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03-26-2010, 07:35 AM
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المشاركة رقم: 1 |
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المنتدى :
نافذة الأدب الأنجليزى
The Merchant of Venice .. تاجر البندقية
[عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل للمشاهدة الرابطللتسجيل اضغط هنا]]]
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  المسرحية أشهر من ان أ‘عرفكم بها ... فهي تحفة رائعة لشكسبير ... وما ان تحاولوا البحث عنها في النت, ستتفاجأوا بعدد المواقع التي تتناول المسرحية, سواء باللغة العربية او الإنجليزية ... كما ستجدونها ممثلة في افلام ومسرحيات بل حتى ستجدون لها كتب سمعية ... ___________________________________ _______________________ تـاجــر البندقيــة دراما كومودية من تأليف الأديب الأنجليز الشهير ويليم شيكسبير. خلاصتها أن أنطونيو، التاجر الفينيسي، يستدين من المرابي اليهودي شايلوك Shylock ثلاثة آلاف قطعة ذهبية تمكينا لصديقه باسانيو Bassanio من الزواج من بورشيا Portia الثرية الجميلة. ويشترط المرابي على التاجر أن يقتطع رطلا من لحمه إذا لم يرد إليه المال في الموعد المضروب لذلك. ويوافق أنطونيو، ولكنه يعجز عن رد المال. فيصر شايلوك على تنفيذ ما ألزم به التاجر نفسه، وهو الموافقة على اقتطاع رطل من لحمه... وأثناء المحاكمة توافق بورشيا - بعد أن تنكرت واتخذت موقف الدفاع عن أنطونيو - على هذا الاقتطاع ولكن شرط أن لا يؤدي ذلك إلى إراقة نقطة واحدة من دم أنطونيو... __________________________________ ____________________ ملخص باللغة العربية نقلته لكم من احد المنتديات في مدينه فينيسا "البندقية" بايطاليا،كان اليهودي الجشع"شيلوك"قد جمع ثروة طائلة من المال الحرام..فقد كان يقرض الناس بالربا الفاحش ..وكانت مدينه "البندقية"في ذلك الوقت من اشهر المدن التجارية،ويعيش فيها تجار كثيرون من المسيحيين..من بينهم تاجر شاب اسمه"انطونيو". كان "انطونيو"ذا قلب طيب كريم ..وكان لا يبخل على كل من يلجأ إليه للاقتراض دون ان يحصل من المقترض على ربا او فائدة.لذلك فقد كان اليهودي "شيلوك"يكرهه ويضمر له الشر بالرغم مما كان بيديه له من نفاق واحترام مفتعل. وفي اي مكان كان يلتقي فيه "انطونيو"و"شيلوك"كان "انطونيو"يعنفه ويوبخه،بل ويبصق عليه ويتهمه بقسوة القلب والاستغلال.وكان اليهودي يتحمل هذه المهانه،وفي الوقت نفسه كان يتحين ايه فرصة تسنح له للانتقام من "انطونيو". وكان جميع اهالي "البندقية"يحبون "انطونيو" ويحترمونه لما عرف عنه من كرم وشجاعة ،كما كان له اصدقاء كثيرون يعزهم ويعزونه..ولكن اقرب الاصدقاء واعزهم على قلب "انطونيو"كان صديقا شابا اسمه"بسانيو"..وهو نبيل من طبقة نبلاء البندقية،الا انه كان صاحب ثروة بسيطة ،أضاعها وبددها بالاسراف الشديد على مظاهر حياته..وكلما كان يحتاج الى المزيد من النقود ليصرفها ،كان يلجأ الى صديقة "انطونيو" الذي كان لا يبخل عليه ابدا ويعاملة بكل كرم يليق به كصديق من اعز اصدقائة. وفي احدى الايام قال"بسانيو" لصديقه "انطونيو" إنه مقبل على الزواج من فتاه ثرية ورثت عن ابيها ممتلكات وثروة كبيرة..وإنه يحتاج الى ثلاثة آلاف من الجنيهات حتى يبدو مظهره امامها كعريس يليق بها . ولكن "انطونيو" لم يكن يمتلك هذا المبلغ في ذلك الوقت ..كان ينتظر سفنه القادمة المحمله بالبضائع التي يمكن ان يبيعها عند وصولها ..ولكي يلبي "انطونيو" طلب صديقه العزيز،قرر ان يقترض هذا المبلغ من اليهودي "شيلوك" ..على ان يرد له هذا الدين وفوائده فور وصول سفنه المحملة بالبضائع. وذهب الصديقان الى "شيلوك" وطلب "انطونيو" منه ان يقرضه مبلغ ثلاثه الاف من الجنيهات بأي نسبة فائدة يطلبها،مه وعد بأن يرد اليه القرض وفوائدة عند وصول السفن في موعد قريب.. هنا...سنحت الفرصة التي كان يتحينها اليهودي "شيلوك"للتاجر "انطونيو" ..ودارت في ذهن اليهودي افكار الشر والأذى والانتقام...وظل يفكر طويلا فيما عساه يصنعه بهذا التاجر الذي يعطي للناس نقودابلا فائدة:هذا التاجر الذي يكرهني ويكره شعبنا اليهودي كله ..إنه يسبني ويلعنني ويسمسني بالكافر..وبالكلب الأزعر ..ويبصق على عباءتي كلما رآني ..وها هي الفرصة قد سنحت امامي لكي انتقم..واذا لم اغتنم هذه الفرصة فلن يغفر لي ذلك اهلي وعشيرتي من اليهود الآخرين.. قال "شيلوك"وهو يخفي الحقد والكراهية في قلبه:يا سنيور"انطونيو"..كثيرا ما شتمتني ولعنتني وركلتني بقدمك كما لو اني كلب من الكلاب..وهأنتذا جئتني وتطلب مني ان اساعدك بثلاثة الاف من الجنيهات..