Othello and The Merchant of Venice compare and contrast essay

In both of Shakespeares fascinating plays, Othello and The Merchant of Venice, there are several instances in which both plays have many differences and similarities stand out as two examples of his vengeful style of the plays. The two plays share similar themes, as well as many characters have modifications to make each play unique to stand out. In the plays, the readers are introduced to characters such as Desdemona and Othello from Othello and Jessica and Lorenzo from The Merchant of Venice. These characters have similarities where theyre all involved in a main scene in the plays, they are comparable in the way they act and seen by other characters and love each other and get married. The two plays have different genres The Merchant of Venice is dramatic and Othello is tragic, they have metamorphoses like The merchant of Venice and in Othello has different motives of revenge that are the key plot points in both plays. In Othello, Desdemonas father Barbantio is informed by Iago and Rodrigo that Desdemona has declared her love to Othello or known as the moor. Because of the racism in the community and so Barbantio goes to sort the problem between Othello and agrees to go to the duke and show that Othello and Desdemona are definitely in love, and live happily ever after. Barbantio left his daughter to marry a black man and went to stay with Othello, he favored him on her father. After the dukes approval and Desdemona ran away from Barbantio and lived with Othello made Barbantio felt extremely disappointed. For instance, Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her; for I'll refer me to all things of sense, if she in chains of magic were not bound, whether a maid so tender, fair and

happy, so opposite to marriage that she shunned the wealthy curled darlings of our nation, would ever have, to incur a general mock, Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom of such a thing as thou, to fear, not to delight. Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense that thou hast practiced on her with foul charms, Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals that weaken motion (Act1.scene 2. Barbantio). This quote shows that Barbantio accused Othello of enchanting Desdemona to marry him. Also he objects that Desdemona would marry a black man. Furthermore, in Othello, the motives of revenge were very realistic and very dramatic and caused more harm; Iago wanted revenge from Othello because he got the lieutenant promotion that should have went to Iago. Iago thinks he had slept with his wife; which makes him angry that causes him to make false claims about Desdemona and Cassio. Othello kills his innocent and lovely wife by Iagos false rumors. Cast in point, IAGO, Now, I do love her too; Not out of absolute lust, though per adventure I stand accountant for as great a sin, but partly led to diet my revenge, For that I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leap'd into my seat; the thought whereof Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards; and nothing can or shall content my soul Till I am even'd with him, wife for wife, or failing so, yet that I put the Moor At least into a jealousy so strong That judgment cannot cure. Which thing to do, If this poor trash of Venice, whom I trash For his quick hunting, stand the putting on, I'll have our Michael Cassio on the hip, Abuse him to the Moor in the rank garbFor I fear Cassio with my night-cap too(Act 2.Scene 1.Iago). This quote shows that Iago's hatred by his suspicion towards Othello was sleeping with his wife and this caused him to be jealous and very angry, he caused Othello a big problem by killing his innocent wife.

In The Merchant of Venice, Shylock and his daughter Jessica runs away from him and goes after her adoration of her life with Lorenzo, they lived happily ever after and they announced their love and marriage to Bassanio and Gratiano and goes to marry a Christian, steals Shylocks ducats and family heirlooms and she feels guilty at the end that she took everything he has and tarred his life apart and he had converted to Christianity. He gave half of his things to Antonio for breaking the bond and wanted to be even by taking Antonios life. Illustration, JESSICA I am sorry thou wilt leaves my father so. Our house is hell; and thou, a merry devil, Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness. But fare thee well; there is a ducat for thee; And, Lancelot, soon at supper shalt thou see Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest. Give him this letter; do it secretly. And so farewell. I would not have my father See me in talk with thee. (Act2.Scene3.Jessica). This quote shows that Jessica seems to be lacking in her love towards her father, rather than chastise Lancelot for his betrayal. She calls her house hell, in the same speech plots to betray her father by secretly meeting Lorenzo, her Christian lover and running away forever. Moreover, In The Merchant of Venice the motive of revenge was That Shylock was greedy, he wasnt grateful and he didnt have mercy when he had the chance to prevent anything from happening to him. First of all, Antonio wanted to lend some money from Shylock. Antonio always criticizes him and calls him bad names and spits on him because he doesnt like Jews. When Antonio comes to ask him to borrow money, tells him that he treats him badly then asks for a favor. So he asks to make a bond that if three thousands ducats arent repaid in three months, he would take a pound of flesh from

Antonios body beside his heart. When time runs out Shylock goes to the duke and orders justice and take whats his because he borrowed money; the bond must go forth and take revenge on Antonio for what he has done. Model, Shylock, I shall have my bond so you shall not speak and I will go to get my bond, oh please have mercy upon me. (in court) the duke had hired a judge and it was a loyal judge that was Portia dressed as a man and Nerissa as an assistant and got Antonio out of the trap that Shylock wanted to kill him by his bare hands and Portia defended him by saying the bond didnt have blood included into the bond and so if any drop of blood drops he will be sentenced to death and his property will be auctioned. This quote shows that Shylock had a passion in killing him, he was introduced to six thousands ducats twice as much as he wanted and he didnt accept and Bassanio would sacrifice everything for him because Antonio sacrificed his life for him and so Portia came helped Antonio get his life back. In the two plays, Othello and The Merchant of Venice, they have a resemblance in them, Jessica and Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice and Desdemona and Othello in Othello. The two lawful wedded wives were really taken away by their loveable husbands, that caused them to leave their dads and run away from their dads. They both announced their love to all the people. An example of this is, The marriages of Desdemona and Jessica ran away to stay with their new husbands and everyone starts to see their love. This shows that the similarities between both plays are that the two daughters goes to their husbands that they would like to live with. Their fathers dont agree on marrying their daughters to either Othello Or Lorenzo but their motives which was love and hate between Jessica and Desdemona to their fathers; at the end they felt guilty and should have chosen the right people for them.

Othello and The Merchant of Venice have variances in their key plot points. The story which is they have different motives of revenge and they both result to discipline that causes people to pay their consequences and face their judgment in Othello after Iago had trapped and fooled Othellos mind and Othello killed his innocent wife he dies as well as he is extremely angry for what he has done and as in The Merchant of Venice Shylock faced to convert to Christianity, to give Antonio half of what he owns due to breaking the bond then he was guilty in he wanted to take Antonios life away because he had treated him badly everyday worse than the other because he was a Jew denizen, and had no respect for them. However, Antonio should have to be fined for his actions towards him but Shylock wanted revenge and so people should take their revenge out of their hearts and minds to avoid being harmed that may lead to bad outcome and more devastation for Shylock. In the end, Shakespeares plays have many comparisons and alterations that tie some of the stories together and some that help prove views on different genres and key plot points and characters. The Merchant of Venice and Othello were two of the best choices that played a big role that had similar characters and plot points and themes like the marriage of the two couples and there were many differences like the motives of revenge that caused the climax of the story and also changed its view of tragedy to more of a drama and a happy ending story.