Mapping Out Human Experiences in The Merchant of Venice
The Rubric – Pulling it Apart How does text invite
responder to see world Texts represent differently, challenge individual & collective assumptions, ignite new human experiences ideas, reflect personally? How does Qualities and emotions text tell a How does text give insight into Human experiences in the play arising from story? anomalies, paradoxes and The pursuit of financial wealth/ desire experiences in the inconsistencies in human to safeguard it can be consuming & texts behaviour and motivations? divisive Views of /interactions with others humour as a vehicle for filtered through societal/personal insight values – patriarchy, xenophobia dramatic form e.g. um Inconsistencies in judgement individual and collective human asides, costuming, e.g. Shylock lacks experiences driven by extreme risk takers soliloquy wisdom/insight regarding emotions deception, parallel plots – Jessica (Clown 2.2.65-66) conscious/subconscious naivety & intersecting at times Antonio denigrates Shylock thoughts/actions/reactions catalyse arrogance props (key, ring) but enters a business human experiences humour as a arrangement that involves a pathos human experiences reveal fickle, coping level of trust contrasting settings – duplicitous, naïve, racist, cruel, mechanism/ Paradoxes, anomalies in romantic/ethereal inconsistent natures approach to atmosphere of Belmont behaviour e.g. Bassanio love & money are uncomfortable navigating sharply contrasted with pursuing love as he presents ‘companions’ in the play the world mercenary/masculine a façade of wealth; willing to characters’ experiences reflect a desire desire to put Antonio in debt of world of Venice to exert free will however luck & fate exert free Shylock is enemy; also archetypal stories sometimes play major role will recruits Gratiano to assume embedded in the text actions can supersede conscience self-interest a façade while in Belmont - Shylock as the women work together; men struggle a strong Level of pretence, ‘other’ driver of deception, - Portia ‘empowered emotions falsehood/secrecy that female who assigning a permeates the pursuit of subverts conventon mask, hiding romantic love - the clown as the behind a Love & loyalty to provider of facade friends/family often second ‘insights’ to self interest Subjective nature of justice leads to personal interpretations