From Bondage to Bondage:Analysis of Jessica in The Merchant of Venice

ISSN 1009 -5039http://www.overseaen.comOverseas English 害仞饕}洒Tel:+86- -551-5690811 5690812From Bondage to Bondage: Analysis of Jessica in The Merchant of VeniceTANG Jian- nan(China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China)Abstract: Jssca, the daugher of Shylock in The Merhant of Vemice, has ofen been hailed as a free woman after she disentangles herselfContheinfrom the bondage of her patriarchal father. However, this paper argues that she is sill prejudiced against by her new friends because she isekofbondaceconsidered to be a Jewess by blood. So her fight from her father is not an escape fom bondage but a plunge into another kindKey words: bondage; freedom; patriarchy中圈分类号:1106文献标识码:A文章编号:1009- -5039(2011)11 -0265- -021 Introductionon the flesh bond to revenge the "huility'"if a Christian wronga Jew"(p328). Provided that the rebellion of Jessica reinforces hisintention to break through the raecial shackles imposed on him, itVenice by William Shakespeare, her role is invested with suchalso strengthens his disdainful atiude toward his daughter as asignificance that it cannot be underestimated. Many critics thinkwoman now that he wish that his daughter "were dead at my foot,highly of her courage to flee from her father's house which sheand the jewels in her ear" (p328). In this sense, Jessica as acalls "hell"and commit herself to a Christian lover who is sup-woman is further marginalized and becomes an object which is inposed to save her from the sin of being a daughter of a Jew. Forthe way of her father s own fight against racial inequality.example, Joan Ozark Holmer hailed her as "a type of the freewoman"and the night of her elopement is the night when "she2 Character Analysis:Not a Free Womanbecomes a free womanliterally and siriual" (p58). AnotherHowever, does Jessica really become what Holmer claims "acritic Bill Overton observes that by dressing as a male "she Jes-type of the free woman"after she flees away from the bondage ofica) gains freedom" (p38). However, if Jessica succeeds inher patriarchal father? The answer is negative. What is in storelaunching a rebellion against her patriarchal father, does it meanfor her after her fight from the hell of her father's house is not athat she has disentangled herself from the much larger patriarchalheaven of freedom but the solid earth flawed by subtle, compli-system and something more than that? In truth, it is rathercated racial and sexual discriminations. In the first 'place, thedoubtful that she has embraced fr edom by embracing a Chris-racial inequality can be witnessed from the uneven portrayal oftian lover. On the contrary, this fight to the alegedly "freedom"the characters. Shylock is the cruel and merciless Jew with anmerely plunges her into a direful hell of more overwhelmingunivalled hard "Jewish heart" (p350) whereas the Christians inracial and sexual bondage which is easily overlooked.the play are all mereiful and Bympathetic, especially when theIt is agreed that originally Jessica is a typical woman "inDuke pardons the "alien"his life and Antonio conveys one half ofsubjection to male wll"(p38). Or to be precise, she is subjectedShylock's goods to Lorenz0 and Jesica. Moreover, the despite to-to her father's will. From Holmer's standpoint, Shylock treatswards IJessica "as a servant, not a daughter" (p120). This is partly truedisgraced"him and "scomed"his nation just because he is a Jew.because her father merely finds fault with her and orders herEven though Jessica is kind and tender and her union with aaround without showing any worthy fatherly concem. In his talkChristian proves an attempt to cut herself off from her despicablewith Jessica, Shylock is in the habit of employing imperativestatement such as "look to my house", "lock u my doors' andcan be considered an equal of the Christians because even if shelet not the sound of shallow foppery enter my sober house"(p313).leaves her Jewish father she cannot leave behind her JewishBut after the elopement, Jessica, the "unfaithful"servant-daughterblood. When Launcelot tells her that she is "damned"except ifis reduced even futher to an object no more valuable than herthere is a "bastard hope"that "your father got you not, that youfather's "ducats"because Shylock bewails the loss of "two thou-are not the Jew's daughter" (p345), Jessica comforts herself bysand ducats in that, and other precious, precious jewels' 'rathersaying that "I shall be saved by my husband. He hath made me athan the loss of what is normally assumed a precious