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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help
Because my reading of the play is such that Shylock does accomplish his mission which is a court decision protecting Jessica's inheritance.Nerissa means candle lady in Hebrew and as such she accompanies Portia like a lantern as well as continuing the important illumination imagery of the play. An obscure but important researcher, S. Schoenfeld, says that Antonio, Gratiano, and
Nerissa, if denuded of their Italian endings and given their Hebrew
equivalent, are Jewish names. Gratiano (which means `grace'), is
translated into Hebrew as Hanan. Nerissa, denuded of its feminine ending
finds its Hebrew equivalent in Ner. Both of these were uncles of Saul.
All this belongs to one episode in the Bible; a period in the life
of David. The biblical context was important for Schoenfeld in his quest
of an ancient Hebrew source for "The Merchant of Venice".
thatPosted by Florence Amit on April 15, 1997 at 15:36:07
In Reply to "NERISSA IN THE MERCHANT OF VENICE" posted by BRIDGET HOBAN on April 15, 1997 at 14:26:07
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help