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A 4 page paper which examines how cultural conflict is a very strong part of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. No additional sources cited.
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4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: JR7_RAccmcv.rtf
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on cultural conflict. Many people who think of Shakespeare do not often think that his works involved Jews but rather that they were based primarily on European issues. But, he
clearly brought into play various cultural elements of cultures outside European society in at least a few of his plays, such as Othello, and obviously The Merchant of Venice. The
following paper examines the cultural conflict that was present in Shakespeares time, offering the reader/viewer an opportunity to see how Shakespeare clearly held a more compassionate view towards outside cultures
than perhaps did most Europeans of the time. Cultural Conflict in The Merchant of Venice In reading this play, or watching it, one could not necessarily argue that Shakespeare
was a strong advocate of accepting other cultures. But, at the same time he clearly gives the character of Shylock qualities that the reader/viewer can sympathize with, understand, and relate
to. As such he is clearly offering a look at how Jews in his time, and perhaps other cultures, were generally seen as dangerous, evil, yet perhaps even necessary.
In looking at this play one first understands that Shylock holds a very traditional, or even stereotypical, Jewish role in that he is financially wealthy and lends money to people,
but at a very high cost. He requires a pound of flesh for debts not paid and this is literally what it sounds like, for a pound of flesh would
be cut from a person, likely leading to their death. He tells Bassanio, "an equal pound Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of
your body pleaseth me" in relationship to the penalty if Bassanio does not pay him back in time (Shakesepeare I iii). This is a clear illustration of how Jews were
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