فهل تظن يا سيدي ان كلبا يمكنه ان يقدم لك مثل هذا القرض..؟! فقال "انطونيو"بشجاعه:حتى او اقرضتني هذه النقود،فسوف اظل ادعوك كلبا واركلك بقدمي وابصق عليك وعلى عباءتك..اقرضني هذه النقود وافرض وزد عليها ما شئت من فوائد تطمع فيها..وسوف يكون لك الحق في ان تفرض على ما شئت من عقاب اذا لم اردها اليك في الوقت المتفق عليه. وعندئذ قال "شيلوك"بكل خبث ودهاء إنه على استعداد أن يقدم لانطونيو هذا القرض بدون فوائد على الاطلاق..ولكن بشرط واحد:هو ان يذهبا معا الى المحامي ،وان يوقع "انطونيو"على عقد يبدو كما لو كان مزاحا،يتيح لليهودي "شيلوك"أن يقطع رطلا من لحم "انطونيو" ومن اي جزء يختاره "شيلوك" من جسم "انطونيو" وذلك اذا لم يرد اليه الالاف الثلاثة من الجنيهات في موعد محدد! وحاول "بسيانو"ان يثني صديقه"انطونيو" عن توقيع هذا العقد اليهودي الماكر...ولكن "انطونيو" صمم على التوقيع دون خوف ....لأن سفنه وبضائعه ستصل قبل ان يحل موعد السداد بمدة كافية...ولن تكون هناك فرصة امام "شيلوك"لتنفيذ هذا المزاح... وهكذا وقع "انطونيو" على العقد...! أما الفتاه التي يحبها "بسيانو" ويتمنى الزواج منها فقد كان اسمها "بوريشا"...وكانت تتمتع الى جانب أخلاقها الرفيعة ورجاحة عقلها بثروة طائلة ورثتها عن ابيها..وكانت لها وصيفة اسمها "نيرسا" ..وكانت "بورشيا" تعيش في منطقة "بلومنت" القريبة من البندقية. وبعد أن حصل "بسانيو" على النقود، التي اقترضها صديقه "انطونيو" من اليهودي "شيلوك" أخذ طريقة الى "بلمونت" ليعرض الزواج على حبيبته "بورشيا" ...وكان قد اصطحب معه تابعه المهذب "جراتيانو"ومجموعه من الخدم الذين يرتدون ملابس حسنه المنظر ليكونوا في خدمته مؤتمرين بأمرة... ووافقت "بورشيا" على الزواج من "بسانيو"بسعادة غامرة...واعترف لها "بسانيو" بأن ممتلكاته قليلة .وأن الشئ الوحيد الذي يفخر به هو انتماؤه الى اسرة عريقة من النبلاء .فقالت له "بورشيا" إنها تهبه نفسها وكل أملاكها ...وأنه من الآن فصاعدا هو رب البيت ومن حقه أن يتصرف في كل شئ....وخلعت الخاتم من اصبعها وأهدته إليه،وطلبت منه الاَ يفرط في هذا الخاتم ابدا.. وكان التابع"جراتيانو" والوصيفة "نيرسا" يحبان بعضهما ويرغبان في تتويج هذا الحب بالزواج...لذلك فما أن علما بأن سيديهما سيتزوجان حتى أعلن "جراتيانو" انه يرغب في الزواج من "نيرسا".. ووافق السيدان على ذلك بكل سرور... ولكن لحظه الهناءهذه لم تستمر طويلا..فقد وصل الى "بسانيو" خطاب يتضمن أنباء مزعجة ومفزعه،فشحب وجهه وسألته "بورشيا" عن سر اضطرابه ،فقال لها بكل صدق إنه مدين لصديقة العزيز "انطونيو" بمبلغ ثلاثة الاف من الجنيهات...وقد اقترض صديقه هذا المبلغ من اليهودي "شيلوك" بناء على عقد يعطى لليهودي الحق في قطع رطل من لحم "انطونيو" اذا لم يسدد اليه القرض في موعد محدد.. وأراها الخطاب الذي وصله من صديقه الوفي "انطونيو" والذي يحمل انباء سيئة ..وكان الخطاب يقول :"عزيزي بسانيو"...فقدت كل سفني ولم اعد استطيع سداد القرض "لشيلوك" بعد ان حل موعد الدفع ومعنى ذلك ان اليهودي سيقطع رطلا من لحمي من اي جزء من جسمي وسوف تنتهي حياتي وكل ما اتمناه ان اراك قبل موتي ... تاثرت "بورشيا" كثيرا بالمصير المؤلم لهذا الصديق المخلص النبيل وقالت إن على "بسيانو" ان يرحل فورا الى مدينه " البندقية" ومعه اضعاف هذا المبلغ ليحاول تصحيح هذا الخطأ وينقذ صديقة من براثن اليهودي "شيلوك" ووعدته بانها سوف تبذل كل جهدها بالوقوف الى جانبه في هذه المشكلة.. ولكن لكي يصبح "لبسانيو" الحق في التصرف في اموال "بورشيا" فقد كان لا بد ان يتم زواجهما فورا ...فتزوجا وتزوج ايضا "جراتيانو"و"نيرسا".. وفور اتمام كل هذه الاجراءات سافر "بسيانو" وتابعه "جراتيانو" الى البندقية فوجدا "انطونيو" محبوسا بالسجن.. وحاول "بسيانو" ان يتفاهم مع اليهودي "شيلوك" الذي رفض قبول الثلاثة الاف من الجنيهات التي قدمها اليه "بسيانو" واصر "شيلوك" على ان يقطع رطل من لحم "انطونيو" طبقا لما تم الاتفاق عليه في العقد وبعد ان فات ميعاد السداد.. وتحدد موعد لمحاكمه "انطونيو" امام دوق البندقية ووقع "بسانيو" في قلق بالغ وحيرة شديدة.. بعد رحيل "بسانيو" خافت "بورشيا" ان يفشل "بسانيو" في انقاذ هذا الصديق الوفي النبيل الذي ضحى بحياته من اجل زواجها وقررت بينها وبين نفسها ان تذهب الى البندقية لتدافع عن هذا الصديق النبيل امام المحكمه ولكن كيف؟! كان احد اقارب "بورشيا" محاميا كبيرا اسمه "بلاريو" فقامت بالكتابه اليه بكل تفاصيل المشكلة وطلبت منه ان يعطيها النصيحة في كيفية الدفاع كما طلبت منه ايضا ان يعيرها روب المحاماه حتى يمكنها الوقوف به امام المحكمه وسرعان ما وصلها رد المحامي "بلاريو" متضمنا كل النصائح والتفاصيل خطوة خطوة. وهكذا تزيت"بورشيا" ووصيفتها "نيرسا" بدور كاتب المحامي وشدتا الرحال الى البندقية. ودخلت الفتاتان الى قاعة المحكمه التي كانت منعقدة برئاسة دوق البندقية ومجموعه من المستشارين.