Merchant of Venice as a Problem Play
Merchant of Venice has always been a controversial play in terms of genre. Whether it is a comedy or tragedy is always discussed. But Merchant of Venice is a problem play includes anti-Semitism, racial bigotry, passion, integrity and financial manipulation. I evaluated the game as a problem play under two main titles. The first is Antonio and his debt, and the second is that Shylock is a hated Jew. The play has major problem and many minor problems. Jessica’s is pressured by her father and Portia choosing chests are minor problems. However, it would be a problem if she would marry the person who found the right chest. We know that Shylock is a cruel and heartless merchant. Most people think that it is a comedy with a sad end of a Jewish moneylender. But it cannot be a comedy because there is nothing to laugh in the story. Assuming Merchant of Venice as a dark comedy also cannot be true because there are painful problems in the play like hatred of a Jew. It is that Merchant of Venice is Antonio but pivotal character is Shylock. It is important to focus to solve whether it is an anti-Semitic play or a Christian criticism. Shakespeare uses the word ‘’Jew’’ in Merchant of Venice 71 times and the 32 ones are actually ‘’ The Jew’’. ‘’the’ ’word focuses on a specific group of people. Moreover He usually brought an appendix to their heads; Villain Jew, Faithless Jew, Heartless Jew, Dog Jew, Harsh Jew and Currish Jew etc. But readers get confused in act 3 with Shylock’s sentences. ‘’Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us do we not bleed?’’ He seeks for justice and emphasize they are both human. Here, things get a little messy and I question the purpose of writing the play. The play may be a Christian critique written in a way that will not pose a risk to the throne of the period and will not attract public reaction. So, one of the reasons that make this game a problem play is can be criticism of Christianity. Because when someone read Merchant of Venice objectively, she/he does feel sad or happy. We see that Shylock character is wronged and marginalized. This is a problem. What is done to Shylock in the play is more cruel and unfair. While other characters argue that Christianity is a great and good religion, they make to Shylock a humane trial. It is difficult to expect goodness from someone who is treated as a piece of dirt. None of the characters play a big role in the play, neither they are funny. So it is hard to classify if it is a comedy or tragedy. If Shakespeare did not use a tragic hero and identify us with characters, this is not a tragedy. Because the end does not ends with a big event. We also do not see the lovers dragged after a great love. In Shakespeare’s comedies or tragedies, we have heroes with a hero with flaw or totally flawless. Shylock is not a tragic hero neither Antonio is a hero of romance. None of the characters in Merchant of Venice turns play into a complete tragedy or ends with a big reunion. In conclusion Merchant of Venice does not carry any of the elements of Shakespearean comedy or tragedy. It is not true to categorize the play as a ‘’tragedy’’ according to Shylock’s bitter end while there is joy in Jessica, Antonio, Portia etc. It is best to say problem play to Merchant of Venice.
