Significance of the Title: The Merchant of Venice

Significance of the Title: The Merchant of Venice

Shakespeare generally pays no attention to the titles of his plays. 'What's there in a name?' asked Shakespeare. He believed that 'The rose by any other name smells as sweet'. Not the name or the title, but the play is the important thing.

Shakespeare has named his tragedies by the name of the heroes. For example, Othello, Hamlet Macbeth, King Lear. But he sometimes gave fanciful titles to his comedies. Thus, there are comedies with titles such as 'As You Like It', 'Midsummer Night's Dream', etc. These are really no titles at all. To call a play 'As You Like It' is like saying, 'I can't find a suitable title for the play. You may call it as you like it.

Is The Merchant of Venice' a good title? Is it appropriate? The answer is not easy. In the first place, even if it is a good title, who is the merchant of Venice-Antonio or Shylock?

The play was officially registered in 1594 as 'The Merchant of Venice' or otherwise called the Jew of Venice. But it is clear from the play that the Merchant of Venice is Antonio and not Shylock, though both are merchants and both live in Venice? The play was first published in 1600. The title given to it was 'the most excellent History of the Merchant of Venice-with extreme cruelty of Shylock, the Jew, towards the said merchant in cutting just pound of flesh', etc.

This long title is not a good one. But it shows that the merchant of Venice, according to Shakespeare, is Antonio and not Shylock.

A good title should be short and significant. The title ‘The Merchant of Venice' is good because it has all these qualities. Sometimes it is argued that is not good because Antonio who is the merchant Venice, is not the hero of this play.

Portia is the most important character in the play. Hence, the title should Portia The Lady of Belmont '. Shylock is more important character than Antonio. So the title could be 'Shylock', or ‘The Jew of Venice'.

[Shakespeare has, however, given the title "The Merchant of Venice' after (0) Antonio. Though Antonio is the character play, pivot (4 on everything pivot itself does move, it and moves everything Antonio sets the play motion (ft). the centre and source (@ge42a) of action the

We can that important incidents (a) the play-namely, the bond-story, cask- et-story, the trial scene, ring episode (a) -would not there without Antonio-the moves the play round him. title play "The Merchant Venice" is, therefore, quite appropriate (4) and good.