Storytelling Thesis that Answers Question

Drawing upon the power of storytelling, Shakespeare crafts his dramatic comedy ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ to
[answer question] through his microcosmic representation of the diverse ways individuals may respond to
conflict.

Ultimately, through his masterful construction of character,

Central to Shakespeare’s exploration of [] is his masterful construction of Shylock, whose duality as both an
archetypal vice-like villain and a hapless victim of the xenophobic Christian hegemony delineates the impact of
conflict in corrupting individual identity. Echoing the elevated anti-semitic values of the Elizabethan period,
Shakespeare introduces Shylock as an avaricious moneylender who prizes monetary wealth over interpersonal
relationships. This is conveyed through his reaction to the loss of his daughter “O my daughter! O my ducats! O
my daughter,” wherein Shakespeare’s use of anaphora and exclamatory statements equate Shylock’s perception
of wealth and the personal value of his daughter, thereby imposing a vindictive and morally corrupt image.
However, Shakespeare diverges from this unidimensional construction of Shylock as a villain and instead
humanises him, [answer question]. Through the cumulative rhetorical questions within his dramatic
monologue which act to evoke pathos from the responder “Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,
senses, dimensions, passions?” Shakespeare foregrounds Shylock’s shared humanity, therefore [link]. This is
reaffirmed as Shakespeare unravels the motivations underpinning Shylock’s immoral behaviour “the villainy you
teach me I will execute, and it will go hard but I will better the instruction,” wherein the high modality and
emotive language of his discourse position the responder to consider Shylock as corrupted, rather than innately
corrupt. Thus, through the

In turn, Shakespeare illuminates how conflict may also invite individuals to reconsider personal values and
amend their treatment of the literary other through the character progression of Antonio, [link]. Shakespeare
explores this notion through the inconsistencies between Antonio’s Christian values and his marginalisation of
the ‘other,’ which manifest in the disparity between his altruistic treatment of Bassanio and his victimisation of
Shylock.

Through the hyperbole of “my purse, my person, my extremest means,” Shakespeare establishes Antonio’s
selfless and benevolent nature, which align with his Christian values. This is sharply contrasted against his
zoomorphic description of Shylock as ‘misbeliever, cut-throat dog,’ illuminating how conflict may polarise the
perception of the ‘other,’ thereby reaffirming the role of conflict in corrupting an individual’s identity.
However, a contemporary reading reveals a resolution of Antonio’s mistreatment and thereby inconsistencies
within his character, through his bestowal of mercy to Shylock at the end of the court scene, [link to question].
His gentle tone within “So please my lord the Duke and all the court to quit the fine for one half of his goods,”
represents a powerful shift in character, one that is divinely affirmed through the peripeteia of his ships
returning, thereby encouraging the audience to consider their own behaviour.

Finally, through Portia’s inner conflict between attaining self agency and conforming to the status quo,
Shakespeare [answer question], positioning the responder to question the diminished role of women within
society. Central to this notion is Shakespeare’s construction of the Venetian storyworld as a microcosm of
Elizabethan society, creating a parallel between the experiences of Portia and the collective subjugation of
women within the Renaissance period. Shakespeare illuminates this through the metaphor of “and yet a maiden
hath no tongue but thought,” asserting the metaphysical silencing of women [link to question]. This denial of
voice and agency catalyses her internal conflict as she realises the futility of satisfying both her individual desires
and societal expectations. Through the repetition of forsworn within “I could teach you how to choose right,
but then I’d be forsworn… but you’d make me wish a sin, that I had be forsworn,” Shakespeare establishes how
the stringent patriarchal values of the Venetian storyworld create an irrevocable dichotomy between Portia’s
aspirations for individual agency and her expected alignment with gender roles, [link to question]. This
incapacity to attain personal agency within the traditional power structure leads her to deception, which
Shakespeare uses to comment on the capacity of women in fulfilling historically male roles, through the
dramatic irony of the court scene which enables Portia to display her intelligence and wit. Although Portia
eventually reverts back to a position of subverscience, her temporary liberation illustrates the ability of women
to perform the same role as men, thereby…

Finally, through his depiction of Portia

Finally, through Portia’s inner conflict between attaining self-agency and conforming to the status quo,
Shakespeare explores how internal conflict may both shape and restrict the behaviour and actions of individuals,
positioning the responder to question the diminished role of women within society. Central to this notion is
Shakespeare’s construction of the Venetian storyworld as a microcosm of Elizabethan society, creating a parallel
between Portia’s experiences and the collective subjugation of women within the Renaissance period. This is
illuminated through the metaphor of “and yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought,” asserting the
metaphysical silencing of women which precipitates Portia’s

Thus, through his depiction of the divergent ways individuals may respond to conflict, Shakespeare

Finally, through Portia’s inner conflict between attaining self-agency and conforming to the status quo,
Shakespeare [link], positioning the responder to question the diminished role of women within society. Central
to this notion is Shakespeare’s construction of the Venetian storyworld as a microcosm of Elizabethan society,
creating a parallel between Portia’s experiences and the collective subjugation of women within the Renaissance
period. This is illuminated through the metaphor of “and yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought,” asserting
the metaphysical silencing of women that . This denial of self agency catalyses her internal conflict as she realises
the futility of satisfying both her individual desires and social expectations. Through the repetition of forsworn
within “I could teach you how to choose right, but then I’d be forsworn… but you’d make me wish a sin, that I
had been forsworn,” Shakespeare illuminates how the stringent patriarchal val