PREJUDICE!PREJUDICE!PREJUDICE!PREJUDICE!A theme exploration for the A theme exploration for the

Merchant of VeniceMerchant of Venice

What is prejudice?

•An unreasonable dislike of or preference for a person, group, custom, etc., especially when it is based on their race, religion, sex, etc. It also comes from pre-judgment of as certain group in society

Types of prejudice

• Sexism• Racial• Religious• Disability• Ageism• Class (snobbery-elitism)• Poverty• Differences (in lifestyle, looks, accent)

Concept of Prejudice in MOV

•Antonio and Shylock’s religious prejudice for each other

•Racial prejudice between fair-skinned and dark-skinned people

What lies behind the act of prejudice?

•Generalizations of different groups of people

•Incidents that spark off hatred •Vengeance •Differences

Causes of Prejudice

•Hatred•Social learning and

conformity•Social structure and

economic position

Why do we need to know about

prejudice•It is a social issue that goes

against our stand for equality

•It’s something very real today

Why is prejudice a problem?

• It affects the victims and causes them hurt

• It is unjust• It goes against the principle

that our society establishes and promotes

Prejudice in our daily lives

• Prejudice against disabled people (physical and mental disabilities)

• Racial Prejudice (the most dominant race, Chinese, against other races)

• Class Prejudice (more successful vs. less successful)

• Prejudice against the less gifted/ talented

Personal Point-of-View

•Many of us have been perpetrators of racial prejudice because we are of the dominant race in Singapore

•Some of us have been victims of sexism

Lessons about prejudice

•Prejudice brings harm to others•Prejudice is morally wrong•Prejudice is injustice•Prejudice is brought about by

UNREASONABLE, INVALID causes

Assumptions• He/she assumes that his/her victim’s

differences make the victim “inferior” he/she believes that because he/she is “superior”, he/she has the right to commit such an act

• He/she assumes that the victim will not be affected by his/her act and that it does not bring harm to the victim

Assumptions• These assumptions are not true because

these reasons are unreasonable, biased/one-sided and invalid, made from a very personal point-of-view

• These assumptions are made because majority of the people in our society think a certain way about a certain group of people

Implications & Consequences

- It leads to :• Fights/ Arguments• Hate• Jealousy• Bloodshed• War/ Riots• Hurt

Implications in MOV

- It lead to:• Vengeance/ Revenge• Arguments• Losses• Emotional Hurt• Betrayal/ Disloyalty• Ill-wishes• Scheming thoughts/ deceitfulness• Distrust• Pride

Point-of-View• The Elizabethan audience

probably side with the Christians and oppose the Jews

• The 21st century audience probably view these people in a more objective manner, perhaps even feeling sympathy for Shylock