وسلمت "بورشيا" الى المحكمه خطابا بتوقيع المحامي الكبير "بلاريو" يقول فيه انه كان ينوي الحضور الى البندقية للدفاع بنفسة عن "انطونيو" ولكنه يعتذر عن الحضور بسبب مرضة. ويفوض الشاب المثقف الدكتور"بالتازار" وهو الاسم الذي سميت به "بورشيا" ليقوم بالدفاع نيابه عنه ..وقبل الدوق هذا الخطاب ووافق على ان يقوم الدكتور"بالتازار" بالدفاع عن " انطونيو" بالرغم من صغر سنه وبالرغم من ملامحة الغضة الرقيقة التي تشع بالنضارة....! ودارت "بورشيا" بعينيها في قاعة المحكمه وشاهدت خصمها اليهودي الجشع"شيلوك" الذي خلا قلبه من الرحمه كما وشاهدت زوجها "بسانيو" الذي لم يستطع التعرف عليها وهي مرتدية ملابس الرجال وروب المحاماه وكان واقفا الى جوار صديقة الحميم "انطونيو" وقلبه مفعم بالحزن والاسى.. التعديل الأخير تم بواسطة ~ A7lA DoNiA ~ ; 03-26-2010 الساعة 07:41 AM |
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03-26-2010, 07:36 AM
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المشاركة رقم: 2 |
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كاتب الموضوع :
~ A7lA DoNiA ~
المنتدى :
نافذة الأدب الأنجليزى
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03-26-2010, 07:37 AM
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المشاركة رقم: 3 |
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كاتب الموضوع :
~ A7lA DoNiA ~
المنتدى :
نافذة الأدب الأنجليزى
Sparknotes _____________ The Merchant of Venice Plot Overview Antonio, a Venetian merchant, complains to his friends of a melancholy that he cannot explain. His friend Bassanio is desperately in need of money to court Portia, a wealthy heiress who lives in the city of Belmont. Bassanio asks Antonio for a loan in order to travel in style to Portia’s estate. Antonio agrees, but is unable to make the loan himself because his own money is all invested in a number of trade ships that are still at sea. Antonio suggests that Bassanio secure the loan from one of the city’s moneylenders and name Antonio as the loan’s guarantor. In Belmont, Portia expresses sadness over the terms of her father’s will, which stipulates that she must marry the man who correctly chooses one of three caskets. None of Portia’s current suitors are to her liking, and she and her lady-in-waiting, Nerissa, fondly remember a visit paid some time before by Bassanio. In Venice, Antonio and Bassanio approach Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, for a loan. Shylock nurses a long-standing grudge against Antonio, who has made a habit of berating Shylock and other Jews for their usury, the practice of loaning money at exorbitant rates of interest, and who undermines their business by offering interest-free loans. Although Antonio refuses to apologize for his behavior, Shylock acts agreeably and offers to lend Bassanio three thousand ducats with no interest. Shylock adds, however, that should the loan go unpaid, Shylock will be entitled to a pound of Antonio’s own flesh. Despite Bassanio’s warnings, Antonio agrees. In Shylock’s own household, his servant Lancelot decides to leave Shylock’s service to work for Bassanio, and Shylock’s daughter Jessica schemes to elope with Antonio’s friend Lorenzo. That night, the streets of Venice fill up with revelers, and Jessica escapes with Lorenzo by dressing as his page. After a night of celebration, Bassanio and his friend Graziano leave for Belmont, where Bassanio intends to win Portia’s hand. In Belmont, Portia welcomes the prince of Morocco, who has come in an attempt to choose the right casket to marry her. The prince studies the inscriptions on the three caskets and chooses the gold one, which proves to be an incorrect choice. In Venice, Shylock is furious to find that his daughter has run away, but rejoices in the fact that