The Merchant of Venice is Far from Perfect

In a perfect world, hatred would be without justice; love would be totally innocent. However, utopias like that are nonexistent; thus, one can easily look around, like Auden, and exclaim, "No hatred is totally without justification, no love is totally innocent." In The Merchant of Venice, there is an imperfect world, as well as a perfect world. The flawed world is the materialistic and bustling city of Venice. The impeccable world is the fairy-tale city of Belmont. Despite Belmont's perfection, a bit of justified hatred from Venice would ruin its innocence. (Paradise lost.) Alas, as Auden suggests, there are no utopias.

In Venice, time is of the essence. If one were to momentarily forget the real

In Venice, daughters do not have deep faiths in their fathers. Tired of her "hell" house, Jessica elopes with Lorenzo. Perhaps she does so to ameliorate her status in the orthodox world; she seeks conversion to Christianity in order to justify her hated past Jewish life. Semitism is despised in Venice. Shylock, her father, portrays the typical Jewish hatred towards Christians, with justification, "I hate him for he is a Christian. [Act 1, Scene 3]" He will not allow her to mingle with Christians. "Nor thrust your head into the public street / To gaze on Christian fools with varnished faces... [Act 2, Scene 5]" Thus, he has destroyed her innocent love. In order to love, she would have to defy him.

In Belmont, true innocent love can be found. Even when her beloved Bassanio goes nigh to choosing a wrong casket, Portia does not stop him. "I pray you, tarry... I could teach you / How to choose right, but then I am forsworn. [Act 3, Scene 2]" She has faith in her father's will, even if it does mean that she loses her Bassanio. Bassanio, the impulsive lover, innocently reasons the three clues etched upon the walls of the caskets, and thus, chooses the right one. Bassanio finds a portrait of Portia in the casket, as well as a scroll that reads, "Turn you where your lady is / And claim her with a loving kiss. [Act 3, Scene 2]" He kisses her, still "giddy in spirit, gazing in a doubt." She gives him a ring, which she insists he must never remove. Do they live happily ever after?

From Venice, there comes a lamenting group. Lorenzo, Jessica, and Salerio arrive at the enchanted city of happiness, with news of Antonio's fortunes lost at sea. In lieu of the little time they have, Bassanio has to confess his secret to Portia, "When I told you / My state was nothing, I should then have told you / That I was worse than nothing; for indeed/ I have engaged myself to a dear friend, / Engaged my friend to his mere enemy, / To feed my means. [Act 3, Scene 2]" Antonio's problems have entered Belmont; via the joining of both worlds, the illusory harmony of Belmont is ruined.

Shylock, abandoned as a poor misfit Jew, struggles in the real world down in Venice. He seems to be the sole per

Some common words found in the essay are:
Shylock Antonio, Jessica Salerio, Laws Shylock, Belmont Timeless, Christians Nor, Bassanio Bassanio, Shylock Consequently, Dear Portia, Lorenzo Jessica, Antonio Shylock, real world, merchant venice, 3 scene 2, act 1 scene, scene 2, scene 3, 1 scene, 3 scene, love totally, totally innocent, love totally innocent, 4 scene 1, act 3, act 1, act 4 scene,
Approximate Word count = 1473
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)