Dramatic Importance of the Trial Scene; The Merchant of Venice

5. Dramatic Importance of the Trial Scene:

The trial scene has certain dramatic value points attached to it. First, the bond-story reaches its climax in this scene. The problem created due to signing of the bond is resolved in this scene. Antonio’s life is saved from the Shylock’s death trap. Portia’s wisdom and her presence of mind find full expression in this scene. She turns the tables on Shylock with her logics. Her poetic bent of mind is again (after the Casket Scene) revealed when she speaks about the qualities of mercy. It also shows that she is also full of mercy, and thus, is a virtuous lady.

Portia’s wit and humour is also shown in this scene. She and Nerissa very tactfully get rings from their husbands, Bassanio and Gratiano just to tease them later on. It shows her sense of humour. The ring episode also gets related to this scene.

Antonio’s pessimism becomes known to all in this scene. He does not defend himself. He just surrenders in front of the adverse situation caused by his misfortune. He just wants to die as he is unable to pay money to Shylock. It reflects his righteousness and honesty also.

Bassanio’s true friendship for Antonio is also reflected in this scene. He is greatly grieved (pained) to see his friend Antonio in death trap. He leaves Belmont at once and reaches Venice to help Antonio. Portia also tells him to reach Venice by suspending all his work. He is ready to pay Shylock several times more money than it was taken on loan. He even wants to give all parts of his body to save Antonio’s life.

We also come to know how the casket and the trial scenes are inter-related. This shows Shakespeare’s skill as the greatest playwright of the world. All the scenes and acts are inter-woven. They have logical unity in them.

Description of The Trial Scene: The Merchant of Venice

Q4. Description of The Trial Scene 

Ans. The trial scene is the most dramatic scene in The Merchant of Venice. It has several dramatic value points attached to it. The action of the bond story reaches its climax in this scene.

We know that Antonio is unable to repay the loan that he had taken from Shylock for Bassanio on his own guarantee. For this, he had to sign a bond that empowered Shylock to cut one pound of flesh from his body in case the loan is not returned in time.

Unfortunately Antonio’s ships were destroyed and he could not repay the loan on time. The case reaches the Duke’s court for hearing. The Duke knows the result and requests the Jew to spare Antonio’s life. Bassanio also offers him several times more to the money given on loan. But he seems to take Antonio’s life. HE does not explain the reason as to why he wants to take one pound of flesh from Antonio’s body.

In the meantime, Portia appears in the court in place of a learned lawyer, Bellario, whom the Duke had sent for. She appears in the court in male dress as a young layer Balthazar sent by Bellario. She is accompanied by Nerissa also as Portia’s assistant in male dress. She reads the bond and tells the court that Shylock has a right to take one pound of flesh from Shylock’s body. The Jew feels very much happy at Portia’s remarks in his favour. But she requests Shylock to show mercy on Antonio, whose ships have got destroyed in sea. Shylock refuses to do so. Then Portia understands that the Jew is adamant on taking Antonio’s life.

After that, Portia plays her trump card. She tells Shylock to cut one pound of flesh from Antonio’s body, neither less nor more than a pound. She puts another condition on him she says that the bond allows him to take flesh not even a single drop of blood. If a drop of blood from Antonio’s body sheds, then, the law of Venice will punish him for taking the life of a citizen of Venice. The Jew comes on the back foot. He asks for only three thousand ducats.

After some time, he is ready to drop the case and go. But Portia plays the role of a shrewd (smart/astute) lawyer here. She does not let him go unpunished. She tells him about a law of Venice that applies on him. If a foreigner tries to take life of a citizen of Venice, his half property will be confiscated (taken by law) by the state. Another half of the property will be given to Antonio, the aggrieved party. The life of the culprit (wrong doer) will be at the mercy of the Duke.

Finally, the Duke spares Shylock’s life and even reduces the penalty regarding the half portion of his property. Antonio is allowed to take the second half of the Jew’s property as a trustee. After Shylock’s death, it would be given to Jessica and Lorenzo. In that case, Shylock will have to become a Christian. In addition, he will have to sign the documents regarding transfer of his property to Jessica and Lorezo after his death. Shylock agrees to all the conditions and is allowed to go home.

Shylock’s Character from The Merchant of Venice

Q3. Describe Shylock’s character.

Ans. Shylock is one of the most important characters of the play ‘The Merchant of Venice’. He has been created by William Shakespeare with several negative points. All these points make him a villain in this play. He is a cruel, cunning, hypocrite, greedy and revengeful person.

He is a very cruel money lender of Venice. He charges (takes) a very high rate of interest for the loans he gives to the people of Venice. On the other hand, Antonio does not take any interest from people on the money he gives to the people of Venice. This is the root cause of Shylock’s hatred and dislike for Antonio. He thinks that Antonio has caused a great loss to his business. So he wants to kill Antonio by taking one pound of flesh from Antonio’s body.

In the Trial scene, Shylock evil-mindedness becomes clear to all. All including the duke of Venice request him to forgive Antonio by taking money. He is offered several times more than 3000 ducats, but he is adamant on taking one pound of Antonio’s flesh. This shows his cruelty.

Shylock can do anything for money. He charges high interest from the people. When his daughter Jessica flees with Lorenzo by taking diamonds and ducats, he cries more for money and very less for his daughter. He says:  ‘….I would my daughter dead at my foot and the jewels in her ear!...’ Even his daughter does not love her father. She does not like his diabolic nature. She thanks God that she has not inherited any evil form her father. She calls her house a hell. She feels ashamed of being Shylock’s daughter.

Shylock is not only greedy for money but he is cunning and hypocrite also. He very cunningly gets the dangerous bond signed by Antonio. He calls it just a joke, a formality. But in the heart of hearts he feels happy to catch Antonio in a death trap.

He is a hypocrite person. He shows that he endures misbehaviour and maltreatment done to him by Christians. But he also hates them very much. He does not like his daughter to marry a Christian boy. He advises her not to open window and see the Christian procession that would pass through their street.

His daughter, Jessica, does not like her father. She does not want to live with him. She calls her house a hell. She feels ashamed of being Shylock’s daughter. She feels happy that she has not inherited even a single feature from her father’s personality.

But some critics defend Shylock. One of them is Hudson. In his opinion, Shylock’s character is ‘essentially tragic’. It is also said that Shylock is ‘more sinned against than sinning.’ It is true that he has several negative features in his character. But the punishment given to him is harsher than he deserves. No matter, all of his property has been confiscated and his life has been spared. But he has been converted to a Christian. That is quite wrong.

To conclude, we may say that Shakespeare created Shylock’s character as a villain in this play. He created him in the social and religious background that prevailed in society at that time. If we see Shylock in the modern perspective, in spite of his defects, he has been given unduly harsh treatment by the Christians of that time.