One character that modifies my feelings towards the play is Launcelot Gobbo. He like Jessica becomes disloyal to his father; he mocks his frail and elderly father jesting at his lack of sight. Instead of helping him he instead decides to play an artifice on him. It is in the play as bawdy humour, which I can understand why, but I do not believe that we should be teaching our children to mock and laugh at our elders. They should be instead taught of respect and how we should be fond of our parents. Launcelot Gobbo is also a racist, he calls Shylock a, ‘fiend,’ ‘a kind of devil,’ ‘the devil himself,’ and, ‘a devil incarnation.’ The only reasons he gives for this is because of Shylock’s friendliness! He calls Shylock, ‘the Jew,’ so this suggests that his real reason for his hate for his master is because of his race.
The actions of Jessica to her father are completely wrong, I believe that she has the right to marry someone of any religion, but she has no right to steal from her own father, this is completely iniquitous. Even though Jessica is disloyal to her father I have concluded that there is a moral in this, she later becomes unhappy after leaving him. She is with her husband after they have just been married; she should obviously be content and joyful, however she is uncomfortable and sad. She claims that this is because of the sweet music she can hear. I believe that this is actually just an excuse and she is beginning to regret her unfaithfulness. It is teaching us that being unfaithful will make you feel guilty inevitably.
Even though Portia is faithful to her father she does still have a sinister side. She shows that she has racist views when comparing the suitor’s comments that the Prince of Morocco has, ‘the complexion of a devil,’ this is just because he is black. This makes me wonder is this sought of thing what we should be exposing our children to. I think we should because it shows how narrow-minded people can be. It proves how nonsensical racism is; Portia has not met the man and even says herself that even if he were a saint she would not marry him. She also stereotypes other nationalities, our children will be able to see the stereotype of their nationality and see it is wrong, so they will be able to make the conclusion that these are erroneous stereotypes.
Two arrogant and vain characters in the play are the Princes of Morocco and Arragon who both have disconsolate endings in the text. They both lose the right to marry Portia or any other woman. This is yet another moral in the play. The other suitor who does win Portia is however also without fault. Bassanio and Gratiano are seen to be marrying Portia and Nerissa for all of the wrong reasons, they treats more of as a prize rather that a wife. In the text we can see this from when Gratiano says, ‘We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece.’ Also earlier on in the play when describing Portia again refers to as the golden fleece form Jason and the Argonauts, ‘her sunny locks hang on her temples like a golden fleece.’ He does not mention her personality at all but instead says that she, ‘is a lady richly left,’ and ‘nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth.’ They both show us that they are only in love for money. We should be teaching our children the right reasons for marriage not for greed of money.
Another person that Bassanio appears to only like for his money is Antonio, he only visits him for the purpose of asking for money. He does however show some care for Antonio saying, ‘you shall not seal to such a bond for me: I’ll rather dwell in my necessity.’ We do not know however whether this is true concern or not.
I believe that in the play, ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ that the characters do not always show their good sides, I believe there are mostly moral reasons for this and that the play can teach us a lot. This is why I believe that, ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ is worthy of study. It teaches about how racism affects people, why it is wrong and how it does not always benefit the racist. It also teaches us how we should be loyal to our parents and that greed does not always benefit us.
