Jeremy Billings

Prof Hascom
Eng Lit
July 16 2015

Comedy or Tragedy?
For our final project we were given multiple options to choose from.
These options are from a variety of poems and plays that we have read
recently in class. After reading The Merchant of Venice last week I have
decided to use this play by Shakespeare for my research essay. As I read
this play and subsequent secondary sources I became aware of the vast
opinion that this play is both enjoyed by many and also widely debated over
due to its lack of normal structure associated to Shakespeare. It seems to be
neither simply a comedy, historical piece, or tragedy. Due to this there
seems to be many differing opinions as to which and how to interpret it. My
goal with my essay is to bring together multiple sources to support my point
of view. That The Merchant of Venice is more a historical tragedy due to
religion than a comedy which it has been labeled.

In order to obtain this, I have broken down my paper into four supported

sections. Within the first section, I will give historical account to the main
social and religious issues of the time in history which this was written. My
second section, will discuss the categories that Shakespeare's works are
primarily filtered into and why this has resulted in The Merchant of Venice
being labeled a comedy. The third section, I will utilize to give example of
how the characters rolls change once consideration is taken to the periods
current events. To conclude, in my fourth and final section, I will bring
together my research and personal opinions to close my essay. I have also
included a works cited for primary and secondary sources used.

Shakespeare lived during the Elizabethan Age 1558 - 1603. A time

referred to as the Golden Age (1) It was a time of prosper, the arts and
also a general time of peace. Issues such as religion and social classes were
at the forefront. It was a time of intense religious passions (1) and as
through all of the renascence social classes and image was held in high
regard. Citizens in these times could and would potentially be prosecuted
for practicing a faith not supported by the current royal house. In
consideration to this it is apparent why these themes run strongly through
the arts of this era. Like England, Venice at this time had vast political and
religious tensions. In Venice the Jewish/Christian relations were strained.

The authorities in the city were of christian faith as was the majority of
Europe. The governing bodies however welcomed the economic prosperity
that the Jewish tradesmen brought however they met their faith with much
less enthusiasm. While Venetian authorities placed a high value on the
economic benefits of allowing Jews in their city, the Jewish presence in
Venice was officially justified not merely by the services rendered by Jews
as moneylenders to the poor, but also by the possibility of converting them
to the Christian faith. How exactly this was supposed to happen, however,
was somewhat of a mystery as the Venetian authorities were eager to
prevent scandals caused by the loose association of Christians with persons
of other faiths, (2) The Venetian authorities while desiring the positive
financial gain brought by the Jewish immigrants were also the cause of
their alienation. With the creation of laws and locations designed for the
sole purpose of segregating the Jewish community the authorities
themselves fuelled tensions. With the characters of Antonio and Shylock we
see both the religious issues in Venice represented as well as the impact
social class played in this time. When history is added to the story and
characters it become more complex and opens debate for Shylocks
animosity towards Antonio as being more than simply personal.

Shakespeare, like many accomplished writers, eventually acquired

enough works that critics were able to in time find reoccurring themes and
plots within them. With this they found that his works primarily fell into
one of three categories. Tragedy, comedy, or historical. These three
categories have very structured and noticeable themes and plots in which
readers who are familiar with a variety or large number of Shakespeares 37
plays can in most cases categorize.

-Tragedies are plays that show the downfall of the main character.
-Historical plays are dramas about the lives of some of Englands most
powerful.
-comedies are funny plays that have a happy ending most of the time. (3)

However; some of his works are not as clearly defined as others. This may
partially be due in some cases to the roll chivalry played in society.
Currently as it was in the Elizabethan Era it is easy to focus primarily on the
chivalrous details. The merchant of Venice is one of those not well defined
plays. Historically and officially it has been labeled a comedy based on the
parameters used to categorize his works. With comical characters, love
obstacles, weddings, reunions, and a seemingly happy ending this play

follows the directions of all of shakespeares others comedies and therefore

found its place. One can see, by noting the images in his plays, that
Shakespeare had studied the subject of chivalry thoroughly and his thinking
was influenced by it (4)

With the knowledge that Shakespeares works fall into one of three
categories and that The Merchant of Venice subsequently is a comedy there
would seem to be little room for debate. First looking at the characters you
can clearly see who and why they contribute to the requirements to make
this a comedy. With the introduction of Shylock and Antonio there is also
the introduction of tragedy and history into this play. As Antonio enters
(scene 3) Shylock to himself says,

How like a fawning publican he looks!