Antonio’s ships are rumored to have been wrecked and that he will soon be able to claim his debt. In Belmont, the prince of Aragon also visits Portia. He, too, studies the caskets carefully, but he picks the silver one, which is also incorrect. Bassanio arrives at Portia’s estate, and they declare their love for one another. Despite Portia’s request that he wait before choosing, Bassanio immediately picks the correct casket, which is made of lead. He and Portia rejoice, and Graziano confesses that he has fallen in love with Nerissa. The couples decide on a double wedding. Portia gives Bassanio a ring as a token of love, and makes him swear that under no circumstances will he part with it. They are joined, unexpectedly, by Lorenzo and Jessica. The celebration, however, is cut short by the news that Antonio has indeed lost his ships, and that he has forfeited his bond to Shylock. Bassanio and Graziano immediately travel to Venice to try and save Antonio’s life. After they leave, Portia tells Nerissa that they will go to Venice disguised as men. Shylock ignores the many pleas to spare Antonio’s life, and a trial is called to decide the matter. The duke of Venice, who presides over the trial, announces that he has sent for a legal expert, who turns out to be Portia disguised as a young man of law. Portia asks Shylock to show mercy, but he remains inflexible and insists the pound of flesh is rightfully his. Bassanio offers Shylock twice the money due him, but Shylock insists on collecting the bond as it is written. Portia examines the contract and, finding it legally binding, declares that Shylock is entitled to the merchant’s flesh. Shylock ecstatically praises her wisdom, but as he is on the verge of collecting his due, Portia reminds him that he must do so without causing Antonio to bleed, as the contract does not entitle him to any blood. Trapped by this logic, Shylock hastily agrees to take Bassanio’s money instead, but Portia insists that Shylock take his bond as written, or nothing at all. Portia informs Shylock that he is guilty of conspiring against the life of a Venetian citizen, which means he must turn over half of his property to the state and the other half to Antonio. The duke spares Shylock’s life and takes a fine instead of Shylock’s property. Antonio also forgoes his half of Shylock’s wealth on two conditions: first, Shylock must convert to Christianity, and second, he must will the entirety of his estate to Lorenzo and Jessica upon his death. Shylock agrees and takes his leave. Bassanio, who does not see through Portia’s disguise, showers the young law clerk with thanks, and is eventually pressured into giving Portia the ring with which he promised never to part. Graziano gives Nerissa, who is disguised as Portia’s clerk, his ring. The two women return to Belmont, where they find Lorenzo and Jessica declaring their love to each other under the moonlight. When Bassanio and Graziano arrive the next day, their wives accuse them of faithlessly giving their rings to other women. Before the deception goes too far, however, Portia reveals that she was, in fact, the law clerk, and both she and Nerissa reconcile with their husbands. Lorenzo and Jessica are pleased to learn of their inheritance from Shylock, and the joyful news arrives that Antonio’s ships have in fact made it back safely. The group celebrates its good fortune. ____________________________ [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل للمشاهدة الرابطللتسجيل اضغط هنا]]] > |
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03-26-2010, 07:38 AM
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المشاركة رقم: 4 |
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كاتب الموضوع :
~ A7lA DoNiA ~
المنتدى :
نافذة الأدب الأنجليزى
