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Submitted To: Mr. S.C.Roy

(Faculty for English)

Submitted By: Vagisha Pragya Vacaknavi

Roll No. 374
Semester II, 1st Year.
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The present project on the ‰
  
 



 
   



 has been able to get its final shape with the support and help of people from
various quarters. My sincere thanks go to all the members without whom the study could not
have come to its present state. I am proud to acknowledge gratitude to the individuals during my
study and without whom the study may not be completed. I have taken this opportunity to thank
those who genuinely helped me.

With immense pleasure, I express my deepest sense of gratitude to Mr. S.C.Roy, Faculty for
English, Chanakya National Law University for helping me in my project. I am also thankful to
the whole Chanakya National Law University family that provided me all the material I required
for the project. Not to forget thanking to my parents without the co-operation of which
completion of this project would not had been possible.

I have made every effort to acknowledge credits, but I apologies in advance for any omission
that may have inadvertently taken place.

Last but not least I would like to thank Almighty whose blessing helped me to complete the
project.

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©
 

The researcher has adopted a purely doctrinal method of research. The researcher has made
extensive use of the library at the Chanakya National Law University and also the internet
sources.

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The aim of the project is to present a study regarding the condition of poor people during
Elizabethan age and during the age in which ³Merchant of Venice´ was written by studying the
conditions and problems faced by the poor people because of money lenders.

  



The project deals with the study regarding the condition of poor people during Elizabethan age
and during the age in which ³Merchant of Venice´ was written by studying the conditions and
problems faced by the poor people because of money lenders. It lays emphasis only to the
condition as can be derived by studying ³Merchant of Venice´.


 

The following secondary sources of data have been used in the project-
1.‘ Websites

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The method of writing followed in the course of this research paper is primarily
analytical.

© 


The researcher has followed a uniform mode of citation throughout the course of this research
paper.

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Ben Jonson called ³    !  "" .´ Shakespeare¶s greatness, one
critic said, lay in his ³#$%& !"´. The Play ³©
  
 ´ is written by
William Shakespeare. %""%$  (baptised 26 April 1564; died 23 April 1616) was
an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language
and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called "'( %"  and the "Bard
of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets,
two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every
major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne
Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between
1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a
playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears
to have retired to Stratford around 1613, where he died three years later. Few records of
Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such
matters as his physical appearance, sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed
to him were written by others.
Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were
mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the
end of the sixteenth century. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including V ,
 
, and © , considered some of the finest works in the English language. In his last
phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other
playwrights. Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during
his lifetime. In 1623, two of his former theatrical colleagues published the First Folio, a collected
edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognized as
Shakespeare's1.
Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise
to its present heights until the nineteenth century. The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed
Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George

1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_of_Venice

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Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry". In the twentieth century, his work was repeatedly adopted and
rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly
popular today and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and
political contexts throughout the world. Most playwrights of the period typically collaborated
with others at some point, and critics agree that Shakespeare did the same, mostly early and late
in his career. Some attributions, such as ÷ 
 and the early history plays, remain
controversial, while ÷  ÷      and the lost 
  have well-attested
contemporary documentation. Textual evidence also supports the view that several of the plays
were revised by other writers after their original composition.
The first recorded works of Shakespeare are 
 and the three parts of V 

, written
in the early 1590s during a vogue for historical drama. Shakespeare's plays are difficult to date,
however, and studies of the texts suggest that ÷ 
, ÷      


, ÷ 
÷     
and ÷  ÷       

 may also belong to Shakespeare¶s
earliest period. His first histories, which draw heavily on the 1587 edition of Raphael
Holinshed's 
         
, dramatise the destructive results of
weak or corrupt rule and have been interpreted as a justification for the origins of the Tudor
dynasty. The early plays were influenced by the works of other Elizabethan dramatists. Like ÷ 
÷     

, in which two friends appear to approve of rape, the 

 story of
the taming of a woman's independent spirit by a man sometimes troubles modern critics and
directors2.
The first reference to Shakespeare is found in the words of Robert Greene who, frustrated with
his own failure to make a living, lashed out at his employee, and perhaps prodigee, the young
William Shakespeare, challenging his ability as a young actor as well as an actor-dramatist
whose success had made it more difficult for Greene to earn his living. Shakespeare was already
highly though of and this was strengthened by his publication of Venus and Adonis in 1593 and
Rape of Lucerce in 1594. Venus and Adonis, though his first work, was published after his
reputation and success had been established on stage. There are conflicting views as regards his
work, but it is now established with considerable proof that Shakespeare started his career as a
dramatist a few years earlier than 1590.

