Themes- Love Flashcards
Explain the complexities of marriage in the 16th century
England and Venice were patriarchal societies where men held authority over women. In wealthy families, fathers decided who their daughters should marry. This meant that noblewomen were usually married accordingly to what benefited their families most in terms of wealth and status. In Elizabethan times men were often given a dowry when they married which was a fortune given by the Bride’s family. This makes Portia’s wealth as part of her appeal. Bassanio knows Portia is rich and he’s in debt to Antonio which means that love might not only be the reason for marrying Portia and he could do with the money as well.
Marriage between Jews and Christians was forbidden in 16th century Venice, so Jessica had to convert to Christianity to marry Lorenzo. Thus gives her another reason for marrying Lorenzo she could partly be doing it to escape her background. In the 16th century everyone was expected to get married and those who remained single were treated as outsiders in later life. This could suggest why Gratiano and Nerrisa rush into marriage
How is love important to some characters?
In the play, love and companionship are also important in marriage suggested by Shakespeare. Portia wants to choose her husband herself and doesn’t want to marry anyone that she doesn’t love . She does end up married in the end but is lucky. The man who chooses her right casket is the man she loves.
Love is the main motivation for Lorenzo marrying Jessica. He’s knows how controversial it is for Christians to marry a converted Jew, but loves Jessica too much to care
How can courtly love be seen as a bit false?
Courtly love was a way of wooing a lady that became popular in medieval literature. The man idolised the lady he loved, often by writing poetry and songs in praise of her. Bassanio sometimes speaks to Portia using the poetic and exaggerated language of a courtly lover. When Bassanio’s praise of Portia goes over the top his love seems less genuine. This adds to the sense that he might be acting out if desire for wealth as well as his affection for Portia. Courtly lovers often expressed how painful it was for them to be in love. Bassanio dramatically refers ti this
Explain male friendship in the form of love
The play features a lot of close male friendships. The christian men are openly affectionate and tease one another. This shows how much they are close and comfortable in each other’s company. These friendships make Shylock appear isolated. His only friend in the play is Tubal and there’s no evidence suggesting they’re close. Antonio and Bassanio’s friendship stands out as particularly deep. Antonio offers Bassanio his extremest means to help him and Bassanio offers to give up his own live to save Antonio’s. This friendship drives the plot as without it Antonio wouldn’t have borrowed the money in the first place.
How does their relationship clash with romantic love?
The love between Antonio an Bassanio comes into conflict with Bassanio’s love for Portia. This conflict is highlighted by Portia’s ring when Bassanio gives it away upon Antonio’s request. He reveals how his relationship with Antonio is more important than his relationship with Portia. Portia is dissatisfied with being lower down in Bassanio’s priorities than Antonio, which is why she tricks him in the final scene of the play. She and Nerrisa want their husbands to value their wives over their friends
How is love between family members complicated?
Family love is another source of conflict in the play. Portia’s father has left her in a difficult position and she’s torn between her father’s desire to let the caskets choose a husband for her and her own wishes. Portia could disobey her father but she obeys his wishes. This could be out of love for him or because she sees it as a duty as a daughter to show him respect.
Jessica on the other hand shows little love or respect for her father. She knows that it will hurt Shylock to loose his daughter and a lot of money but goes away with her escape plan anyway. In the 16th century daughters were expected to obey their fathers. This made it shameful for a daughter to abandon her father as Jessica does. However, the unflattening portrayal of Shylock as a father means that Shakespeare’s audience might have seen
Jessica’s betrayal as acceptable.
Shylock truly loves his daughter Jessica even though he is to graft to express it. When she desserts him leaving him entirely alone in the world he is transformed from a remotely grumpy guy into an actively malicious one
Explain Bassanio and Portia’s relationship in terms of love
The love between Portia and Bassanio is the central romance in the play. Initially Bassanio isn’t only attracted to Portia because of her good looks but also by the wealth she has inherited. In fact her wealth rather than her beauty is mentioned first. However, it’s obvious to us all that Bassanio’s feelings for Portia blossom over the time he spends in Belmont. Portia seems troubled when it comes to Bassanio as she seems almost cross with herself for falling in love for him and asks her feelings to be less intense. We feel as if this confident, strong-willed woman is used to bring in control of her emotions and is confused by the new intense feelings that have gripped her. She is reluctant for him to attempt the riddle of the caskets because if he fails they will have to seperate. She declares that she is willing to go any lengths to improve herself for him. The greatest indication of Portia’s love for Bassanio comes when she is willing to offer Shylock any amount of money if it means his friend will be saved. She then decides to take charge of the situation herself. At the end of the play we are confident that this will be a marriage of equals. Even though she is living in a man’s world she is well able to hold her own. She saves Antonio’s life as Balthazar. Furthermore she convinces Bassanio to give over his ring. She is a formidable and intelligent woman who is definitely equal to Bassanio.
Portia does not love Bassanio. Based on her usage of the Hercules myth, we know she knows he was using her to get her money. Because she is a practical woman, she is convinced herself to love him. She’s making the best of the best situation, which is why she is willing and interested in asserting her power over him at the end of the play
Explain the relationship between Gratiano and Nerrisa
Their relationship is much more down to earth. Rather than being romantic they are frank about their sexuality and desires . Again they have a marriage of equals. Gratiano is taken aback by Nerrisa’s performance as a clerk and he is a made a fool of when she acts shocked that he gave away her ring. However she seems to accept his embarrassment with good grace and we are left with the impression that his his marriage with Nerrisa will be of good humour.
Explain Jessica and Lorenzo’s relationship
Their relationship begins with much excitement and adventure. They must escape from Shylock and elope. They hatch a careful plan and steal away in the dead of the night with Shylock’s money. They then go on the run. They travel through foreign cities spending huge amounts if money and it seems as an exiting time for the young people
When they return to Belmont they can relax and enjoy one another’s company. Yet we wonder how perfect life is for them. Jessica seems to lack confidence as she frets as her appearance when dressed as a boy. She also seems a little unsure of Lorenzo’s feelings. She is still very much an outsider and she says very little in later scenes.
What is the purpose of the romantic relationships in the play?
The romantic relationships in the play lighten the mood and the tension. They provide us with humour and joy and their progression is very enjoyable to watch
Summarise love
Love is shown between family members, couples, friends. Love is regulated, sacrificed, betrayed and generally built on the rocky foundations of the play
