‘The Merchant of Venice’ – a highly regarded play by Shakespeare, dealt with issues that are highly dealt with and that still affect us today. Some of these issues included discrimination, the difference in rights between men and woman, family values and gay relationships.

In the play various form of discrimination were shown by characters. They include:

§  Racial – Two characters that faced racial discrimination by other characters were ‘Shylock’ and ‘The Prince of Morocco’.

“He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated my enemies, and what’s his reason? I am a Jew.” (Act III, Scene I, Lines 46 – 52)

- These lines are from Shylock’s ‘I am a Jew’ speech. He explains how and why Antonio has been racially discriminating him.

“Mislike me not for my complexion, the shadowed livery of the burnished sun, to whom I am a neighbor, and near bred.” (Act II, Scene I, Lines 1 – 2)

This line is how the dark skinned ‘Prince of Morocco’ had to introduce himself due to            the obvious signs of racial discrimination due to skin colour in those times.

Today we are still racially discriminating people, whether it is due to religion or skin colour. An example of a racially discriminate, controversial event that has very recently taken place is the news that cricket player Andrew Symonds had been called a monkey due to his dark complexion between a fair coloured Australian team. This built an unnecessary rivalry between the Indian and Australian cricket team. Because of the way these high profile people have behaved, children in schools have now started teasing dark coloured students by calling them names like nigga or negro, etc. Also all around the world the major religious group always teases the minor religion. The most common religious groups that are teased are Jews and Muslims. Jews have been stereotyped as dirty, cheating scams, and Muslims have been stereotyped as terrorists.

§  Gender – Woman in the Shakespearean times had no option of working in a proper job, all they could be was a maid. Due to this Portia and Nerissa had dress up as boys to be Antonio’s lawyer and lawyer’s clerk.

“…when we both accoutered like young men…” (Act III, Scene IV, Lines 65 & 66)

- This line showed the readers that because they were woman, Portia and Nerissa could not be a lawyer and his clerk, without dressing up as men.

Today in western society women and men are becoming equal in justice and work rights. However in recent survey’s it was found that men still get 22% more of a wage than woman in the same job. You may think that women still have got a long way to go to become equal, and you’re right, however it has come a long way from the past. In countries located near the Middle East, women are treated like that of Shakespearean times or worse, so the world still has a long road for improvement.      

§  Religious – Two characters who experienced racial discrimination were Lorenzo and Shylock.

“Alack, what heinous sin is it in me to be ashamed to be my father’s child. But though I am daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo, if thou keep promise, I shall end strife, become a Christian and thy loving wife.” (Act II, Scene III, Lines 16 – 21) 

These lines revealed that Shylock’s daughter was ashamed of him, because he did not want  Jessica to marry a Christian man, only a Jew. This was discriminating Lorenzo, because    he might’ve all the traits of a dream son-in-law for Shylock, but the fact that he was  Christian didn’t give him the option of marrying Jessica.

“Tarry, Jew! The law hath yet another hold on you. It is enacted in the laws of Venice, if it be proved against an alien that by direct or indirect attempts he seek the life of any citizen, the party ‘gainst the which he doth contrive shall seize one half his goods; the other half comes to the privy coffer of the state; and the offender’s life lies in the mercy of the duke only, ‘gainst all other voice.” (Act IV, Scene I, Lines 344 – 353)

This paragraph showed that in the court of Venice, because a non – Christian, tried to take the life of Christian, the law would seize all his goods. If a Christian tried to take the life of another Christian, it wouldn’t matter. This is a distinct form of religious discrimination.

Today in our society, religious discrimination is still very popular, unfortunately. Even in our schools, if you believe in religion besides Christianity, you get teased, for you are in a minor religion. The war between Iraq and America is known as a religious war, due to Muslims vs. Christians.

Discrimination of any form whether it be racial, sexist or religious isn’t doing our society any good. If discrimination was diminished the world could improve faster, and everyone would find it peaceful. There would be no need for war, if everyone could accept each others beliefs and live in harmony. There is a proverb “Mistakes are the stepping stone to success”, humanity could follow this proverb and learn from their mistake, discrimination, and be more successful. However it won’t automatically happen. Everyone will have to play an active role by first stopping discriminating others themselves, before trying to help others to stop discriminating. We could abolish discrimination.

Difference between men and woman was shown in the play. Because Portia was a woman, she couldn’t act as Antonio’s lawyer, thus she dressed as a man. Also it was shown clearly the only thing ladies could do was either be a housemaid or fall in love with a man. All 3 women in the play, Jessica, Portia and Nerissa, all fell in love and Nerissa was a housemaid. Men in this play were also only a Prince, merchant, servant, duke or lover. They had many options in life unlike women.

Today mainly in the western culture men and woman are becoming equal. Woman now are allowed to work in the same jobs as men. They are getting paid less for the same jobs as men by a small ratio but you can justify that, because in most family’s only the men work and support the family, women however only work to provide the family with more money and more financial security. A few women might work to run a single parent family. However they get extra money from the government which would make the pay relatively equal to what men would earn. It might seem complicated, but does work out.

Also now in the U.S.A. Hillary Clinton has become the first woman to run in an US presidential election, the difference between men and women is becoming equal.

However some will say in most Middle Eastern countries, women are still being unfairly treated, like in Shakespearean times, but in Pakistan, recently assassinated Benazir Bhutto was a woman who was prime minister for Pakistan for 2 years. So all over the world the difference between men and women is becoming equal.

Family values displayed by Shylock and Jessica in the play are another big issue. The family issue in the play was a parent – child relationship. Jessica loved him, but was ashamed of the way he acted. Thus she ran away from him and changed her religion. She showed just because they had the same genes didn’t mean they’d act the same.

“Alack, what heinous sin is it in me to be ashamed to be my father’s child. But though I am daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo, if thou keep promise, I shall end strife, become a Christian and thy loving wife.” (Act II, Scene III, Lines 16 – 21) 

- Jessica’s exact lines.

Today, parent – child relationships are very variable. In some the child follows the parent as a role model and copies them, in others a child and parent could hate each other to a point which could lead to child abuse. Today the only places we see a child run away from their parents because they are in love, is in movies. These days if a child is in love, most parents will embrace it and finally allow them to get married. In Shakespeare’s play, a parent – child relationship was portrayed with a very strict dad and an adamant daughter, who eventually ran away. Today families are becoming more and more functional and co-operative.    

Gay relationships were abundant throughout the play, but Christianity opposed it, thus they couldn’t go through with it. Antonio & Bassanio, Salerio & Solanio were the 2 gay couples who couldn’t be together. Who knows, had Christianity allowed gay couples, these men may have been happily living together which would take Portia and Nerissa out of the play.

“To wind about my love with circumstance; and out of doubt you do me now more wrong in making question of my uttermost than if you had made waste of all I have.” (Act I, Scene I, Lines 154-155)

Antonio showing signs of sorrow after Bassanio speaks of his love for Portia.

Today in our society gays are accepted and they even have their own parades known as ‘Mardi Gras’. People have had gay marriages, e.g. Elton John, and have chosen it as a way of life. They have their own federations and societies. This is a sign showing the power of Christianity is weakening upon followers.

Discrimination, family values, gay relationships and difference between men and woman a few issues from Shakespeare’s play “The Merchant of Venice” still affect us and are relevant. However all these issues are slightly changing for the better and should eventually be the best that it can be, so our society and future generations can lead a more peaceful life.