2
http://www.enotes.com/merchant-of-venice/

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÷ 

 is a play by Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596
and 1598. Classified as a comedy in the First Folio, the play is perhaps more remembered for its
dramatic scenes, and is best known for Shylock and the 'pound of flesh'.
The title character is the merchant Antonio, not the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who is the
play's most prominent and more famous character.
Ô
 

 
Ô 
% - a merchant from Venice; Christian
)% ± Antonio's friend, in love with Portia; Christian
*%, "% "% "% ± friends of Antonio and Bassanio; Christian
+ ± friend of Antonio and Bassanio, in love with Jessica; Christian
% ± a rich heiress
% ± Portia's waiting-maid
)"+ ± a servant of Portia
 ± a servant of Portia
,"#± a rich Jew, father of Jessica
! " ± a Jew; Shylock's friend
-%# ± Daughter of Shylock, in love with Lorenzo; Jewess, converts to Christianity
!#" Gobbo ± a foolish man in the service of Shylock

"' *  ± the father of Launcelot

' - servant to Bassanio
.!  %# - Venetian authority who presides over the case of Shylock's bond
%#  /## ± suitor to Portia
%#   ± suitor to Portia
Magnificoes of Venice, officers of the Court of Justice, Gaoler, servants to Portia, and other
Attendants




 A VENETIAN MERCHANT, complains to his friends of a melancholy that he cannot
explain. His friend )% is desperately in need of money to court %, a wealthy heiress
who lives in the city of Belmont. Bassanio asks Antonio for a loan in order to travel in style to

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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 ,"# 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 !#" decides to leave Shylock¶s service to work for Bassanio, and
Shylock¶s daughter -%# schemes to elope with Antonio¶s friend +. 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 *% 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 Arragon 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 Gratiano 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

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Antonio has indeed lost his ships, and that he has forfeited his bond to Shylock. Bassanio and
Gratiano 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 leave3.
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.
Gratiano 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 Gratiano 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.

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http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/characters.html

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In ©
, Shakespeare wove together two ancient folk tales, one involving a vengeful, greedy
creditor trying to exact a pound of flesh, the other involving a marriage suitor's choice among
three chests and thereby winning his (or her) mate. Shakespeare's treatment of the first standard
plot scheme centers around the villain of ©
, the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who seeks
a literal pound of flesh from his Christian opposite, the generous, faithful Antonio. Shakespeare's
version of the chest-choosing device revolves around the play's Christian heroine Portia, who
steers her lover Bassanio toward the correct humble casket and then successfully defends his
bosom friend Antonio from Shylock's horrid legal suit.
In the modern, post-Holocaust readings of ©
, the problem of anti-Semitism in the play
has loomed large. A close reading of the text must acknowledge that Shylock is a stereotypical
caricature of a cruel, money-obsessed medieval Jew, but it also suggests that Shakespeare's
intentions in ©
 were not primarily anti-Semitic. Indeed, the dominant thematic complex
in ÷  ©
  
 is much more universal than specific religious or racial hatred; it
spins around the polarity between the surface attractiveness of gold and the Christian qualities of
mercy and compassion that lie beneath the flesh.
The play shows a conflict between two communities i.e., Christian and Jew. The Christian
community is denoted by Antonio and the Jew by Shylock. Shylock was the money lender or as
addressed by Antonio, a Usurer. He used to give money to the people who needed it and in return
wanted the principal amount to be returned with interest thereon. This practice was regarded by
the Christians as against the Bible and a cruel act, which was not at all merciful.
On the surface, the main difference between the Christian characters and Shylock appears to be
that the Christian characters value human relationships over business ones, whereas Shylock is
only interested in money. The Christian characters certainly view the matter this way. Merchants
like Antonio lend money free of interest and put themselves at risk for those they love, whereas
Shylock agonizes over the loss of his money and is reported to run through the streets crying, ³O,
my ducats! O, my daughter!´ (II.viii.15). With these words, he apparently values his money at
least as much as his daughter, suggesting that his greed outweighs his love. However, upon
closer inspection, this supposed difference between Christian and Jew breaks down. When we
see Shylock in Act III, scene i, he seems more hurt by the fact that his daughter sold a ring that
was given to him by his dead wife before they were married than he is by the loss of the ring¶s

