The Lorenzo-Jessica story has a close connection with the main

The Lorenzo-Jessica story has a close connection with the main action of the play, “The merchant of Venice.” Discuss.

Ans.

William Shakespeare’s drama, “The Merchant of Venice’ has four stories and it is genius of dramatist that he hurdles them with great skill and art. The Bond Story and the Caskets Story constitute the main texture while Lorenzo Jessica Story and the Rings Story are the minor stories.

Lorenzo is a young Christian, an associate of Bassanio. He is in love with Jessica, the young and beautiful daughter of Shylock, the Jew. She elops with Lorenzo. At the time of leaving her father’s house she takes with her the cash and precious jewels of her father. She spends this money of her miserly father recklessly.

This Lorenzo-Jessica story has a great dramatic significance. First it serves to intensity the Christian-Jew conflict and make Shylock all the more determined to harm the Christian Antonio as much as he possibly. The very thought that his daughter has eloped with a Christian causes Shylock to hang his head in shame. This story also reveals the Jew-his domestic life. The father and daughter are as different as two antipodes are. There is no affection, no regard for each other. The daughter is ashamed of her father’s ways and considers her home a hell. This story also reveals Shylock’s love of money in preference to his daughter. This story, thus partly seeks to explain the cause of Shylock’s intransigence.

This story also helps to fill time between signing the bond and the trial-scene.

This story also helps to create a romantic sphere of the lover’s world Lorenzo and Jessica’s heart and mind match admirably with beautiful moonlight night in Belmont. It also provides the contrast to the love affair of Portia and Bassanio. It is the case of direct love were as Bassanio wins Portia through the lottery of the caskets.

When Lorenzo-Jessica reach Belmont the story indirectly connects the Bond Story and the Caskets Story.