The Merchant of Venice Final

Nowadays everyone is more on the pursuit of money rather than the pursuit of happiness. Most people think that money can solve all life's problems and make a person happier, but most find that the pursuit of money can lead to a bad pathway. In the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare it is mainly about two merchants that don’t get along, but both are on the pursuit of money, because their merchants. They are constantly trading and making deals. One of the main merchants, Shylock, is most affected by this lesson and throughout the book we find out how his pursuit of money goes and how it affects him in the end. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare shows that it is vital to have more than money to be happy because the pursuit of money doesn’t always lead up to what one wanted in the first place.

Towards the beginning of the book, Shylock and Antonio, make an agreement. Shylock with lend Antonio money and if he doesn’t pay it back then he can cut a pound of his flesh out. “Let the forfeit be agreed for a full pound of your fair flesh” (1.3.142-143). This is when we start to figure out Shylock's motives and the way he negotiates. Shylock goes as far as cutting someone else because of money. He tries to get as much money as possible with every deal. And then we find out that Antonio’s ships sank, with all his money on it. All this time he relied everything on his money and earnings but in the end it failed him and he was left with nothing. Same goes for everyone else. Sooner or later money will give out and we will be left with nothing. Money is a materialistic thing that can only get you so much of. Not only does he lose money but he also later on loses his daughter, due to his dirty actions for money she decides to run away. The readers are positive he didn’t lose his daughter due to his regretful thought later on. Money may be materialistic but can also can cause something that becomes sensual that interferes with relationships. The pursuit of money can not only dig a financial ditch for you but also push away loved ones.

As the story progresses we find Shylock in a court against Antonio. Shylock demands money or a pound of flesh, but in the end, tables turn.. “Therefore, prepare to cut off the flesh. Shed no blood.” (4.1.320). His pursuit of money led him so far to cut a man's body open. In the beginning he makes a harsh deal to ensure he gets money, but because he pursuited money, he lost in the end. This saying that not only does the pursuit of money lead to the wrong direction but in a bad direction. Not necessarily saying everybody these days would go as far as cutting someone from money and rid themselves of their humanity, but this situation could be put onto a more modernized scale but the outcome could still be injurious. If one does pursuit money, they might eventually get the money but it will always feel short of satisfactory.

Every pursuit of money Shylock had, has gone in the opposite direction he wanted. In the end he ends up with nothing. I think this is a lesson everyone can learn from because no matter how much times you pursuit money you will end up unsatisfied. Even if you do end up with the money in the end, the amount of sacrifice and hardship will not always make up for it. With all this evidence it shows that you need more than money in life, maybe a stronger connection with family, like Shylock, or pursuit something else. The thing to pursuit to live a happy life depends on the person, but money will not always be the answer. So the only way is to pursuit something else other than money to be happier. Human being may never know what that something else may be, but in the end we are all on the pursuit to live a happy, satisfying life.