ENGL 1315 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Hubris, Dross
Document Summary
Why money could not buy love: a book review of the merchant of venice. In the twenty-first century where almost everything is for sale, money is used as a powerful tool to acquire what one desires. The omnipotence of money could overshadow the reality that some things simply cannot be bought, one of them being love. Shakespeare, through lively dialogues in the merchant of venice, depicts the meaning of love in conversation with the use of money. He makes a clear distinction between using money to demonstrate love for a significant other and counting on a wealthy status to be the prerequisite for love. Bassanio"s choice of the lead box embodies the purity of his love for portia, especially compared with the reasoning behind the choices made by other suitors. Portia"s generosity toward antonio"s predicament proves her love for bassanio, as she commits financially to save a stranger who is her husband"s best friend.
