Essay | Religious Allusions in The Merchant of Venice

I have never have never been a Christian, and before this assignment was given to me, never touched a Bible before. However, reading the gospel John has helped in my understanding of The Merchant of Venice very much. Through the Bible, I have been able to compare the themes and characters present in both texts, thus enhancing my appreciation of The Merchant of Venice.

Characters

One of the similarities that struck me was the `resemblance' of Jesus and Shylock. At first sight, these two characters seem to be worlds apart, one being a saintly and merciful Son of God, while the latter being a miserly moneylender and a Jew. However, as I prodded deeper into both texts, I astonished myself at the great similitude of the two.

Firstly, at the start of the gospel, Jesus was not accepted by His own people, as Shylock was not accepted by...
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