What importance does money assume in The Merchant of Venice?

The first 200 words of this essay...

Q. What importance does money assume in The Merchant of Venice?

Referring to its various roles, examine if money takes on any moral

significance in the play.

In The Merchant of Venice, money takes on many roles as the themes and characters are involved mainly in money.

There are many character relationships in the play, mostly reflecting on the theme of love. Yet, there are still many images of commerce portrayed in these relationships.

The relationship between Portia and Bassanio, though they both come to love one another, Bassanio, at first, came to seek her hand only because he is monstrously in debt and requires her money to solve his problems.

Another relationship is of the 'friendship' involving both Bassanio and Antonio. Although, the latter insists that he lends Bassanio money solely out of love, (as he proclaims to Bassanio, "My purse, my person, my extremest means lie all unlocked to your occasions"), Bassanio looks at the money Antonio lends as an investment, viewing their relationship as a matter of business.

The last relationship is that of Shylock and Jessica. In the play, Shylock agonizes