‘Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you: For herein fortune shows herself more kind than is her custom.’ This shows that Antonio loves Bassanio dearly and Antonio tells Bassanio it is not his fault. Antonio is trying to calm him down and is also trying not to make Bassanio feel guilty. Bassanio thinks that it is his fault that Antonio is going to die. However, Antonio lets him know that he wants Bassanio to be happy and for that to happen he must die.
Shylock and Antonio are the protaganists of this courtroom scene. They are the main characters, along with Portia, who is disguised as Balthazar the lawyer. Portia and her maid, Nerissa are in disguise because they want to save Antonio’s life. The characters on stage don’t know that Portia is disguised. If any of them found out that it was her and she was trying to save Antonio’s life then Shylock would most definitely get his pound of flesh from Antonio. Shakespeare makes the Merchant of Venice a success by letting the outside audience in on the secret. If the outside audience weren’t in on the secret then they would be feeling the same way as the Medieval audience. The Medieval audience are feeling the pressure as they want Antonio to live but they know he won’t.
The theme, revenge, is seen quite a lot, played especially by Shylock. I feel ambivalent towards Shylock. Ambivalent just means that you’re not sure if your on Shylock’s side or not. Shylock is determined to get revenge on Antonio. He is offered 3,000 ducats but his hatred and need for revenge are paramount; he wants to see Antonio dead.
‘My deed upon my head! I crave the law, the penalty and forfeit of my bond.’ This is effective because it tells the audience that Shylock is obsessed with his rights. He is determined to get Antonio’s flesh. Shylock is a vile and vulgar character. He is full of anger and loathsome. Money isn’t a problem for Shylock – he has plenty of it and he doesn’t need any more.
The plot revolves mainly around money, debts and payment. The Duke of Venice who is present in the courtroom, trys to convince Shylock to let Antonio pay him back. As suspected, Shylock refuses and threatens the Duke. ‘Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.’ Portia, disguised as Balthazar, also tells Shylock that he can take more money, if he wants, but yet again, he refuses.
Everyones’ eyes are on Antonio and Shylock. Everyone is on Antonio’s side. Antonio is treating the situation in a calm and resigned manner. He is accepting his fate. Sjylock is shouting and wants Antonio’s flesh. The suspense in the room is too much. The Medieval audience don’t know what is going to happen but they think Antonio will surely die.
Nobody is on Shylock’s side. ‘For thy desires are wolfish, bloody, starved and ravenous.’ Gratiano, who is married to Portia’s maid is also present in the courtroom scene. He talks viciously to Shylock, commenting that Shylock is wolf-like. This shows that most people in the courtroom would rather see Shylock dead, rather than Antonio.
Justice is another major theme in Act Four. Shylock wants justice to be done. He wants his bond to be granted – he wants to walk away from the courtroom scene, with the pound of flesh. Antonio’s digmified behaviour in court lets the audience know that he is accepting his fate and he knows that justice has been done. Nobody on stage knows that Antonio can’t die, except for Portia. Moreover, none of the characters know that Portia and Nerissa are disguised as men, trying to save Antonio’s life.
Portia emphasises that Shylock will have justice – and catches him out as she knows that Antonio will live. The dignity and finality in the courtroom is too much to take in for tha audience. They are waiting nervously for the verdict, knowing in their hearts that Antonio will die when really he won’t.
The most crucial theme in Act Four is mercy. The Duke, Gratiano and Portia all plead with Shylock to show mercy but the audience know that he will refuse. ‘The quality of mercy is not strained: It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven. Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed: It blessed him that gives, and him that takes.’
This is effective because it lets the audiences know that all the characters on stage are pleading with Shylock to show mercy. Portia is making a very persuasive speech about mercy but still Shylock doesn’t give it. Shylock wants justice. Everybody, in the scene and in the audience, want Shylock to be merciful towards Antonio but Shylock, being the horrible man he always is, couldn’t care less. He has loathed Antonio for a very long time.
Dramatic tension is enhanced because the two different audiences are waiting for the verdict. Portia has tried her best with Shylock, asking him to show mercy. Even nowadays, mercy is hard to give. A middle-aged woman who is a teacher, asked her year two pupils what they wanted to call the teddy bear in the class and most of them said Muhammed. So, the lady named the teddy bear Muhammed. The Muslim mation found out what she had done and some people wanted her dead for it. They weren’t showing her mercy, just like how Shylock wasn’t showing mercy. But in the end, somebody forgave her and they let the woman out of prison.
