"Venice is ruled entirely by men. Women have no role at all in trade, politics or law (pg 177)".
We are informed that the play “The Merchant of Venice” is composed of a variety of themes, including the role of men vs. women in society. Venice is described to be “ruled entirely by men,” and their control arises from their active involvement in “trade, politics or law.” Meanwhile, women struggle to posses the same title within society, and unlike men, they assume a more isolated role. Since man is more powerful, they also possess control over the technically subordinate women. In fact, the role men and women play is so structured that they both converse about specific topics. As a result of their social confinement, the three women in the play deceive society by disguising themselves as men. Since they “have no role” in legal matters, they feel forced to dress as men in order to be involved in Shylock’s ultimate defeat. Therefore, a connection between the role of men and women is connected with another major theme: deception.
A thoughtful post, Jacky. Keep an eye on this theme--how women find or create social or verbal spaces for themselves in a male-dominated culture. Shakespeare always wants to question categories that define or limit. And so...Portia ultimately becomes a very powerful figure in a lot of ways.
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