tooth for a tooth”, whereas in the New Testament it tells you to love your enemy. Shylock obviously takes on the first idea as he persists on getting his bond. Antonio and the Christians believe in the latter as they try to convert him to Christianity. The dramatic staging of the trial and its portrayal through the two characters of Antonio and Shylock, with the accompanying props and costumes, enable Shakespeare to examine the complex issues of race, religion and prejudice, particularly relevant of the time.

The trial is about the bond between Shylock and Antonio. Antonio wanted to borrow money from Shylock to give to Bassanio in order for him to go to Portia. Shylock and Antonio agreed that Antonio should pay the money back in full at the end of three months, or else he would have a pound of his flesh. Antonio was extremely confident that he would be safe

“Within these two months, that’s a month before

This bond expires, I do expect return

Of thrice 3 times the value of this bond (I,3.151)

Up till the trial scene Shylock comes across as a miser and scheming. He seems cold and unloving, “I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear” (III,1.72). Even though we find out he has been ridiculed in the past “You call me misbeliever, cut-throat, dog

And spit upon my Jewish gabardine

And all for use of that which is mine own. (I,3.105)

You still believe that he is bitter and wants revenge, “The villany you teach me I will execute and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction” (III,1.58).

I do believe that the audience increasingly feel sorry for Shylock as he has been badly treated by Christians and he reminds us that we care all the same, “Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same mean, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is?” (III,1.49). Therefore the audience can also contrive that Shylock is highly intelligent and they may even come to understand why his jewels are more important than his daughter as it obviously has been an unimaginable struggle to get to the successful business man he has become. His religion is also shown to be a major part of his life as he refers to the Torah often when speaking, “when Jacob graced his uncle, Labari’s sheep – This Jacob from our tidy Abraham was,

As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,…(I,3.65).

In a way Shakespeare shows him as a stereotypical Jew - greedy, manipulative, and two-faced, but he also introduces (a new way of thinking) of Jews by showing the victimised side, whereas other plays at the time always included the selfish side of the Jews.

Antonio however is seen as an honest man who is caring, generous and considerate – at the beginning,

“Within the eye of honour, be assured

My purse, my person, my extremest means

Lie all unlocked to your occasions,” but as the play unfolds we see him as naïve (for agreeing with the bond so suddenly) and a hypocrite,

“Shylock – Methought you said you neither lend not borrow

Upon advantage.

Antonio – I do never use it.” (I,3,63).

He obviously believes that money buys love as he lends money indiscriminately. The audience may perceive Antonio as being gullible for believing Shylock was joking about the pound of flesh. It can be seen that Antonio has homosexual tendencies as he extremely admires Bassanio. In the trial scene he says,

“

Shylock and Antonio are in fact very similar. They both hate each other and each knows it. They are both successful businessmen. They both have a very clear idea of justice. For example, they both believe that justice is keeping to the terms of the bond. Their hatred is purely because of religion, but the audience could believe that the only reason Shylock detests Antonio is because Antonio

“treated him badly,

For sir, you spit on me Wednesday last

You spurned me such a day another time

You called me dog, and for these courtesies

I’ll lend you this much moneys?” (I,3.120).

They are both loyal to their faith. Therefore they detest each other because they are so similar.

During the whole play you would have expected Shylock to be dressed as a stereotypical Jew – with a big nose etc. in Shakespeare’s day, but now they would probably just distinguish him with just a Jewish hat. There were precious few stage directions or sets at the time so this is great for a director’s interpretation of the play. Many directors have focused on making Antonio definitely a homosexual. In one particular film the director has made Shylock extremely victimised.

Shakespeare has written this play in unrhymed iambic pentameter, as with many of his other plays. He has distinguished lower rank characters by making them speak in prose. So that the audience do not get bored of the repetitive speech he has added suspensory pauses to vary expression. Shakespeare communicates the portrayal of the characters and situations through the language. Shylock is revealed by soliloquy and in dialogue; Portia and Antonio are revealed by the descriptions of others as well as in dialogue. Bassanio reveals himself almost entirely in dialogue. It had long been established that character and motives were announced directly. The audience is not left to guess what is going on in a character’s mind. This device links actors and the audience intimately. The spectators shared in the play, they had a god-like knowledge of the hearts of the characters, and the two things increase their feelings of tension and suspense and the moments of dramatic irony. The impact of dialogue was enhanced by its traditional verse form; it gives the major characters an impressive grandeur, a larger than life status. In Shakespeare’s plays its range power and flexibility are truly astounding, and he contrasts it from time to time with passages of prose almost as varied in style and form. Couplets can import a sense of finality, of steps taken from which there can be no turning back. Couplets of shorter lines however are often mocking jingles, “Ciration – thanks i’faith, for silence is only commendable

In a newt’s tongue dried, and a maid not verdible,” (I,1.111)