What is wealth?
A great quantity or store of money, valuable possesions, properties or other riches. Wealth is not restricted to materialistic possessions but a person can also be wealthy in love, relationships or religion.
How was wealth seen by the Elizabethan people?
Wealth was seen by Elizabethan people in terms of possesions and money. You were wealthy if you had a large amount of possesions. Over time the concept of wealth as changed. The modern society sees wealth as something that brings them happiness. For example, you can be seen as wealthy if you have good relationships with other people. These relationships will bring happiness to your life which will lead you te be emotionally wealthy.
How was wealth seen by the Elizabethan people?
Wealth was seen by Elizabethan people in terms of possesions and money. You were wealthy if you had a large amount of possesions. Over time the concept of wealth as changed. The modern society sees wealth as something that brings them happiness. For example, you can be seen as wealthy if you have good relationships with other people. These relationships will bring happiness to your life which will lead you te be emotionally wealthy.
Quotes
Emotional Wealth
"By my troth Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world." Portia.
-This is Portia saying how she is tired and weary of the world. Showing how although she is rich, she is still not happy, and has troubles
"And yet for aught I see, they are as sick that surfeit with too much as they that starve with nothing. It is no mean happiness, therefore, to be seated in the mean. Superfluity comes sooner by white hairs, but competency lives longer." Nerissa
-Nerissa is telling Portia that people who have material wealth suffer as much as those who have nothing, and that it is better to be inbetween.
"Look on beauty, and you shall see tis purchased by the weight" Bassanio
-Material beauty is purchased by the weight, outer beauty, eg make up and wigs.
"In sooth, I know not why I am so sad. It wearies me; you say it wearies you." Antonio
-To be honest, Antonio doesnt know why he is so sad. He is tired of it, and so are the others. This shows that even though he is rich, he is also not emotionally wealthy.
-This is Portia saying how she is tired and weary of the world. Showing how although she is rich, she is still not happy, and has troubles
"And yet for aught I see, they are as sick that surfeit with too much as they that starve with nothing. It is no mean happiness, therefore, to be seated in the mean. Superfluity comes sooner by white hairs, but competency lives longer." Nerissa
-Nerissa is telling Portia that people who have material wealth suffer as much as those who have nothing, and that it is better to be inbetween.
"Look on beauty, and you shall see tis purchased by the weight" Bassanio
-Material beauty is purchased by the weight, outer beauty, eg make up and wigs.
"In sooth, I know not why I am so sad. It wearies me; you say it wearies you." Antonio
-To be honest, Antonio doesnt know why he is so sad. He is tired of it, and so are the others. This shows that even though he is rich, he is also not emotionally wealthy.
Material Wealth
"There is some ill a brewing towards my rest, for I did dream of money-bags tonight" Shylock
-Shylock exposing his obsession for material wealth and paranoia that surrounds it.
"Must give for what? For lead? Hazard for lead? This casket threatens" Morroco
-Resistance to taking any risk that is for anything less than gold. Morroco is very focused on material and visable wealth which is displayed in this quote.
"All that glisters is not gold" Morroco
-Morroco being told that appearance is not everything
"My daughter! Oh my ducats! Oh my daughter!" Shylock
-Shylock demonstrating his material wealth and how he confuses Jessica for a treasure.
"Thou stick'st a dagger in me. I shall never see my gold again." Shylock
-His obsession for his gold, how much his money means to him, and how he feels nothing without it.
"The cuse never fell upon our nation till now. I never felt it till now. Two thousand ducats in that and other precious, precious jewls. I would my daughter dead at my foot, and the jewls in her ears." Shylock
-Shows that he is more worried about getting his gold back than his daughter, and the lack of relationship he has with Jessica because of the attitude he has towards her
-Shylock exposing his obsession for material wealth and paranoia that surrounds it.
"Must give for what? For lead? Hazard for lead? This casket threatens" Morroco
-Resistance to taking any risk that is for anything less than gold. Morroco is very focused on material and visable wealth which is displayed in this quote.
"All that glisters is not gold" Morroco
-Morroco being told that appearance is not everything
"My daughter! Oh my ducats! Oh my daughter!" Shylock
-Shylock demonstrating his material wealth and how he confuses Jessica for a treasure.
