“Alack, what heinous sin is it in me To be ashamed to be my father’s child! But though I am a daughter to his blood I am not to his manners…I shall end this strife, Become a Christian, and thy loving wife” (Shakespeare II.iii.15-20).
In Act 2 Scene 4, Jessica at last makes plans to escape from Shylock, and therefore Judaism. Earlier, she compares her home to “hell,” which drives her to send Lancelot to deliver a letter to Lorenzo to coordinate her escape. Despite her great desire to leave, Jessica reveals that she believes herself to possess a “heinous,” or inhumane and abominable, “sin.” Her sin comes in the form of shame since she is “ashamed to be [her] father’s child.” She justifies her humiliation by explaining that although she is connected to Shylock by blood, their “manners” are different. Shylock’s “manner,” or behavior, is directly associated with his religious belief. He not only prays as a devout Jewish man, but he also conducts usury which is widely condemned by Christians in Venice. Unlike her father, Jessica never reveals a passion for her religion, and she even discloses that once she escapes, she is willing to conform, which will therefore end her “strife.” By describing her situation as a “strife,” Jessica confirms that she disagrees with her father’s passion and faith to Judaism. Therefore, Jessica ultimately reveals that her escape is two fold: she will leave her father and also escape her faith.
Jacky--Thoughtful and well-written. You take on the topic of Jessica's abandonment of, or escape from, Shylock and Judaism--another one of those discomfiting aspects of the play. The escape is not without its emotional price, though--there are hints of it at the end, which the film director played up in the film's conclusion. Keep an eye out for them. Nice job here!
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