Compare and contrast the treatment of Ariel in The Tempest with the treatment of Shylock in Merchant of Venice. Is there fairness or justice for either at the end of the respective work? Use specific quotes and outside sources from both texts to support y

Essay on `The Tempest ' and `Merchant of Venice

According to Dr Priyamvada Gopal , lecturer in the Faculty of English at the University of Cambridge , as the British Empire expanded in the 18th and 19th century over India , West Indies , South Africa and Nigeria English literature became one of the means to spread English values among the colonial subjects . The objective of Macaulay , and others like him was to create a group of people who would be 'Indian in blood and color , but English in taste , opinions , morals , and intellect . It was to

be made possible through the study of Western science and English literature . Shakespeare was at the heart of this civilizing mission . But his work came to represent , at one and the same time , both quintessential Englishness and universal human values , a twist to the colonial tale . `Merchant of Venice ' and `The Tempest ' by Shakespeare can be understood as a representation of European colonial practices Shylock , a Jew is colonized by Antonio as an aversion to another culture . Antonio 's treatment of Shylock shows the suppression of the rights to freedom and equality of the colonial subjects . He is tortured by Antonio . His daughter elopes with a Christian and in such a sensitive situation he is taunted by the Christians . The Christians wants him to be like them , so Shylock like a Christian wants to take revenge on Antonio . During the trial he is heavily punished for being revengeful Prospero 's treatment of Ariel represents the disruptive effect of European colonization on native societies . Prospero colonized Ariel , the native of the island and subject him to enslavement to fulfill his own thirst for revenge . Prospero releases Ariel from the imprisonment of Sycorax to control him and make him his slave . Ariel as a slave is submissive by nature and performs his duties meticulously . To control him , Prospero abuses him , threatens him and reminds him of his dept to him for saving his life . In the end Prospero is friendly towards Ariel and gives him his freedom as promised by him

In the play `Merchant of Venice , Shylock is a Jewish money lender who lends money to Bassanio , the guarantee is given my Antonio his friend Shylock is ill-treated by Antonio as he says in the following lines to Antonio : You call me misbeliever , cut-throat dog /And spit upon my Jewish gabardine (Act I , Scene iii . Antonio spits and kicks Shylock whenever he comes in contact with him . He gives no reason for this beyond the fact that Shylock is not Gentile . These lines show that Shylock is colonized by Antonio , the colonizer for being non-Christian a Jew . Antonio responds that he is likely to do so again , further strengthens the point . Shylock in this scene , in an aside , confesses his hatred for Antonio . He plots to avenge the wrong done on him and makes Antonio sign a bond that he will forfeit a pound of his own flesh should the loan not be repaid in due time . Shylock on...