This shows the outside audience that mercy can be hard to give. Everybody in the courtroom scene wants Shylock to show mercy but maybe he isn’t showing it for a very good reason. But on the other hand, Shylock just isn’t showing mercy because he wants to win this. Shylock is the kind of person who can’t bear to see anybody else happy.
‘Bring us the letters: call the messenger.’ Shakespeare introduces some new information about Shylock’s bond in the form of a letter. Letters change the plot and add more twists and turns into the play. Portia states that a pound of flesh can be taken from Antonio.
I think that when the Medieval audience heard Portia say this, they must have been distraught and devastated. But, the outside audience know that there is no way Antonio will die. The Merchant of Venice is a comedy play, nobody can die.
‘Tarry a little: there is something else.’ Halfway through Portia’s sentence, the Medieval audience were probably full of joy and cheering. When you hear that first part, you know straight away that the flesh can’t be taken. ‘Tarry a little’ changes everything.
The audience can’t believe that Portia could leave it so late into the complication and way past the crisis before her words turn everything around. ‘Tarry a little’ means hang on a moment. Shylock had already got his dagger out to get his pound of flesh. He must have been shocked.
Portia carries on with her speech. ‘If the scale do turn but in the estimation of a hair, thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate.’ By now, the audience know that Antonio is free and Shylock has lost everything. Portia’s speech is very dramatic and effective because it shows the audience that Portia knew all along that Antonio wouldn’t die. The audience, hearing Portia’s speech are full of joy and now they are wondering what will happen to Shylock.
The speech that Portia makes means that Shylock can have his flesh but it can’t be a bit more or less than a pound. This is impossible which means that Shylock can’t get his pound of flesh. Shylock cannot have his bond, which means that he has lost, as Antonio lives.
‘The bond doth give thee here no jot of blood.’ The next part of Portia’s speech states that Shylock can take the flesh without spilling any blood, which yet again is impossible. This shows us that Shakespeare has allowed justice to be done but still make it impossible for Shylock to take his revenge.
Shylock must have been seething with pure anger and hatred because now he can’t get his pound of flesh from Antonio. Portia has cleverly outwitted the Jew, who had the law on his side. He and everybody else were so convinced and ready to see Antonio die but Portia’s words ‘Tarry a little’ just changed everything.
Everything so far, had been straightforward – Shylock was being granted his bond and justice was being delivered but then Portia, literally stopped all the dramatic tension and suspense. Act Four of The Merchant of Vencie is the most dramatic part from the whole play; all the themes make up all the drama in Act Four.
Mostly, the two themes, revenge and mercy were what created all the nerve-racking, dramatic tension in the courtroom scene. I think that all the suspense was made by Portia because she was the one reading out the law. Shylock also had a part in causing the tension because most of the time he was just bellowing and yelling for Antonio’s flesh. This is very effective because then the audience would know that Shylock wanted his revenge, so badly.
After Portia’s famous speech, it is very clear to the outside audience that something must happen to Shylock for all his bad deeds. He wanted Antonio’s flesh but at the end, he didn’t get it, so now, I think everyone wants to see Shylock suffer.
Portia declares that because Shylock wanted to see Antonio dead, Venice can have half of Shylock’s assets and Shylock can be hanged at the Duke’s will. But, Shylock is shown mercy, as the Duke spares his life. Furthermore, a compromise is finally reached.
Antonio suggests that Shylock should indeed lose half his possessions to Venice and the other half should go to his daughter upon his death. Shylock is shown mercy. The Duke doesn’t have him hanged but he must become a Christian. Shylock is a successful Jewish moneylender who cares dearly about his religion, so when Shylock hears that he has to become a Christian, he can’t believe it. Nevertheless, the decision is that he becomes a Christian or he gets hanged. So, Shylock decides to become a Christian, even though he doesn’t want to.
After the trail scene is over, Shylock isn’t seen anymorein the play. I think that in Act Four all the major themes are involved in creating the dramatic tension. All the suspense and tension is too much to take in Act Four, which is why I think The Merchant of Venice is a great, successful comedy play. Act Four is the most dramatic part of the play and all the other acts before it have more or less been leading all the tension into the courtroom scene. The Merchant of Venice is a play to be remembered, as the atmosphere is so tense, especially in Act Four.