Some Useful Essays _________________ Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice The question frequently asked after reading The Merchant of Venice is: is Shylock a victim or a villain? The best way to investigate this question is to explore the text of the play to find out what Shakespeare wanted us to believe. Life for the Jews in the Elizabethan period was often very hard. In England Jews were viewed with distaste, suspected of a number of heinous crimes such as child murder. They were also distrusted by Christians for the rejection of Christ as the Messiah and because they did not lend money gratis. Many Christians were financially beholden to the Jews. Roderigo Lopez was a Jew of Portuguese decent, who fled to England in 1559 where he worked as a physician. His practice grew, and in time he was appointed physician to the Queen of England. But the Earl of Essex found what he believed to be evidence that Lopez had accepted a bribe from the King of Spain to poison Queen Elizabeth. It is true that Lopez had underhand dealings with Spanish spies, but it is to this day unproven if Lopez ever intended any harm towards the Queen. However, he was found guilty and in 1996 he was hung, drawn and quartered for a crime he probably was never going to commit. The Merchant of Venice was written two years later in 1596, and the treatment of Shylock is similar to that of Lopez. Shylock is shunned by the Christians and treated as an outcast. Possibly, Shakespeare wrote this play as the Lopez case was fresh in people’s minds, and he knew that a play about a detested Jew would be of great interest. In Italy, where The Merchant of Venice is set, the Jews were being greatly prejudiced against; they were being expelled from the country, they were made to wear demoralising items such as ‘badges of shame’ and Jewish synagogues were turned into Christian churches. They were made to wear cloaks, caps or badges which indicated that they were beneath the Christians, and they were condemned to live in just one part of the city, the Ghettos, which were often of bad condition. The only place they were allowed to commune with Christians was on the Rialto where they could do business. The Rialto is where we first meet Shylock. Many people say that Shakespeare drew ambiguous characters, and that Shylock is neither a victim nor a villain. In fact Shakespeare’s characters are very fairly created, nobody is entirely evil, none entirely good, which makes for greater realism. Shakespeare seems to deliberately try to make it hard for the audience to decide if Shylock is a victim or a villain, as he does with all the characters. For example, Antonio appears to be the perfect Christian, but is un-Christian towards Shylock. Bassanio is more feckless, but he learns through his mistakes. When Shakespeare first brings Shylock onto the stage he shows us someone who, at first sight, appears to be a stereotypical Jewish character: vengeful and grasping. Shylock’s assertion that Antonio is a ‘good’ man refers not to Antonio’s moral standing, but to his financial standing, and Shylock later says of Antonio: “How like a fawning publican he looks. I hate him for he is a Christian: But more, for that in low simplicity He lends out money gratis, and brings down The rate of usance here with us in Venice.” This makes Shylock seem to be an unpleasant character who dislikes Antonio just because he is a Christian and has different moral views, but Shakespeare later shows us that Antonio’s treatment of Shylock is just as bad, for he hates Shylock for exactly the same reason; that he is of a different religion: ‘…he hath disgrac’d me, and hinder’d me half a million,” Shylock says of Antonio, “laugh’d at my losses, mock’d at my gains, scorned my Nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies, and what’s his reason? I am a Jew.” ========================= When Shylock justifies usury by quoting from the