Book Reports / English Essay on Human Experiences (Merchant of Venice) [2]

question: In what ways has your understanding of how texts represent individual and collective human experiences been enhanced by your study of your core text?

the moral choice

Introduction:

Through the understanding of how texts are represented in individual and collective human experiences is shown through the inconsistences over the control of our choices and the desired outcome and the idea we live in a moral universe that effects the consequences of our choice. The Merchant of Venice written in 1596), explores the notion of the public and private sector the intersects our lives and corresponds with individual and collective choices that plays a key role in shaping our lives.

In the Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare paradoxically explores the individual human experience thorough the depiction of the inconsistencies of moral choice that ignites new ideas that society limits individual choice. This is shown through the core human experience that is an individualist idea and is transformed into a collective one. The casket test is a 'lottery' is a symbol of her dead father's control over his daughter's right to choose her own husband that is self-imposed. This is demonstrated through, "O me word choose", as she refers to the choice of her husband though it refers to moral choice itself and resents that her individual choices are limited though patriarchal control from beyond the grave. This further exemplified, through the use of repetition of the word "choose" three times as it emphasizes that Portia has no control over her choice and the desired outcome which further illustrates the inconsistences of human experience. It further shows the arbitrary constraint on her choices as the caskets symbolically represent moral choices that lie at the heart of the play and that conflict lies in the realm of reality as society limits choice. Furthermore, the idea appearances are deceiving is demonstrated through the moral question, "the world is still deceived by an ornament", as it elucidates that Bassanio was torn between the moral choice between equally unattractive opposites. Additionally, the wrong choice in the casket represents that appearances are deceiving, and society should be beyond superficial and materialistic aspects of wealth and beauty that affect our judgement and remain unaware of the truth and reality. As this further reflects that the inconsistences in human experience influences the moral choice.