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The Merchant of Venice : Themes/Symbols and Motifs

Year 12 Advanced English- Module B

The Merchant of Venice- Theme Overview

The Merchant of Venice explores a range of complex themes, including justice, mercy, revenge, and prejudice. The play juxtaposes the harshness of justice, represented by Shylock’s demand for a pound of flesh, with the ideal of mercy, embodied by Portia's impassioned speech in court. The tension between these two forces raises questions about the fairness and humanity of the law. Prejudice is also central, particularly in the treatment of Shylock as a Jewish outsider, with the play exposing both anti-Semitism and the dehumanising effects of discrimination. Themes of love and loyalty emerge through Bassanio’s relationship with Antonio and his pursuit of Portia, while the play also examines the dynamics of identity and disguise, as characters like Portia and Nerissa take on male roles to navigate patriarchal structures. Ultimately, the play confronts the complexities of human relationships, highlighting the consequences of prejudice and the challenges of balancing justice with compassion.

LitCharts

Course Hero

Theme Wheel

How does the Theme Wheel work?

  • Each wedge of the blue ring represents a scene.
  • Each row of colored boxes extending from a wedge represents a part of the scene. The closer to the blue ring, the closer to the beginning of the scene.
  • The colors in each row indicate which themes are “active” in that part of the scene.

The Theme Wheel is interactive.

  • Themes: Hover over or tap any of the themes in the Themes and Colors Key to show only that theme. Click a theme in the Themes Key to lock it.
  • Summary: Hover over or tap any row of colored boxes to read the summary associated with that row. Click the row to lock the summary.

ClickView

Money, relationships, love, choices, race and isolation… The tangled webs woven in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice pale into insignificance compared with the director’s relationship with his brother Trevor, Bassanio’s personal struggle with his dating profile, Antonio’s ill-fitting wardrobe and Portia’s blunt assessments of proceedings at rehearsal. This entertaining programme provides students with a comical yet pertinent portrayal of the play’s themes.

Use this interactive to better understand the theme of money in 'The Merchant of Venice'.

 

Use this interactive to better understand the theme of gender in 'The Merchant of Venice'.

Use this interactive to better understand the themes of love and friendship in 'The Merchant of Venice'.

Use this interactive to better understand the themes of mercy, revenge and justice in 'The Merchant of Venice'.

Discover how Shakespeare tackles the complex theme of race and prejudice in The Merchant of Venice. Explore the ugly realities of racism and decide for yourself: does Shakespeare reinforce harmful attitudes or challenge them?
Along the way, learn how to analyse important quotes and techniques that illustrate this theme.

Bell Shakespeare

The plot of The Merchant of Venice is reminiscent of fairytales and folklore from history, namely the ‘princess in the tower’ and the ‘bond.’ The story surrounding Portia reflects the story of Rapunzel or Cinderella: a beautiful young woman trapped until she is rescued by a prince. The story of the bond is that of Antonio and Shylock. Shylock is determined to attain the pound of flesh even when he is offered twenty times the original loan.

Art of Smart

Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice explores a Christian merchant’s bond with a Jewish moneylender, their high-stakes loan, and a controversial trial. Check out the plot summary, key characters, themes, quotes and a step-by-step guide on how to analyse an excerpt from the text.