Themes of Mov

The merchant of Venice is a play that revolves around several themes. These fundamental ideas are explored in the play and an example of such a theme is 'appearance and reality'. This theme is quite vivid in the play, brought out by several characters. Firstly, the key concept in the quote is the theme of appearance and reality. Appearance is the outward or physical form of something while reality is the true form of something without being faked, imagined or pretended. The one assumption made in the above quote is that the play deals and explores the theme of appearance and reality. This assumption is definitely valid but appearance vs. reality is not the major theme in the play but is a sub-theme in the play.

In the play the theme of appearance and reality is brought out in four main ways - disguise, deceit, delusion and love. The concept of disguise is brought out by Portia, Nerrisa and Jessica. When Antonio did not pay up the three thousand ducats within three months and was almost made to forfeit his bond, Portia and Nerissa disguised themselves as a learned "Doctor of Law" and his clerk and rescued him. Here, the appearance deceives everyone to think of Portia and nerissa as a lawyer and his clerk. The reality on the other hand is that Portia and nerissa are maidens. however, the appearance and reality is not the only theme here and other themes like 'mercy and justice' and 'prejudice' are brought out too. The theme of mercy and justice is brought out in the trial scene when everyone pleads with shylock to show mercy on Antonio. However, shylock is firm and demands for a strict and legalistic justice. 'mercy' is very well brought out in Portia's quality of mercy speech in act 4 scene 1 she describes the divine quality of mercy as "an attribute of god himself, and earthly power doth then show likest god when mercy seasons justice". As the villain on the play, shylock does not demonstrate even one drop of compassion for his enemy an even Antonio, the good Christian seems merciless by forcing shylock to convert into Christian and taking away half his wealth. Hence, the mercy is not as sweet, selfless and full of grace as Portia describes it.

Prejudice is also brought out in the trial especially in the hatred between Antonio and shylock. Antonio and shylock have a personal hatred for each other which is reinforced by the years of racial prejudice,