Shakespeare Othello and Merchant of Term Paper

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Her forgery was never discovered, and the social order remained intact.

So one can see that the expression of female power leads to the inevitable victimization of that proto-feminist, while a yielding and obedient female is shown as havign the resources to overcome anything that stands in her way. This is nothing short of a celebration for the traditional place of women as obedient to their fathers. Likewise, the violent rebellions of Othello and Shylock against racism and the social stigma end in terrible tragedy for themselves and their families. One might argue that Shylock ought to have converted to Christianity long ago to avoid loosing his daughter and suffering the spite of Antonio, and that it was his refusal to do that (even more than his miserliness) which defeated him. Likewise, one might argue that if Othello had meekly accepted the snubs of society and kept his place (away from Desdemona), he would not have come to the terrible point at which he took his life. Even Iago is show to be rebelling against society in his hatred for Cassio's snobbish authority over him, and his own demise is inextricably linked to the way in which he attempted to climb socially (albeit through deceit and murder).

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So one sees that Portia, the obedient slave to the social and racial order, is entirely a foil for Shylock who seeks to overthrow it; likewise Desdemona and Othello are paralleled in their disobedience to the laws of patriarchy and racial division, and they are both destroyed by that disobedience. Despite the fact that these two plays may, by modern actors, be forged into strong anti-racism and anti-misogyny spoke-pieces, they are not inherently opposed to racism. They show rebellion against sexism and racism not as a role model but as a warning to any who may follow in the footsteps of these free-spirited protagonists. It must never be forgotten that the only reason that Othello ends tragically and Merchant of Venice end in comedy is that in the latter the characters persist in defying social order while in the later the end shows a return to….....

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