Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice presents several characters who behave

with selfishness and greed. Which character is most condemnable for their moral
character?
Introduction: The play the Merchant of Venice, written by Shakespeare, has many
characters that express selfish or greedy traits. There are some characters that
standout for their greedy and selfish morals.
Paragraph 1: Jessica is greedy and selfish
- She steals from her father
T: Jessica is also a greedy and selfish character in The Merchant of Venice as she
steals jewels and gold from her father, Shylock.
E: Jessica wants to escape from her father and when she does she takes lots of
gold, gems and ducats with her. She takes them to waste on food or other things to
please herself.
E: One of them showed me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey. Tubal
is telling Schlock that Jessica spent Shylocks precious ring which his wife had given
him, yet Jessica sells it away not caring about its actual worth.
...Ducats, stolen from me by my daughter Shylock is angry that Jessica has
stolen his money (ducats) and also his jewels. Jessica takes her fathers money so
that her and Lancelot can live better.

Paragraph 2: Shylock is greedy and selfish
- He cares more about money than his daughter
- He charges interest on most of his loans to get more money
T: Shylock can be seen as one of the most selfish and greedy people in the play. He
cares more about money than his own daughter and charges interest on people so
he can get more money.
E: When shylock is attending the party by Bassanio, his daughter Jessica escapes
and brings with her jewels and gold. When Shylock finds out he says he wants his
gold back and his daughter dead at his feet.
E: I would my daughter were dead at my foot and the jewels in her ear! Shylock
desires his greed for money over his own daughter.
L: This truly proves that Shylock is caught up in his selfishness of wanting the most
for himself and not caring about others, even his family! Shylock is one of the
greediest and selfish characters in the play but there are also others

Paragraph 3: Bassanio is very greedy/ selfish.
Topic: The Merchant of Venice has many characters that express selfish or greedy
traits. Bassanio, who is known to be selfish and greedy, can be seen as one of the
worst characters to do this in the play.
Points 1: He wants more money from Portia
2.
E: In Belmont is a lady richly left. Here Bassanio describes Portia as a very rich
lady in who he desires. When he talks about wooing her, he talks about her worth as
her only value coming from her money, which is the main thing he cares about. He
wants her money so he can continue to live his old ways.
Bassanio is plotting a plan to get money and wealth while Shylock and Jessica are
being greedy and selfish because
He wants Antonio to be the person who holds the bond so he wont get in trouble and
so he can have money
Bassanio lets his best friend risk his life by being bound to a pound of flesh Act 1,
scene 3, lines 147-148 for the bond so Bassanio can have the 3000 ducats.