Capitalism, which is defined as ‘an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately or corporately owned and development is proportionate to the accumulation and reinvestment of profits gained in a free market’, is evident in the behavior of the traders in Venice, and especially in Shylock.
Riches itself is not evil, neither is it an instrument of hate and vice. It is the detrimental love and desire for this money, which corrupts all who are possessed by this powerful force. This group of individuals, especially Shylock, represent merchant capitalism whereas Antonio, Portia and Bassanio represent generosity and human relationships and spirit.
Merchant capitalism ultimately loses the court case to human relationship, which is represented by Antonio and Portia.
The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives him and him that takes.
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
This extract from act 4 scene 1 ;184 – 188; shows Portia trying to persuade the judge to have mercy, and this is also illustrated in the line ‘The throned monarch better than his crown’. The throned monarch, who represents human spirit, is better than his crown, which is again monetary value, signifying the merchant capitalism. This is again done in the court scene, where human relationship ultimately triumphs over merchant capitalism.
Courtship and romance are shown as fitting preludes to love and eventual marriage between Bassanio and Portia and between Gratanio and Nerissa. Whilst Antonio can share the love of friendship, the end of the play makes us aware that he can never have the smallest fraction of the joy that marriage brings.
Money itself is not and evil. It is the harmful love of money, which stultifies and corrupts. Shylock represents possessiveness whilst Antonio, Portia and Bassanio represent generosity. Shylock’s materialism and greed perverts and distorts his character – he is more interested in his ducats than his daughter and regards the accumulation of money as the most important thing in life. As a consequence, he has a mean, mercenary and cynical attitude toward human relationships. Shylock’s profession of money lending also reflects a preoccupation with making money breed fast for its own sake.
Use of money for good is seen throughout the play, with Bassanio offers to repay Shylock double the amount owed, all to save Antonio.
Antonio, Portia and Bassanio by contrast have generous and kind-hearted natures, which are reflected in their use of money to set free and ennoble. Their interest is in creating happiness for others, and shows no interest in accumulating a vast wealth.
But at the same time, it is essential to recognise that money is partly a motive for Bassanio’s wooing of Portia. In the real world, money is a necessity and can bring security and contentment. Both Bassanio’s winning of his ‘golden fleece’ in Portia, and Jessica gliding herself with Shylock’s ducats remind us that, even if money cannot buy love, it can bring happiness to lovers.
The court scene is one of the key parts of the story that demonstrates this victory of relationships over merchant capitalism. Shylock in the court case reaches a deficit and ultimately loses justice to human relationship. Portia’s speech was also cunning yet compelling toward the judge and the audience, which asks for mercy, which she describes as “the gentle rain which droppeth from heaven”.
The story is also a revelation of the triumph of human relationships over merchant capitalism as a result of the order of events in The Merchant Of Venice. In the beginning, there is this conflict between Belmont, signifying human relationships, and where relationships are developed, and Venice, representing merchant capitalism, many issues of money are raised. At the very end, relationships flourish and the love between Bassanio and Portia, Gratiano and Nerissa and Lorenzo and Jessica . However, merchant capitalism, is overcome and slowly ebbs away from the whole scene.
It is human relationships that pass the test of time, while merchant capitalism and the craving for wealth would be one to come to a bitter end.
