The Merchant of Venice 卓越课程中心3威尼斯商人卓越课程中心.pptVIP

The Merchant of Venice William Shakespeare Introduction the Shakespeare (see Hamlet) The introduction source of the play The relationship between characters Story analysis Themes and Motifs Social significance Trade of Venice Situated on the Adriatic Sea, Venice always traded with the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim world extensively. By the late thirteenth century, Venice was the most prosperous city in all of Europe. At the peak of its power and wealth, it had 36,000 sailors operating 3,300 ships, dominating Mediterranean commerce. During this time, Venices leading families vied with each other to build the grandest palaces and support the work of the greatest and most talented artists. The City of Venice The Merchant of Venice Written some time around 1597 Written as a romantic comedy since it is about love and ends happily Fuses（融合） many dramatic elements: romantic courtship（求爱期）, riddling（解开） love tests, eloping（私奔） lovers, comic confusions, a gripping（引人注意的） courtroom trial, and a seemingly harmonious final act At the core of the play is Shylock, the Jewish moneylender. He only appears in five of the 20 scenes, but his presence dominates the play. Theatrical Traditions of Jews 犹太人在戏剧上的传统体现 Roots of Shakespearean drama begin with mystery and miracle plays of the Middle Ages, which were performed by the church for a largely illiterate(文盲) audience about Old and New Testament stories. Jews were often viewed as responsible for Christ’s crucifixion（钉死在十字架上）. Jews became the evil villains（反派角色） of Elizabethan drama. They were one-dimensional （一元空间）stereotypical characters. The Jew of Malta(马耳他岛的犹太人), written in 1589 by Christopher Marlowe, is one such work. Marlowe was Shakespeare greatest rival. Jews in England 1075 in Oxford: Jews were not confined to ghettos（贫民区） as many of their European counterparts, but they were not allowed to be citizens. Because Christians could not lend money with interest, many Jews earned lucrative（获利多的） livings as usu