Context: Power & Wealth

• How is the influence of wealth seem through society of all ages?

  • For centuries, wealth was predominantly held by landowners & aristocracy
• How is power & wealth evident in Venice?

  • Venice was a city driven by trade & commerce
  • Its opulence was founded on business, legal & financial matters rather than inherited wealth or noble status
• How is rising wealth evident in M of V?

  • M of V was written during a period in which a new group of merchants & business people were on the rise
  • E.g. Shakespeare’s use of Portia’s predicament with her suitors enables Shakespeare to mock the aristocrats of varying nations for the entertainment of his Elizabethan audience
• How is power & wealth evident in relationships in M of V?

  • Due to the social conventions of courtship during this period, Bassanio needs wealth in order to pursue Portia
• How does power & wealth contradict Christian beliefs?

  • Lending money w/ the intention of profiting from it was considered to be against Christian religious beliefs
• Why was power & wealth viewed negatively through Jews?

  • In England, borrowing money to finance ventures was made legal, although it still carried a negative connotation as it was traditionally done through Jewish lenders
  • E.g. Shylock, a character who values his wealth over his own daughter, Jessica, would have been viewed unfavourably by Shakespearean audiences
• How does power & wealth reflect Shylock’s reputation as an outcast?

  • Shylock’s fixation on his home, jewellery, finances, and assets reveal his status as an outsider to Venetian society, which is further emphasised by the legal principles Portia speaks about
• How does power & wealth influence our understanding of the play as the audience?

  • However, as an audience, it is important to have an understanding of the reasons why money held such significance to Shylock
  • E.g. Shylock views usury as a means of maintaining his financial stability