Iconic resonances in the Merchant of Venice

Clayton G MACKENZIE*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    2 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Given the close iconographic association between the sea and fortune, it is perhaps not surprising that The Merchant of Venice offers a series of intriguing interplays on this theme. These relate to the casket episodes, Antonio's sea-borne argosies, and the repayment of Shylock's loan. Through a consideration of the representation of Fortuna, principally in sixteenth century emblem books, the paper suggests that although fortune is presented as a fickle force of destruction, its/her conquest may be effected in several ways: through avoidance, through prudence, through learning, or through sheer good luck. It is argued that Shakespeare's text explores all of these possibilities, drawing vigorously on the ideas that underpin the iconic topoi of his own and previous ages.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)189-209
    Number of pages21
    JournalNeohelicon
    Volume27
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2000

    Scopus Subject Areas

    • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
    • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
    • Law

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