The Trial Scene in The Merchant of Venice Essay - 1010 Words

The Trial Scene in The Merchant of Venice Written between 1596 and 1598 The Merchant of Venice is not one of the most performed plays written by William Shakespeare. The play is classed as one of the sixteen comedy plays and most productions often use modern times and dress. It was performed in front of an audience who were not very well educated but the issues being raised in the play would have been understood. A modern day audience would be less sympathetic than the audience of that period towards the Jew, Shylock. Venice is the setting of the play; a nation that was not ruled by a King or Queen, The city was also the trading centre of the world but at the end of the 16th century was†¦show more content†¦This bond between Shylock and Antonio is the reason for the court scene in Act 4 Scene 1, the dramatic climax of the play. Although it is not the final scene, it is the finale of the The Merchant of Venice where all the perplexing sub-plots and main storyline are pulled together to create an explosive ending. The tension created between Shylock and Antonio is one of the reasons Act 4 Scene 1 is so dramatically effective. At the very beginning of this scene in the play directed by , Shylock is standing and Antonio is seated. This gives the impression that Shylock is the one on trial when in fact it is Antonio. ====================================================================== To suffer with a quietness of spirit -------------------------------------- (Continued on the next page) Poor merchants flesh, Strong emotive language is used to emphasise this point. As well as the stress caused from the trial, Antonios greatest source of wealth, his ships are reported to have Not come home to be sunk, causing him a great deal of anxiety and meaning that he is not being able to pay the bond in time. These reasons make the audiences sympathies with Antonio. Often in the play, Shylock is perceived as inhuman however, in Act 3 SceneShow MoreRelatedThe Merchant of Venice - Trial Scene1350 Words   |  6 PagesKimberley Williamson â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† Analyse how ONE main character’s attempts to solve a problem were important to the text as a whole. In the text, â€Å"The Merchant of Venice,† written and performed by Shakespeare, Antonio, the merchant, borrows money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to send his friend Bassanio overseas to woo and marry Portia. However, failing to pay back the money in time, Shylock takes Antonio to court demanding a pound of his flesh in payment. Portia, oneRead MoreDramatic Tension in the Trial Scene of The Merchant of Venice2028 Words   |  9 Pages How does Shakespeare create dramatic interest for the audience in the trial scene, Act 4 scene 1 in ‘The Merchant of Venice’? 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