FREE ESSAY ON THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

The Motive of Imposters
William Shakespeare attained literary immortality through his exposition of the many
qualities of human nature in his works. One such work, The Merchant of Venice, revolves
around the very human trait of deception. Fakes and frauds have been persistent
throughout history, even to this day. Evidence of deception is all around us, whether it
is in the products we purchase or the sales clerks' false smile as one debates the
purchase of the illusory merchandise. We are engulfed by phonies, pretenders, and
cheaters. Although most often associated with a heart of malice, imposture varies in its
motives as much as it's practitioners, demonstrated in The Merchant of Venice by the
obdurate characters of Shylock and Portia.
We frequently see the intent of greed and selfishness covered up by the words and face of
virtue. Such exploit is displayed by the exceptionally stingy Shylock, an unpopular Jew
who makes his living through the practice of usury. When confronted about his
unsympathetic trade, he resorts to citing scripture, thus comparing his selfish trade
with the actions of holy men (I, iii, 73-87). Antonio, a well respected and honorable
merchant, sees right through the falsehood of the justification and asks Shylock, "Was
this inserted to make interest good? Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?" (I, iii,
91-92). The response from Shylock to the question reveals a glimpse of his true meaning.
"I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast" (I, iii, 93-94) is a rather boastful reply of
his wealth than a righteous rationalization. To which Antonio can only turn to his friend
and say "The devil can site Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy
witness is like a villain with a smiling cheek" (I, iii, 95-97). 
Words alone are not the only means by which imposters operate. A far more effective mode
is one that fools the eye for it cannot pierce through the surface. Portia, the new wife
of Antonio's friend, dresses as a lawyer in order to deceive the court. However, unlike
Shylock's motive, Portia's intent is far more noble and selfless. She manipulates the law
in such a way to save Antonio from certain death by the hand of Shylock. Through the eyes
of the law, the imposture of a lawyer, especially by a woman at that time, was seen as
extremely illicit. But Portia saw impersonation as the only means by which to save a
man's life. The action more than warranted the cause. Unquestionably a motive of
honorable ethical values.
The distinction between the intentions of Shylock and Portia is clear. Even though Portia
did save the life of a noble man, she did use deception in order to do so. Nevertheless,
one may argue that imposture of any form is dishonesty and the motive behind it cannot
change that. The only way to preserve absolute truth would be with steadfast integrity. 
-Stan Szubiak, 9/22/99