"Thou stick'st a dagger in me. I shall never see my gold again." Shylock
-His obsession for his gold, how much his money means to him, and how he feels nothing without it.
"The cuse never fell upon our nation till now. I never felt it till now. Two thousand ducats in that and other precious, precious jewls. I would my daughter dead at my foot, and the jewls in her ears." Shylock
-Shows that he is more worried about getting his gold back than his daughter, and the lack of relationship he has with Jessica because of the attitude he has towards her
What does this reveal about characters?
SHYLOCK
Shylock is obsessed about his material wealth. This reveals that Shylock had nothing but his money. This act of obsession shows that as humans we will always try to obtain wealth in order to gain happiness. Shylock does not have any emotional wealth and therefore substitutes it with material wealth. He even sees his own daughter as a possession. Shylock's obsession with wealth caused him to lose everything that is dear to him.
Antonio
Antonio has material wealth but due to his lack of emotional wealth. He cares deeply about Bassanio, but he feels that he is losing him to Portia. He therefore suffers emotional pain and is unsatisfied with his life.
Portia
Portia has material wealth, but her life is still unfulfilled. This changes when she marries Bassanio and finds emotional wealth due to his love for her.
Bassanio
Bassanio is in financial turmoil and completely lacks material wealth. But due to the fact that he is in love, he is emotionally wealthy and is therefore fulfilled.
Jessica
Jessica is considerd a treasure by her father, and is not valued on her true personal worth. This leads to her being miserable as she is locked up like Shylocks ducats. Wealth for Jessica is a means of suvival, and she finds true happiness when she is emotionally wealthy in her love for Lorenzo.
CONCLUSION
Material wealth and emotional wealth provide two very different forms of comfort. Material wealth allows a comfortable life, but it does not provide fulfillment as Shylock, Antonio and Portia demonstrates. Bassanio shows how only emotional wealth is fulfilling as even though he is lacking financial wealth, he is content. Financial wealth does not always have a disadvantage as Portia and Bassanio come to show as the play continyes. They do not suffer any grievances due to their financial wealth because they are emotionally fulfilled. From theses themes the lesson that we learn is that money can bring neither happiness or unhappiness. In todays society we consider winning lotto a solution to our unhappiness, yet from the text we are shown that material wealth needs to be accompanyd by emotional wealth for us to be truely happy.
Shylock is obsessed about his material wealth. This reveals that Shylock had nothing but his money. This act of obsession shows that as humans we will always try to obtain wealth in order to gain happiness. Shylock does not have any emotional wealth and therefore substitutes it with material wealth. He even sees his own daughter as a possession. Shylock's obsession with wealth caused him to lose everything that is dear to him.
Antonio
Antonio has material wealth but due to his lack of emotional wealth. He cares deeply about Bassanio, but he feels that he is losing him to Portia. He therefore suffers emotional pain and is unsatisfied with his life.
Portia
Portia has material wealth, but her life is still unfulfilled. This changes when she marries Bassanio and finds emotional wealth due to his love for her.
Bassanio
Bassanio is in financial turmoil and completely lacks material wealth. But due to the fact that he is in love, he is emotionally wealthy and is therefore fulfilled.
Jessica
Jessica is considerd a treasure by her father, and is not valued on her true personal worth. This leads to her being miserable as she is locked up like Shylocks ducats. Wealth for Jessica is a means of suvival, and she finds true happiness when she is emotionally wealthy in her love for Lorenzo.
CONCLUSION
Material wealth and emotional wealth provide two very different forms of comfort. Material wealth allows a comfortable life, but it does not provide fulfillment as Shylock, Antonio and Portia demonstrates. Bassanio shows how only emotional wealth is fulfilling as even though he is lacking financial wealth, he is content. Financial wealth does not always have a disadvantage as Portia and Bassanio come to show as the play continyes. They do not suffer any grievances due to their financial wealth because they are emotionally fulfilled. From theses themes the lesson that we learn is that money can bring neither happiness or unhappiness. In todays society we consider winning lotto a solution to our unhappiness, yet from the text we are shown that material wealth needs to be accompanyd by emotional wealth for us to be truely happy.