Is Portia in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice a static character


Essay, 2004

6 Pages, Grade: 1,8


Abstract or Introduction

In William Shakespeare`s drama The Merchant of Venice, certain characters are getting more and more involved into the action of the play. That takes place in a manner which might give the reader or spectator the impression that some characters even change their character traits. According to Manfred Pfister, figures who “undergo a process of development in the course of the text” (Pfister 1991: 177f.) are called dynamic. “Their […] features change, either in a continuous process or in disjointed series of jumps” (Pfister 1991: 177f.). Static characters, however, remain static throughout the play and do never change. Only “the receiver`s perception of them may gradually develop, change or expand under the influence […] of information” (Pfister 1991: 177f.). In this essay, Portia of Belmont shall be focused on by giving an outline of her character and on this basis it shall be analysed whether she is a static character or not.

Details

Title
Is Portia in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice a static character
College
University of Freiburg  (Anglistisches Institut)
Course
Introduction to literary studies
Grade
1,8
Author
Year
2004
Pages
6
Catalog Number
V65788
ISBN (eBook)
9783638582766
ISBN (Book)
9783656798064
File size
442 KB
Language
English
Notes
Essay in English on the topic of 'Static Characters', illustrated at Shakespeare's play 'The Merchant of Venice'.
Keywords
Portia, William, Shakespeare, Merchant, Venice, Introduction
Quote paper
Beate Wilhelm (Author), 2004, Is Portia in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice a static character, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/65788

Comments

  • No comments yet.
Look inside the ebook
Title: Is Portia in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice a static character



Upload papers

Your term paper / thesis:

- Publication as eBook and book
- High royalties for the sales
- Completely free - with ISBN
- It only takes five minutes
- Every paper finds readers

Publish now - it's free