However, as a modern audience, we can also view the play as a tragedy because of the ill- treatment Shylock is put through. Although. Shylock demonstrates an unyielding hatred of Antonio, we can sympathise with him as he is an individual figure who is humiliated and regularly subjected to vile abuse for no other reason that that he is a Jew. He is scorned for being a moneylender and yet the Christians are quiet happy to accept loans from him. In court, Portia pleads for Shylock to behave with mercy but shows none herself towards him. In Act 4, Shylock is denied his faith, half his money and even his voice. This treatment and dismal of Shylock towards the end of Act 4 casts a dark shadow over the play.
In contrast, Shylock has been portrayed in a way a Shakespearean audience would expect a Jew to behave and therefore, they would feel no compassion towards him and would sympathise with how the other characters in the play felt about him. This is one of the reasons why they would not regard “The Merchant of Venice” as a tragedy.
The way Shylock treats his daughter. Jessica is tragic. Shylock shows no feelings or love for her and because of this Jessica wishes to leave her Jewish life behind her and marry a Christian. The audience would sympathise with Jessica and find this tragic.
“Farewell, and if my fortune be not crossed I have a father, you a daughter lost.”
Jessica’s hatred for Shylock leads her to betray him, by stealing his money and jewels and eloping with Lorenzo. This causes a modern audience to feel sorry for Shylock however; Solerio and Solanio present his reaction to the event in a comic way.
This quotation evokes laughter, not sympathy and therefore changes the mood of the audience. A Shakespearean audience would mainly accept this type of comedy because as a modern audience, we cannot help feeling sorry for Shylock’s double loss as it provides a serious tone to the play.
Portia’s scene with the three caskets can be seen as comic but it has a tragic tone to it. This is because she cannot marry for love because her suitors must take a test to see if they are worthy.
“ So is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father”
This situation is uplifted by the comic actions of the suitors who are arrogant and have high opinions of themselves.
The Merchant of Venice portrays comic elements as well as tragic and it is this that decides the overall theme of the play. A typical Shakespearean comedy usually has an element of disguise or mistaken identity. The characters eventually find their rightful partners, problems are resolved and it usually ands in marriage. We can relate these features to different aspects of the play. Portia and Nerissa dress up as a lawyer and clerk and fool Bassanio and Gratiano into giving then their rings. An audience would see this as comic.
Problems between Shylock and Antonio are finally resolved, and Bassanio, Gratiano and Lorenzo are reunited with their partners. These situations make the play uplifting and are contrasted from the tragic scenes.
Much of the comedy is derived from the characters of Gobbo, Launcelot, Solerio and Solanio. Launcelot Gobbo conveys his comic character in his soliloquy in Act 2, Scene 2 where he often misuses words which is partly due to his stupidity.
“the Jew is the very devil incarnation”
Here, he misuses the word incarnate and says incarnation instead. The effect of this is comic.
Launcelot also tricks his father, Old Gobbo, into thinking that his son is dead. A Shakespearean audience would find Gobbo’s confusion and distress and Launcelot’s actions comic. However, as a modern audience we do not share this amusement as we have been raised to pity figures that have been unfairly mocked and treated.
Solerio and Solanio are a comic couplet and could be seen as typical Shakespearean clowns. They provide a light hearted atmosphere and lighten the mood in tragic scenes. They make these tragic scenes more comic so the audience are not preoccupied by the seriousness of the situation. For example, in Act 4 when Antonio learns that it is not possible for Shylock to carry out his bond, Gratiano says,
“ A Daniel, still say I, a second Daniel. I thank thee Jew for teaching me that word”
He uses Shylock’s words and sarcastically thanks him. This can be seen as comic.
I think The Merchant of Venice is clearly a comedy, based on the definition of a Shakespearean comedy and the fact that there is more comedy to the play than tragedy. Even the most tragic scenes are uplifted by the witty quips of comic characters. However, there are tragic undertones to the play which results in a compassionate play with a mix of tragedy and humour.