Merchant of VeniceMerchant of VeniceMerchant of VeniceMerchant of Venice

Symbols And Symbols And MetaphorsMetaphors

Symbols And Symbols And MetaphorsMetaphors

Analyasis of Merchant of Venice, Analyasis of Merchant of Venice, Shakaspeare Shakaspeare

SymbolsSymbolsSymbolsSymbolsSymbols are using objects, Symbols are using objects,

figures, characters to figures, characters to represent ideas or conceptsrepresent ideas or concepts

Symbols of Merchant Symbols of Merchant of Veniceof Venice

Symbols of Merchant Symbols of Merchant of Veniceof Venice

The Three CasketsThe Three Caskets

The Pound of FleshThe Pound of Flesh

Leah’s RingLeah’s Ring

The Three Caskets

Silver Casket Gold Casket Lead Casket

Golden Casket

Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire

Golden Casket• All that glisters is not gold• Often have you heard that told.• Many a man his life hath sold• Gilded tombs do worns infold.• Had you been as wise as bold,• Young in limbs, in judgement old,• Your answer had not been inscrolled.• Fare you well, your suit is cold.

»(2.7.65-73)

What Gold Represents• Greedy people• People fooled by flashy outward

apprearances• Materialistic people• People who sell out for luxury• People who take without giving

Silver Casket

Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves

Silver Casket• Some there be that shadows kiss;• Such have but a shadow’s bliss• There be fools alive,iwis• Silvered o’er and so was this• Take what wife you will to bed• I will ever be your head.• So be gone; you are sped

2.9.66-72

What Silver Represents

• Cautious people• People who try to be something they are

not. • People who make compromises for

comfort• People who sacrifice spiritual health for

material wealth

Lead Casket

Who chooseth me must give and hazard all

Lead Casket• You that choose not by the wiev,• Chance as fair and choose as true!• Since this fortune falls to you• Be content and seek no new.• If you be well pleased with this,• And hold your fortune for your bliss,• Turn you where your lady is • And climb her with a loving kiss

3.2.132-38

What Lead Presents• Risk-takers• People not fooled by appearances• Spiritual, intellectual people• People not deceived by false values• People who give more than they get

The Pound of Flesh• Friendship• Love• Sacrifice• Hate• Law

Leah’s Ring• Love• Grieve• Humanity

Metaphors  A metaphor is a literary figure of

speech that uses an image, story or tangible object to represent a less tangible object or some intangible quality or idea

Metaphors of Merchant of Venice

• Your mind is tossing on the ocean• There where your argosies with portly sail,• Like signors and rich burghers on the flood• Or as it were the pageants of the sea• Do overpeer the petty traffickers• That curtsy to them do them reverence• As they fly by them with their woven wings

Salerio 1.i.1-14

Metaphors of Merchant of Venice

• If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels, had been churches, and poor men’s cottages princes’ palaces. It is a good divine that follows his own instructions. I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done than to be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching. The brain may divise laws for the blood, but a hot temper leaps o’er a cold decree.

Portia 1. ii.12-26

Metaphors of Merchant of Venice

• Well, Jessica, go in. Perhaps I will return immediately. Shut doors after you. Fast bind, fast find –A proverb never stale in thifity mind.

Shylock II.v.45-54

Methaphors of Merchant of Venice

• It is engendered in the eyes, • with gazing fed; and fancy

dies • in the cradle where it lies• Let us all ring fancy’s knell• I will begin: ding dong,bell.