daughterChristian"(p345). However, this weak reason can not excuse her(p328). Nonetheless; it does not follow that the financial lo8s isfrom the fact that she is still a Jewess. Even her Christian loverthe heaviest blow on Shylock. For him, it is rather the betrayal ofLauncelot cannot deny the fact of her Jewish blood by saying "his daughter which atets to his own failure in fighting againstnever dare Misfortune cross her foot, unless she do it under thisthe racial discrimination against Jews by Christians since heexcuse, that she is isue to a faithles Jew" (p312). Though thisbrushes aside the handsome financial compensation and insistscomment seems a blessing to Jessica, it belies a curse to those中国煤化工收稿日期:2011-08-18修回日期:2011-09-20作者简介:唐建南(1977-),女,湖南宁乡人,中国石油大学(北京)讲师,博士,主要JYHCNMH G有研究领域为是国小说，生态批评,生态女性批评。本栏目责任愉舞:备莽募中外文学文化研究重265.Overseas English 海外美语2011年11月When Wilde was studying in Oxford University, he hadcreated the comedy The Importance of Being Earnest with happyshowed his talents. Infuenced by Pate, he became a leading per-and forgiven ending. Maybe this is what the author wanted.son of Aecstheticism schools. He acted strangely and wore differ-3 Conclusionently. As a famous writer, every work always has people's aten-tion. People saw his strange action, surprising words a sign ofWith the paychological analysis of Freud, we can know whattalent. But in 1895, the court declared him to be a gay and putis unknown before. As a person in the society, we cannot avoidcompromising to the reality and give up some desire in front ofinto prison lasing two years, which surprised everyone at thattime. His unknown life was completely exposed to the public.great pressure. Dual personality to some degree is good for us,What kind of life is it?but when it is too excessive, it will destroy the person. In theWhen it comes to his life, we have to refer to the Victoriancomedy, everyone has his secret. Faced the society, Wilde voicedperiod Wilde lived in. In the end of nighteenth century and earlyhis weak opinion.twentieth century, the Industry eform had finished. DevelopmentReferences:of science improved the rapid development of economy. The cap-[1]} Liu Haiping,Zhu Xuefeng. British And American Drama:Playsitalist society was consolidated while all kinds of social problemAnd Criticisms Shanghai[M].ShangHai:ShangHai foreign Lan-appeared. People always talked morally but actually, they wor-guage Education Press,2008.shiped money and power. Wilde despised that but the status and[2] Zhu Gang.Twentieth Century Westem Critical Theories {M].fame was given by these people, which made him depressed inShanghai:Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press,2008.the reality. He could not live a life which he dreamed so much.[3]宋西妮.奥斯卡.王尔德唯美主义中的悲剧色彩小河南新乡Faced with such a society, he tried to use his academical idea to教育学报,2009(6).voice and rebel. Living a dual life, he was miserable. Several[4]王韵.语言张力的再现[J.解放军外国语学院学报2008(3).，times did he want to end this life, this misery, while it was out ofhis control, which only brought him tragic ending. In 1981, he(上接第266页)[1] Bamber,Linda.Comic Women,Tragice Men:A Study of Genderissue. For example, Jessica in The Merchant of Venice is not on-and Genre in Shakespeare [M].Standford:Standford Universityly trying to break through the ftters of racial and sexual preju-Pres,1982.dices but also standing by those patriarchal and racial notions to[2] Holmer,Ozark J.0 me,the word chooe':Structure and lan-reduce herself to an object of her Christian lover and an outsiderguage[My/The Merchant of Venice:Choice,Hazard and Conse-within the insiders.quence.Houndmills:the MacMillan Press Ld.,1995:40-94.[3] Overon,Bil.A Play Unpleasant (M/The Merchant of Venice:Thus, the portrayal of Jessica is not a celebration of how aText and Performance.London:MacMillan Publishers Ltd.,1987:19-23.predicament a woman faces when she tries to flee from the small[4] Shakespeare,Wiliam.The Merchant of Venice[M]/Four Come-net of her patriarchal father's control, only to find she is caughtdies:The Taming of the Shrew,A Midsummer Night's Dream,The Merchant of Venice,Twelfth Night.Eds.David Bevington etin a much more extensive and suffocating net of racial and sexualdiscriminations.The irony is that she is kept in the dark aboutll,Toronto:Bantam Books,1988:283-377.the bondage and enjoying her happy union with her Christian[5] Smidt,Krstian.So May the Outward Shows .. The Merchant ofVenice [CyV/Unconformities in Shakespeare's Early Comedies.lover as if she were basking in the light of freedom.London:the MacMillan Press Ltd,1986;156-76.中国煤化工MYHCNMHG278■中外文学文化研究费的要个 “$栏责任编辑:杨苯荞