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Motifs in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice

Motifs in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice . Mr. Maillet April 18, 2012 ENG2D/P Mr. Murray’s Class . What is a Motif? . Is it the same as a Symbol? .

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Motifs in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice

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  1. Motifs in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice Mr. Maillet April 18, 2012 ENG2D/P Mr. Murray’s Class

  2. What is a Motif? • Is it the same as a Symbol? • Are either objects, people, places, or things that come to represent abstract ideas or concepts – it is anything that stands to represent something beyond itself. • Is it the same as a Theme? • Is the fundamental (central) idea(s) that are explored by literary works. Themes are often universal across literary works.

  3. Motif • Are reoccurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that help to develop, and/or to inform the texts major themes. • In Music, a Motif is a reoccurring fragment or section of notes • Put simply, a Motif is a pattern

  4. Merchant of Venice • The Motifs: The Law/ Rules, Cross Dressing, Filial Piety • The Reoccurring Themes: Justice and Choices The Laws present in the Republic of Venice The Rules that deal with contracts and wills

  5. Portia’s Game of Caskets (The Lottery) • Keeps many possible suitors at bay • Only those who really want Portia risk choosing • Only the Man of Portia’s desire succeeds

  6. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade • The selection of the right Grail for eternal life

  7. The Law and Shylock • He strictly adheres to the laws • He intends to use the laws to enforce the contract with Antonio • Portia`s manipulation the Law • Without the proper guidance, the law can be used to do terrible thins

  8. Cross Dressing/ Hiding who you really Are • Jessica dresses as a male Page • Portia and Nerissa dress as Male officers of the Court • Portia empowers herself to any position denied to her as a women

  9. Filial Piety Filial What? What is it? The virtue of respect for ones parents and/or ancestors • Lancelot greets his bling father with confusing directions and tells his father that his son (he himself) is dead • Jessica leaves her fathers home against orders and trades her fathers ring (given to him by her dead mother) for a monkey • Portia, while originally denying her Father the hope of a marriage, agrees to the Game of Caskets to find her suitor

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