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monetary value. Some human relationships do indeed matter to Shylock more than money.
Moreover, his insistence that he has a pound of flesh rather than any amount of money shows
that his resentment is much stronger than his greed.
Just as Shylock¶s character seems hard to pin down, the Christian characters also present an
inconsistent picture. Though Portia and Bassanio come to love one another, Bassanio seeks her
hand in the first place because he is monstrously in debt and needs her money. Bassanio even
asks Antonio to look at the money he lends Bassanio as an investment, though Antonio insists
that he lends him the money solely out of love. In other words, Bassanio is anxious to view his
relationship with Antonio as a matter of business rather than of love. Finally, Shylock eloquently
argues that Jews are human beings just as Christians are, but Christians such as Antonio hate
Jews simply because they are Jews. Thus, while the Christian characters may talk more about
mercy, love, and charity, they are not always consistent in how they display these qualities.
Shylock depicts the picture of a greedy money lover and a person who tries to settle his
vengeance against the Christian community by doing acts which is against humanity.
Shylock, the money lender who lends money to Antonio, asks as per the deed made between
them, a pound of flesh and refuses to take even the double and triple amount of sum when
offered to him.
The fate of poor people as may be depicted or inferred from Merchant of Venice is that, there are
mainly two types of money lenders, one being the Christian community and the other being the
Jew community. The Christian community who give money without any interest thereon in
contrast to the Jew community who charge interest on the sum lend by them.
Moreover, the Jew being very particular about the principal amount as well as their interest to be
returned no time or the other person has to be ready to face the consequences.
The money lenders do not understand the need and pain of poor people. They are very
professional in their work and have no mercy.
This is what happened in the play. Shylock was least concerned about the sad fact that the ships
of Antonio have been destroyed in storm and thus he would be unable to return the sum. But he
was focused his deed fulfilled which was signed by both of them, to be applied when Antonio
fails to return the sum.

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All people and well wishers of Antonio pleaded mercy from Shylock for not enforcing the deed
but he like a cruel money lender was adamant in his decision and refused to take anything in
exchange but the D   as mentioned in the deed.
The play shows that the fate of poor and the needy people is always bad. In first place the poor
people have no money to survive and secondly, because of the presence of people and money
lenders like Shylock, who have no mercy.
Throughout the play, it has been shown the love for money of Shylock. He is not concerned
about his daughter who has run away from home to marry a Christian but is more concerned
about the money which she took with her.
This shows the money loving character of the money lenders and that they cannot part with their
money at any cost.

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The play ³Merchant of Venice´ is a play based on the conflict between the two communities, the
Jew and the Christian.
The profession of money lending was being practised by the Jew community who had no other
job to do as they were always abused and ill-treated by the Christian community living in
Venice. All the main profession were occupied by the Christians and hence the only profession
or work left with Jews to practise so as to survive was money lending. Their ill-treatment by the
members of Christian community was the cause of deep vengeance that was in their hearts for
the Christians. They were always in want of any opportunity so as to take revenge of their insult
from the Christians.
Thus, this vengeance resulted in lending money to poor people of Venice on interest by Shylock,
who was the Jew and therefore he was also hated for this work.
He has been depicted as a cruel adamant person who is a great money lover.
As he has not been subjected to any mercy by the Christians, therefore he has not mercy for them
and for Antonio when it comes to him for the failure of payment of money taken by him from
Shylock. Shylock finds it the best way to take his all revenge from Antonio who had troubled
Shylock a lot in the past.
The nature of money lenders in the age in which Merchant of Venice was written was very harsh
and cruel. They had no mercy for poor and needy person. They wanted the money back on time
and with the interest on the principal amount.
By doing this project I come to know about the ill treatment of Jews by the Christian and the
cruel behaviour of Jew towards the Christians as a result of it.
I would like to express my deep thanks to my English faculty for giving me this topic as I came
to know a lot about the relation between the money lenders and the poor people during the age in
which Merchant of Venice was written.
The 1st chapter of the project work deals with the introduction to the author. William
Shakespeare had done a great job and his great effort and work is shown in his plays. Merchant
of Venice being one of the most popular plays written by him during the Elizabethan age and is
widely accepted and read till date.

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The 2nd chapter deals with the summary of the play ³Merchant of Venice´. The whole play is
divided into V Acts. A brief story of the play has been written in this chapter with addition of the
character list.
The 3rd Chapter deals with the relation of topic with the play. The topic of the project is ³money
lenders and fate of poor people´ with reference of Merchant of Venice. Effort has been made to
co-relate the topic with the play.
The 4th chapter deals with the critical analysis of the project topic. The experience and
knowledge gained by doing this project work has been mention under this head.
Last but not the least, it was great experience to do this project work and I would like to express
my deep thanks to all those who helped me in doing my project work.

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ԑ Bhatia, Praveen. ³÷ ©
 
 ´. UBS Publishers¶ Distributors Pvt. Ltd.: New
Delhi, 2009.


ԑ http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/characters.html
ԑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_of_Venice
ԑ http://www.enotes.com/merchant-of-venice/

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