The Merchant of Venice Rhetorical Analysis Essay Sample

Have you ever tried to convince a group of people to agree with you on an unpopular opinion such as pineapple on pizza? You felt as if your opinion was correct but knew that the others disagreed. In this situation, the only hope of convincing someone is using strong acts of persuasion. Without always realizing it, one uses many rhetorical moves on a day to day basis in order to convince another person to make accommodations or simply to get what they want. Shakespeare uses many rhetorical devices through his plays in order for the character to convince both the audience and the opponent of what they believe is right. Throughout Merchant of Venice, 4.1 many rhetorical devices are used in order to persuade both the Duke and the audience. The rhetorical devices Shakespeare uses reveal a lot about Shylock as a character.

As a first example of rhetorical devices, Shylock expresses a great example of the use of tone, and how it can reveal the true intentions of a character. Shylock uses tone to persuade both the Duke and the audience of what he believes should happen. Shylock uses tone to his advantage in hopes of persuading the audience, the Duke, and Bassanio, to give him his pound of flesh. As Shylock argues, “you'll ask me, why I rather choose to have a weight of carrion flesh than to receive three thousand ducats” (). This shows his reluctance to any other sort of payment other than a pound of flesh. Through his firm and demanding tone of voice, Shylock reveals that he believes if he is confident enough, he will convince both his audience, Bassanio, and the Duke to give him his pound of flesh. Shylock is desperate  to convince the other members in the courthouse to agree, because if they do not agree he has no chance of receiving a pound of flesh.His adamant persuasive tone of voice comes out quite demanding, and the Duke begs him to have mercy. He shows no sympathy and only has his wants in mind. He uses arguments stating how he feels to stand his ground in hopes that the Duke and Bassanio will work around him, and his demands. These rhetorical moves are doing more harm than good because in result he is not persuading anyone to believe his beliefs, yet throughout these rhetorical moves, it shows his nasty and evil personality. 

Shylock also argues every compromise suggested as this challenges his original demands, even when three times the money is offered he turns it down; , because he he stays with his oath, and wants nothing but a pound of flesh.. As these lines take place within the first few lines of Merchant of Venice (act 4 Scene 1), these lines theoretically set the mood of Shylock for the play. Through these lines he both reveals his mindset of demanding a pound of flesh along with showing his rhetorical move with tone of voice in hopes of persuading the audience, the Duke and Bassanio into settling with the original deal that took place.

Secondly, Shylock uses a rhetorical question to reveal his expression that he will not accept anything but his pound of flesh. As he lays down the statement followed by an opinionated question, “An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven: Shall I lay perjury upon my soul? No, not for Venice.”  Shylock asks a rhetorical question, “shall I lay perjury upon my soul?” Then he follows up on the next line by saying “ No, not for Venice.” This quote reveals alot about him as a character. With the use of this rhetorical question, It almost makes the reader feel as if they are thinking along with him, because it is expressing his debate, upon whether to do the right thing that was in the oath or let the others convince him of moving away from the oath. HeThrough this he expresses a biased question structured to his mindset and then answers the question through expressing that he wants it his way as per the original agreement. Shylock uses it as a form of persuasion., He states a reasonable question and then responds with the answer which reveals what he wants, as he wants the original agreement. Not a modification to the agreement but the original agreement. Shylock is not willing to crush his ego, hopes, and agreement in order to make arrangements with  Bassanio who is in debt with him.

The third example of a rhetorical device is when. Shylock uses the device of monologue to show what he really wants and how he is truly feeling. Shylock expresses these feelings when he senses the case is not going in his favor. He states, “So can I give no reason, nor I will not, mMore than a lodged hate and a certain loathing I bear Antonio.” He starts off by expressing this with his demanding attitude, he then follows up and says “You'll ask me, why I rather choose to have aA weight of carrion flesh than to receive tThree thousand ducats.” This is showing how he truly only wants the original agreement and nothing else. He does not want money, he just wants the pound of flesh at this point. 

Shakespeare uses many rhetorical devices through Shylock's character to reveal what Shylock really wants along with revealing his true character.who his character is. Through these rhetorical devices it reveals Shylock's intentions of wanting the pound of flesh desperately, along with his demanding attitude, and his desperate want and need for the Duke and Bassanio to come to terms and agree to follow through on the original agreement. Shakespeare uses a series of rhetorical devices in order to convince the audience of how terrible Sshylock truly is. , He uses the rhetorical devices tone, monologue and rhetorical question.