Bible, Antonio also says Shylock is like a devil citing scripture for his own purpose, “An evil soul producing holy witness…” and “a villain with a smiling cheek. A goodly apple rotten at the heart’. Shylock reminds Antonio of the names he has called him in the past: a ‘misbeliever’ a ‘cut-throat dog’ and ‘all for use of that which is mine own’. In other words Antonio hates Shylock for loaning him and others money. Shakespeare makes the injustice which Shylock feels clear later in the speech: =========================== “What should I say to you? Should I not say, ======================== Hath a dog money? Is it possible A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or ---------------------------------------- Shall I bend low, and in a bondman’s key With bated breath, and whisp’ring humbleness Say this: Fair sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last; You spurn’d me such a day; another time You call’d me dog: and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much moneys.” This speech shows that Shylock feels, rightly so, that Antonio’s treatment of him is unjust; Antonio treats him very badly, but then expects him to lend him money. Another factor which induces sympathy towards Shylock is the scene in which Shylock talks about the ring his partner Leah gave him, ‘it was my turkis, I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys.’ However, Bassanio the Christian gives away the ring Portia gave him without too much regret, and this shows that Shylock is definitely not lacking in emotion or love, and in comparison shows Bassanio in a poor light. In the courtroom Bassanio also says to Antonio: “…life itself, my wife, and all the world, Are not with me esteem’d above thy life.” Shylock finds the Christian view on marriage shocking, as he feels that husbands should give all to their wives, and love them more than anybody else: “These be the Christian husbands: I have a daughter, Would any of the stock of Barrabas Had been her husband, rather than a Christian.” This tells us that perhaps Shylock has higher morals than Bassanio, and indeed though the lead casket stated that Bassanio should ‘give and hazard all he hath’, Bassanio is putting his friend in front of his wife which is challenging the vows he has recently made. One of the most important scenes in The Merchant of Venice is the court scene, as this reveals a lot about Shylock and the other key characters. The overwhelming feeling is that Shylock wants justice. He lives in a community of Christians, who shun him at every opportunity and treat him like a dog. Maybe Shylock does act villainously and inhumanely by demanding a pound of flesh, but that could be because he’s been victimised for so many years. Shylock wants justice for justice sake, even though he knows all he will ever gain is his moral victory: “…if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge…”. There seems to be great bitterness in this speech, as is understandable; Bassanio might say that Antonio is the best of men, but although Antonio treats Bassanio with kindness and friendship, he treats Shylock quite the opposite. Shylock goes on to say: “The pound of flesh which I demand of him Is dearly bought, ‘tis mine, and I will have it. If you deny me: fie upon your Law There is no force in the decrees of Venice; I stand for judgement, answer. Shall I have it?” So Shylock is after justice, a justice which has been denied him and his kind for a long time. When Portia enters the court disguised as Balthasar, one of the first things she says is, “Which is the Merchant here? and which is the Jew?” Shakespeare has put that comment in for a reason; he might be saying that neither is better than the other, and in the laws of equality they are both the same. ==================== During the court scene Portia makes an important speech: “The