Anti-semitism In The Merchant Of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

Anti-Semitism in The merchant of VeniceIt is my strong belief that the play, "The Merchant of Venice", should betaught in classes. If this play was illegalise from schools it would most certainlybe a form of censorship. While minors rights are somewhat limited when it comesto this right, I think that even minor league should not be censored from this writing.The play teaches us about prejudice, and wherefore it is wrong. People would seehow everyone was hurt at one time or another by a prejudice, whether it was theChristians make fun of Shylock or Shylock showing his prejudice to theChristians. I imagine that anyone watching, listening or reading this playwould see how everyone was hurt, and would learn of racisms faulty basiss forjudging someone. many people would have you think that the play itself is racist, andprovides a forum in which racism depose grow and become only a bigger problem. Ithink that this is a flawed way of looking at it. I see the play as aconfronta tion of a modern day problem which society still faces. Rather thanproviding a forum for racism to grow, the play provides a forum for anti-racismdiscussion, if all meet locomote are taken. When I say if all proper steps aretaken, I am referring to having this play taught by a teacher, who can explainthe plays meaning in its fullest so that the students do not scarper any importantpoints from it.Another point that may have been deep in thought(p) when the presentation was made tothe school board to ban the material from macrocosm taught inside the school systemwas that everyone is bad in the play. The Christians portrayal was near as badas the Jewish man, Shylocks portrayal. In fact I think that the play gave aworse portrayal of the Christians because they ended up being the most evil,through taking away everything that Shylock had and making him become Christian.While Shylock did want to kill someone, the punishment invoked on him was evenworse.As you can see, there are many reasons wherefore "The Merchant of Venice" shouldbe taught in classrooms. A. Whitney Griswold said in a expression (1952), "Bookswont stay banned. They wont burn. Ideas wont go to jail. In the long run ofhistory, the censor and the interrogator have always lost.