I hate him for he is a Christian;
But more for that in low simplicity
He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.
If I can catch him once upon the hip,
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.

He hates our sacred nation; and he rails,

Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe
If I forgive him! (5)

With Shylock now in the picture there is also history. It is immediately

obvious that the Jewish/Christian tensions will play a heavy part in this
story. As was mentioned earlier the situation in Venice during the time of
this play was not a good time to be a jew in the community unless you were
extremely wealthy and as such Shylocks character brings a very real
historical aspect. When looking back to what are required elements of each
category you see that to be labeled a Historical work you need current
events and the subjects significance to the location . With Antonio's
character there enters tragedy. An element of a Shakespearean tragedy is
the representation of a tragic hero with a fatal flaw, often a nobleman (6)
and as such Antonio as described by Richard Posner there is
something...not altogether wholesome about Antonio....in his joylessness,
wifelessness, melancholy, anti-Semitism, and essential solitariness, he is
almost the Christian mirror of Shylock. (7) assuredly supports Antonios

chivalry representing tragedy. The complex rolls of Shylocks and Antonio's

characters in this play combined with the religious, social and political
aspects of it and history point that this is more than a mere comedy.

In conclusion, through the history of England, Venice, Shakespeare and

today the question of comedy, tragedy or history still remains a point for
debate. As when asking if Shylock is victim or villain, friend or foe, or
simply asking for equal rights as a human there will probably never be a
right or wrong answer. After reading and researching in my opinion I feel
that The Merchant Of Venice is a historical tragedy. Historical by our kept
records of time and the impact our evolution has played on a singular and
grand scale. The way our mistakes as humans is seen even in art we hold as
part of our human history. It is tragic in the fact that regardless of Antonio's
being but a character in a play it is a written record that even chivalry is not
shielded from bigotry. Had Antonio not held such animosity towards
Shylock and their relationship not evolved the way it had the darkness but
historically accurate theme would not have had to take place. The
environment in Venice at the time this was written undoubtedly played a
huge part in its creation as well as its characters. While still using his
penchant for chivalry which I feel gave The Merchant of Venice its comedy

status it is clear that this play is far more than just a light hearted story.
Once stripped away of characters not needed, chivalrous story lines created
solely for entertainment, there is left a story that sadly becomes an
unfortunate reoccurrence in history. The oppression and persecution of the
Jewish people. This historically tragic play as it appears to readers may
hold a certain amount of comedy however to those who are aware of the
history or those whom are only seeing further evidence of lack of
acceptance to their faith this play could be accurately titled The Jew vs
Venice. When Shakespeare wrote this equality and human rights were
hundreds of years away therefore there was no sensitivity given to the
contents of this play when categorized. In todays world I would like to
believe that it would have been given a home less insulting to the people it
pertains to and their struggles through time, a comedy this is not. In this
Venice the merchant was overshadowed by the jew because in the end
Shylock was never seen as an equal, a respected entrepreneur or even a
man he is tragically by history just a jew.

Works Cited
1 - "Elizabethan Era." Elizabethan Era.
Project Gutenberg Self Publishing Press. Web. 19 July 2015.

<http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/elizabethan_era>.
2 - Sutton, William. "RE Examaning The Merchant of Venice."
Brigham Young University. Historia; the Alpha Rho Papers, 2011.
Web. 19 July 2015.
<http://epubs.utah.edu/index.php/historia/article/viewFile/531/437>.
3 - "English Online." William Shakespeare.
English Online. Web. 19 July 2015. <http://www.englishonline.at/literature/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-plays-in-theelizabethan-era.htm>.
4 - Cherry, Douglas. "The University of British Columbia."
The Courtly Love Theme in Shakespeare's Plays. UBC, 1952. Web. 19
July 2015. <https://circle.ubc.ca/handle/2429/40878>.
5-Reader, The Ideal.
Composition and Literature. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, 41.
VitalBook file.
http://online.vitalsource.com/books/1259420353/epubcfi/6/16
6 - Ray, Rebecca. "The 3 Types of Shakespearean Plays: History, Comedy,
and Tragedy Plays."
Storyboard That. Web. 19 July 2015.
<http://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/education/english/types-of-

shakespearean-plays>.
7 - Spiro, Jack. "The Ancient Grudge: The Merchant of Venice and Shylocks
Christian Problem."
VCU Menorah Review. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008.
Web. 19 July 2015. <http://www.menorahreview.org/article.aspx?id=66>.