Shakespeare creates a deliberate contrast between the two places. Each setting caters to a different set of circumstances and reflects a different mood. Venice is a city filled with the hustle and bustle of people moving about, doing business, managing their private and public affairs. The mood is, therefore, one of vibrant activity.
It is here where Antonio does his business and manages his commercial fleet of ships, since Venice is a merchant city. Shylock,...
Shakespeare creates a deliberate contrast between the two places. Each setting caters to a different set of circumstances and reflects a different mood. Venice is a city filled with the hustle and bustle of people moving about, doing business, managing their private and public affairs. The mood is, therefore, one of vibrant activity.
It is here where Antonio does his business and manages his commercial fleet of ships, since Venice is a merchant city. Shylock, the moneylender, also conducts his affairs in the city, and this is where he thrives. It is also here where we find a mixture of people from different cultural, religious and racial backgrounds and, as such, there is much conflict bred from intolerance and prejudice.
In contrast, Belmont reflects a much more peaceful atmosphere. Although there are also a variety of individuals from different backgrounds living in Belmont, their purpose is not bred from ill will or any malice as in Venice. Insteadm they are friendly adversaries all wishing for the same outcome insofar as it would benefit them. It is an idyllic and romantic setting, illustrated by the fact that many suitors come to the island to chance their luck at winning the beautiful Portia's hand. She rules over the island like a fairy princess. She is enormously wealthy and is in line to inherit her father's entire estate.
Belmont is a place of romance whilst Venice is a place of business. Belmont is a place of enchantment, where lovers find sanctuary and each other, away from the hurly-burly of city life. Life here is much more relaxed and time seems to move slower, whilst everything is hurried and more pragmatic in Venice.
This antithesis is ideally suited for the exploration of the plays' different themes. In Venice, Bassanio and Antonio have to deal with the practical reality of finding money to fund Bassanio's trip to Belmont. Belmont provides an ideal escape for the lovers Lorenzo and Jessica, and its romance creates the ideal atmosphere for Bassanio and Portia to discover their amorous inclination towards each other. It also creates a climate for Gratiano and Nerissa to fall in love.
As the action shifts from one setting to the other, the audience is also drawn into the different forms of intrigue that the characters have to deal with at different instances. In Venice it's the loan and Antonio's subsequent incarceration and appearance in court. In Belmont it's the intriguing aspect of all Portia's suitors having to decide on a correct casket. For these reasons, the mood in Belmont is lighthearted and carefree, whilst it is much more somber in Venice.
Finally, Belmont provides an escape from the stressful circumstances imposed upon the characters by the events in Venice. It is a place for respite and relaxation. It is, therefore, the ideal setting for the denouement of the play. All the problematic issues encountered throughout the play have been resolved, and our lovers can finally enjoy matrimonial bliss.
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