Merchant of Venice

[ficwize]

I just saw the Merchant of Venice for the first time. (Yes, I am also shocked by the lack of education here.) I have a mix of reactions. All I knew of the play before was the "Has not a Jew..." speech which seems to be quite progressive for Shakespeare's time. Then I saw it in context and I... don't know anymore. Was it a mockery? Was it intended to be sympathetic? Or was Shylock supposed to be a simple villian, which he does not come across as.

Also, is it my slash glasses, or were Antonio and Bassanio supposed to read like a romantic couple?

Finally, I cried in the court scene. I also got heart palpitations and freaked out a bit when I though it might go badly...

I will be adding this to my Yuletide list this year.

Comments

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Well, you weren't the only one; Thackeray wrote Rebecca and Rowena in which the same thing happens. (19th century, time without copyright and with unauthorized sequels!) And Thackeray was much older than 18, so there's no need to be embrassed. Though I have to say, I'm surprised you didn't write mental Brian de Bois-Guilbert/Rebecca redemption fic instead, because at least he declares his love and is unashamed of it. *g*

But to return to Scott's attitude re: status of Jews in England, have another passage:

From her father's example and injunctions, Rebecca had learnt to bear herself courteously towards all who approached her. She could not indeed imitate his excess of subservience, because she was a stranger to the meanness of mind, and to the constant state of timid apprehension, by which it was dictated; but she bore herself with a proud humility, as if submitting to the evil circumstances in which she was placed as the daughter of a despised race, while she felt in her mind the consciousness that she was entitled to hold a higher rank from her merit, than the arbitrary despotism of religious prejudice permitted her to aspire to.

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised you didn't write mental Brian de Bois-Guilbert/Rebecca redemption fic instead

Oh, umm. I totally shipped that too. I don't think I fixated on Wilfred until the Templar was out of the running.