Examine the different forms of prejudice which are presentin The Merchant of Venice

Examine the different forms of prejudice which are present in The Merchant of Venice

Different types of people, affected by their own views can define prejudice in many different ways. The Collins Concise Dictionary definition of prejudice is “an opinion formed beforehand, especially an unfavourable one based on inadequate facts.” Another definition is “intolerance of or dislike for people of a specific race, religion, etc.” From this, it is obvious that prejudice, although often a negative occurrence, can also be positive. Throughout The Merchant, there are many forms of prejudice among a variety of characters, because of race, gender or religion.

The most blatant form of prejudice within the play is the religious prejudice between the Jews and the Christians. In Shakespeare’s time, the Elizabethan era, a Jew would have been considered an atheist. Anyone who did not conform to the beliefs in the Protestant God was considered an atheist, particularly Jews. There were also many beliefs about Jews that were simply myths, and therefore created prejudice throughout the globe against Jews. Jews had very few ways of earning a living, which may be why Shylock said “you take my house… you take my life” (VI.I.371-2), when all his money was to be taken from him. The Anti-Semitism in this particular play may have stemmed from the Jewish execution of Roderigo Lopez, the Queen’s physician, a few years previously. The rage against the Jews that began then lasted for a long period before settling down many years later. However, it was not only Jews who were discriminated against; all foreigners were generally viewed as being suspicious and distrusted.

During this play, we see that although Shakespeare lived in a society that despised Jews in many ways, and was extremely discriminating against them, Shakespeare himself appeared to understand how any discrimination affects those who have to deal with it. He appears to, at least it some ways, sympathise with Shylock; particularly as he gave him the line “Hath not a Jew eyes?” (III.i.45-6). He understands that Shylock has feelings and emotions, and therefore is effected by the racism dealt out to him. As he continues in the same vein; “Hath not a Jew hands, organ, dimensions…” (III.i.46), Shakespeare seems to be attempting to teach his audience, who would have been
“fully educated” in anti-Semitism, that Jews are only different in their beliefs. Not only that, but Shakespeare allows these lines to be taken and re-read about any race or religion, allowing The Merchant to be adapted and read in any context, for the appropriate time period and society.

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Throughout The Merchant, Shylock is a character with whom we both sympathise and despise. As a moneylender, he is already considered a sinner, both within the play, and as the spectators in Elizabethan times would have seen him. In the play, Shylock is the final option when Antonio needs to borrow money to fund Bassanio’s trip to visit Portia in Belmont. Even though he is a Jew and is despised by everyone, Antonio still borrows money from him. Even Antonio, the person who is the loudest in condemnation of Shylock, will still borrow money for him for Bassanio. Shylock questions this, saying “Is it possible a cur can lend three thousand ducats?” (I.II.115-6), as he has seen that Antonio is asking him this task after discriminating against him so much for many years. Antonio is simply using Shylock as he seems like the best option for borrowing the money for his dearest friend. He is only being polite to him because of his need for money, but Shylock sees through this charade immediately, and requests the bond that will come to cause so much trouble.

Throughout the entire play, the prejudice amongst the Christians and Jews is obvious. It is not hidden in any way, particularly in the trial scene. The discrimination against Shylock is obvious, as the Duke wants to prevent the bond from being taken all the way through; “we all expect a gentle answer Jew” (IV.I.34). This is also an example of how the characters use the word “Jew” when speaking to Shylock. In the eyes of the other citizens of Venice, he does not have an identity other than that of “Jew”; “mark, Jew” (IV.I.308) said by Gratiano and “the Jew shall have all justice” (IV.I.317). The bias throughout the most important scene of the play, the trial scene, is blatantly obvious. The Duke begins the trial by making a speech calling Shylock “an inhuman wretch” (VI.I.4), and throughout Shylock is considered the evil one. The whole trial scene is inevitably going to go the way of the defendants, or the Christians, through Portia’s arrival and the discrimination against Shylock.

While the above deals with the false religious ethics of the play, there is also a lot of prejudice due to colour. As the caskets her father left are choosing Portia’s fate, the Prince of Morocco decides to attempt to win Portia as his bride. Portia’s father is quite intelligent in that he creates a method by which his daughter cannot be prejudiced in anyway when her husband is being chosen. However, he has also been slightly prejudiced in that he must have known that men would not be admitted to his house unless they were seemed suitable for his daughter. It did, however, manage to alleviate the problem of racism or any other discrimination that his daughter may have held. Sadly, this did not prevent Portia from demonstrating her racism to the Prince; “the complexion of a devil” (I.II.110-1). Morocco expected her racism, saying to her at the first meeting; “Mislike me not for my complexion” (II.II.1). Having said this, he then proceeds to show prejudice by choosing the gold casket. He chooses for appearance; “but here an angel in a golden bed” (II.VII.58) and then proceeds to realise that appearance is not everything. It may seem surprising that a man of his colouring has not realised that, as he is so discriminated against, as shown above when Portia discusses his complexion as that of a devil (The devil was believed to have black skin in Shakespearean times).

Prejudice can also be found in the form of sexism. An example of this is how Portia is bound to her father’s will. She is powerless to decide who she should marry, and has to follow a man’s rules; “curbed by the will of a dead father” (I.II.21-2). Even in death, Portia’s father still has control over her, because she is his daughter. Had she been his son, this situation would never have occurred. This sort of thing would never have been allowed if the child was male.

Another demonstration of prejudice due to gender is within the relationship between Lorenzo and Jessica. Had Lorenzo been the Jew, he would not have left his home and his father for the woman he loved. Instead, she would have had to live with him, rather than him running away with her. As a woman, she had little choice over which direction she would go when she fell in love with a man who was not a Jew “in such a night did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew” (III.V.14-5).

By the end of The Merchant, Shakespeare has succeeded in luring the audience into their usual presumptions and prejudices. If read on a simple level, the play may seem to uphold typical Elizabethan values and ideas about religion, race and gender. However, it also introduces the idea that Jews are the same as anyone else “Fed by the same food, hurt by the same weapons” (III.i.47-8) and shows that nothing should be judged by appearance “You that choose not by the view… choose as true” (III.ii.131-2). Shakespeare may have fostered a hope that these small hints at prejudice being unjust and wrong may have been recognised by some of his audience, and slowly prevented prejudice from occurring as much as it had done. I think this may have had great effect throughout the ages; if it had the same effect on the majority of the Elizabethan audience as it did on myself, it would have discouraged prior judgement, particularly on Jews.

There is often great debate about the audience for whom Shakespeare truly wrote his plays. Was it for the Elizabethan audience we imagine, and were the plays shown on a stage with no scenery? Or was it for people throughout all ages, genders and races, to teach them about discrimination, and how wrong it may be? Did William Shakespeare intend his plays to be seen by millions of people in many different forms, adapted and changed to suit different races and ages? The prejudices shown in The Merchant of Venice had been present for many years before Shakespeare’s time, and will be present for many years in the future. This play can be used to demonstrate to us where we go wrong, and how we discriminate against many people every day.

Emily Ford 11RR