quality of mercy is not strain’d… It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes, ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest… It is an attribute to God himself…” At face value, Portia is saying that Shylock should be merciful towards Antonio, and release him from the bond, but Shakespeare is also trying to put across a message that all mankind should be merciful and accept mercy, and that nobody is entirely good or evil but a combination of both. In conclusion I feel that Shylock is more a victim than a villain, although he does have a lot of unpleasant qualities. However, he seems to be emotional and has a strong sense of morality, as is shown when he talks about Leah and his views on marriage. The audience feels sympathy for Shylock because it appears everybody is against him, even his own daughter. Nothing seems to go right for him. In Shylock, Shakespeare has created a character who is a villain in appearance but a victim at heart. __________________ [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل للمشاهدة الرابطللتسجيل اضغط هنا]]] > |
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03-26-2010, 07:39 AM
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المشاركة رقم: 5 |
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كاتب الموضوع :
~ A7lA DoNiA ~
المنتدى :
نافذة الأدب الأنجليزى
Injustice in The Merchant of Venice The Merchant of Venice is horrid, cruel, and one of the most popular plays of Shakespeare. After a close reading of the play, I find it impossible to think of Shylock negatively; he is just better quality stuff than any of the Christians in the play. The Christians are truly vile, heartless, money-grabbing monsters, and when Shylock makes his final exit, destroyed by defeat, one should sense that our Christian brothers are at last completely ashamed of themselves. I was hesitant to have anything to do with The Merchant of Venice after I first read it; all possible intrigue had dissolved as I read passages such as the following: "He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies, and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? ...If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?" (III.1.49-55, 58-60) This passage tears at my very soul!!! This play was to me a biting farce written to satisfy a bloody crowd. While researching for this paper, I found two seemingly opposing facts about The Merchant of Venice - the Shakespearean play which have sparked the most controversy. This play is the most controversial and the most studied play in Israel. It is difficult to understand how this play could be beloved by the very people who are struck down. Apparently there are various readings of The Merchant of Venice which I had not considered. Perhaps the play is neither pro-Jewish, nor pro-Christian. Sure, Shylock is painted as a money-hungry Jew throughout the Merchant, "My daughter, O my ducats! My ducats, O my daughter!" Shylock is enraged his daughter has eloped with a Christian, but perhaps he is more concerned with the fate of his money. Antonio, a Christian, has borrowed money from Shylock and refuses to pay it back. Here the reader may find a Jew-hating man who publicly spits on Shylock, and suffers from the grief of an unfullfilled homo-erotic relationship. Plainly, it can be seen that the Christians in this play are far from holy or perfect. The illustrations which show neither the Jew nor the Christian to be perfect are countless. I feel better reading the play now that I have the option to view Shakespeare as a man of his time who was able to step away from the prejudices of the world in which he lived, and present injustice as he saw it. ____________________ [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل للمشاهدة الرابطللتسجيل اضغط هنا]]] > |
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