I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys" —3 — reveals a history of familial loss that perhaps provides explanation for Shylock's brief reference to his synagogue at the end of the scene; an intimation of prayer and mourning ritual that flickers incongruously alongside his retributive declarations.
Shylock's quick allusion, I believe, also foreshadows his audacious justification of Antonio's murder during the trial scene as the fulfillment of a private vow he has made to God. In this essay I contend that early modern responses to Jephthah in Judges —40, a Jewish father honored as a "hero of faith" in the Epistle to the Hebrews despite the fact that he sacrifices his only daughter, illuminate our reading of Shakespeare's ambivalent depiction of the sympathetic would-be murderer Shylock.
As I will show in my discussion of Judges below, the story's ambiguous entangling of pious and profane aspects fascinated Christian readers: in the immediate aftermath of leading the Israelites to victory, Jephthah fulfills his divine vow to sacrifice the first "thing that commeth out of the doors of [his] house" should he defeat the Ammonite enemy by killing his daughter who has run out of the house to greet him.
Although Shakespeare does not explicitly refer to Judges 11 in Merchant , his allusions to Jephthah's vow and sacrifice in 3 Henry VI and Hamlet make clear his familiarity with this provocative story. Like Jephthah's unnamed daughter, Jessica devastates her father by leaving the family home.
She reveals how she feels ashamed to be her father's daughter because of his behavior. She also declares her love for Lorenzo and her desire to leave home and become a Christian to marry him. Aomar Pisu Explainer. What good news does Shylock get? The good news for Shylock is that Antonio has lost a ship near North Africa and will likely go bankrupt. The bad news is that Jessica spent 80 ducats and traded a ring which was a present from Leah to him before they were married for a monkey.
Ciriaco Wohlbruck Pundit. How is Jessica different from Shylock? Jessica is doubly distinguished. Unlike her father, Shylock , she is said to be gentle; at once noble and gentile. Yet, she remains a daughter to Shylock's blood despite her conversion.
Charolette Fowler Pundit. Why does gratiano go to Belmont? Gratiano do wants to go to Belmont with Bassanio due to his secret love for Nerissa, maid of Portia. Although Bassanio does not know about them, it is true that they love each other. Gratiano feels he would get a chance to see his love Nerissa, and probably woo her if Bassanio is successful in winning Portia.
Siham Baumhove Pundit. How does Shylock die? Jessica plans to elope with Lorenzo during the time frame of the masquerade. Portia mentioned earlier has just been greeted by her first suitor. He is the prince of Morroco. Portia does not like the fact that the prince of morroco is black and hopes that he doesnt choose the right casket that Portia is a heroine in the play and that she has such racist thoughts might show how racist William Shakespeare was at the time that he wrote the play.
Portia also hopes that the Prince of Morroco chooses the wrong casket because she has seen Bassanio and hopes that he becomes a suitor and chooses the right one. The prince of morroco chooses the wrong casket the gold one. The Prince of Aragon arrives. The Prince of Aragon chooses the wrong casket the silver one. Jessica and Lorenzo elope to Portias house in Belmont. Jessica steals many of Shylocks belongings and ducats on the way out.
The masquerade is cut short as Bassanio ships off to Belmont. Bassanio arrives with his friend, Gratiano, in Belmont. Bassanio chooses the right casket the lead one. Gratiano plans to get married with Portias maid, Jessica. Bassiano and Portia plan to get married. Bassiano and Gratiano find out that Antonios ships have been destroyed at sea and that he cannot pay Shylock back. Bassanio and Gratiano plan on going to the trial between Shylock and Antonio.
On leaving, Jessica and Portia present Bassanio and Gratiano with two rings which are to be kept by their sides at all times. Bassanio and Gratiano go to the trial. Portia and Jessica dress up as men and go to the trial. Portia pretends to be a judge and jessica pretends to be Portias helper. Antonio gets ready to have his pound of flesh removed. Portia says that Shylock can cut off the pund of flesh but is not allowed to spill any of Shylocks blood. Shylock is made to become a christian and to give all his property and ducats to jessica and lorenzo, upon Antonios request it was illegal for a christian to be a money lender.
Portia and Jessica talk to Bassanio and Gratiano Portia nad Jessica are at this point dressed up as men. Portia requests that she have Bassanios ring. Bassanio refuses to give Portia his ring. Portia and Jessica leave but Bassanio makes Gratiano go after them and give them the rings.
When they are all back in Belmont and Jessica and Portia are dressed in their average days clothes, Portia asks the two men where their rings are. Bassanio and Gratiano admit that they had given their rings to the judge and his assistant. Portia and Jessica lie and say they had slept with those two very men and had taken their rings. Portia and Jessica admit that they were lying and that they were actually dressed as men. Jessica forgives Gratiano but Portia refuses to forgive Bassanio.
Michelangelo agreed to do the work for ducats, and that is probably what he was paid. At that time a university professor's salary was ducats a year. Around 6. He gives the apothecary forty ducats for the poison. As literary critic Janet Adelman points out in Blood Relations , "marriage appears to occur to [Jessica] largely as a way to escape" being her father's daughter. You can see that in her speech in Act 2, Scene Alack, what heinous sin is it in me To be ashamed to be my father's child?
But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners. Here it becomes clear that Jessica not only hates her father's rude "manners" but also associates Shylock's conduct and behavior with being Jewish, which is why she can't wait to "become a Christian.
Parents Home Homeschool College Resources. Study Guide. By William Shakespeare.
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