The Rings of Power Symbolic Exchange in the Merchant of...

The Rings of Power: Symbolic Exchange in The Merchant of Venice Rings are significant to the narrative of The Merchant of Venice for several reasons. Firstly, as symbols of love, wealth and power. Secondly, as a means through which Portia gives and then regains control of herself, her weath and power and finally, the theft and sale of Leahs turquoise ring acts as a source of sympathy towards Shylock and allows him to parallel the Christian husbands, Bassanio and Graziano. A ring is, in and of itself, a frivolous object; it serves no practical purpose and its only functions are symbolic and aesthetic. They are thus also a symbol of the wealth and power of the owner; a demonstration that they have so much money they can afford to†¦show more content†¦This is particularly notable in the case of Portia, due to her assumption of traditionally masculine traits over the course of the text, and the exchange of rings ultimately allows her to reclaim her own autonomy. In giving Bassanio her ring, Portia assumes the traditionally masculine role, both in giving the ring and in giving herself, a role usually belonging to the father of the bride: †¦But now, I was the lord Of this fair mansion, master of my servants, Queen oer myself;†¦ (3.2.167-9) By referring to herself as the lord and master of the house rather than the lady and mistress, Portia makes it clear that she has been in charge of and running the estate since her fathers death, rather than the more traditional female role of managing only the household. Interestingly, she then uses the feminine queen rather than king, which on the surface might seem to undermine this, however, a female Monarch maintains their power upon marriage, rather than having to surrender it to her husband, and holds power in her own right. Further, like Portia, some queens gave, rather than received rings: Mary, Queen of Scots, sent Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, a ring to indicate her willingness to marry him, and Queen Elizabeth gave the Earl of Essex a ring as a token of affection. Unlike a queen, Portia yields her power to Bassanio along with her hand: This house, these servants and this same myself,Show MoreRelatedHow to Read Lit Like a Prof Notes3608 Words   |  15 Pagesconnotations 3. Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires a. Literal Vampirism: Nasty old man, attractive but evil, violates a young woman, leaves his mark, takes her innocence b. Sexual implications—a trait of 19th century literature to address sex indirectly c. Symbolic Vampirism: selfishness, exploitation, refusal to respect the autonomy of other people, using people to get what we want, placing our desires, particularly ugly ones, above the needs of another. 4. If It’s Square, It’s a Sonnet 5. Now, Where HaveRead MoreBirthstones9275 Words   |  38 PagesIsrael. The current list dates back to 1912 with only one addition since then – the tanzanite was added to December. There are numerous legends and myths about birthstone healing powers and their therapeutic influence. According to these legends, wearing a gemstone during its assigned month heightened its healing powers. For the full effect, individuals needed to own all twelve and alternate them monthly. Birthstones are special stones associated with each month of the year. They have a place inRead MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 Pagesdistributing the products so that customers have appropriate accessibility and have quick and easy delivery. Marketing is thus the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges (with customers) that satisfy individual and organizational objectives. 2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After reading the unit, you will understand how: †¢ †¢ †¢ To learn the evolution of marketing as a discipline To understand the reasons why marketing is