Merchant of Venice I

In Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, the protagonist, Antonio shares a two-fold relationship with Bassanio. Antonio's relation with Bassanio is rather extreme, to the point where it seems he is in love with Bassanio. Antonio, a merchant of venice, is a wealthy man, his friend Bassanio comes to him one day and asks him for money to visit a women that he wishes to court, Portia. Antonio, asks immediately of Portia, "Well, tell me now what lady is the same/ to whom you swore a secret pilgrimmage,/ that you today promsed to tell me of." (1.1 126-129). He asks because it is apparent that he takes a liking to Bassanio, and becomes dissapointed when he hears that Bassanio wants to court her, because that means he wont be able to be with Bassanio. Despite his desire for love with Bassanio, being contrary to Bassanio's wishes, he agrees and promises that he would lend him money to make a pilgrimmage to Portia, but his money is currently involved with his business and he can't lend any of it just yet. Bassanio, doesn't show and love for Antonio, but does demonstrate a friendship with him, in both his actions and his speech. He went to Antonio of all people to ask for a loan, which implies he has a good relation with him. He shares his love for Portia with Antonio, among other things he speaks with him about. Antonio and Bassanio are both friends yet Antonia has a love, and desire to be with Bassanio, whereas Bassanio just likes Antonio as a friend to go to for help, and advice, pertaining to his life.

Great Expectations III

Through the end of Book II of Dicken's Great Expectations, there are various realizations that occur among both Pip and Estella. Each of these realizations alter the given characters in different ways. Although we do not know how the realizations will change the characters yet, we can make predictions based on what we already know.

During Chapter 39, one dark, stormy evening, a stranger arrives at Pip's home. Pip identifies the stranger as the convict, whom had received Pip's help and hospitality earlier in the novel. The convict seems, abnormally glad, and joyous, and exclaims, "Yes, Pip, dear boy, I've made a gentleman on you! It's me wot has done it," (319). Astonished, Pip discovers that the convict, Magwitch is his secret benefactor. Not Miss Havisham, but the convict has been supplying Pip with money, opportunity and transformed him into a gentleman. He takes the news in such a melancholy demeanor, as he realizes what this means. First, Pip realizes that without Miss Havisham as his benefactor, he is not meant to become a gentleman in order to attain Estella's love.  "Miss Havisham's intentions towards me, all a mere dream; Estella not designed for me; I only suffered in the satis house a convenience...(323). Having Estella's love is what Pip truly desires, and he thought that if he became a gentleman, she would finally love him. It was to his belief that Miss Havisham was supporting Pip's attempt in becoming a gentleman, and was sponsoring his upperclass life in London. With this belief gone, and the realization that the benefactor is merely the convict Magwitch, Pip loses hope that he will marry Estella, his true desire. Pip finally realizes that Magwitch is still on the run with the law, and if caught he will be executed. Pip is very nervous about this, as he can't release his benefactor's true identity. Since Pip has realized that Estella is not "designed for her" and discovered that his benefactor is magwitch, along with the danger Magwitch brings to Pip, I predict Pip will distance himself from Magwitch for his personaly safety, by returning to Joe, where he will have a true friendship. I also imagine his love for Estella will continue, because despite her not seemingly being destined for Pip, he still loves her, and desires her.

Estella also, makes realizations in chapter 38. She immerses herself in a fight with Miss Havisham, which allows her to realize a lot about herself. "I am what you have made me,"(304), because of Miss Havisham she taught Estella to be cruel, insulting and to break the heart's of men. Estella realizes that she doesn't have her own individual personality, but was heavily influenced by Miss Havisham who had complete control over her. "All that you have given me, is at your command to have again, beyond that, I have nothing," (304). After Estella realizes how deeply Havisham impacts herself, she begins to retaliate, and fights back against her. With Estella spending more and more time away from the Satis House, and her weakened relationship with Miss Havisham, I can foresee that she will look to developing her own life somewhere far away, where she will truly be an individual, with no influence from anyone. She will pursue her own interests, career, home, and even develop a relationship with a man she truly loves, and with Pip single and deeply in love with her, they could potentially begin a relationship.

Great Expectations II

In Great Expectations, Dickens carefully selects names for characters that reveal personality about a character. The names he selects are therefore unique, and have a definite symbolic meaning. Miss Havisham's ward, Estella, is a great example as her name is meant to reveal her personality to the reader. Pip first meets Estella in Chapter 8, where she acts in a cruel manor, as she insults Pip  because of his lower social class. She makes him feel out of reach, as if she is too good for him, despite Pip's affection for her.  He later admits to Ms. Havisham, "'What do you think of her?'... 'I think she is very pretty.' 'Anything else?' 'I think she is very insulting'" (61). In Latin, the word Estella means star.  Similarly, a star, is pretty in the eyes of Pip, but indeed, it too is out of reach. To Pip, a star is merely a pretty object and nothing else, it provides no friendship, nothing more than beauty to Pip. As Pip mentions to Ms. Havisham that Estella is "insulting", and he wouldn't like to stay and play with her, despite how pretty she is. In the text, Dickens hints the reader of Estella's connection to a star, by suggesting that Pip saw her as a star when she was first introduced to Pip, "Feeling it a dreadful liberty so to roar out her name, was almost as bad as playing to order. but, she answered at last, an her light came along the long dark passage like a star," (59). Before maps, and compasses, stars were used to help People travel. Depending on the traveler's position to a certain star, he or she would know if they are walking in the right direction. To get to different places, the traveler would walk to towards different stars. After meeting Estella, Pip suddenly wants to become a gentleman, become educated and he falls in love. Estella, the star, guides Pip in different directions, as Pip follows in hope of Estella's love. His sole reason for his desire to be an educated young man, is to receive Estella's love.

Great Expectations I-Mrs. Joe

Mrs. Joe

In Great Expectations, an adult Pip, narrates a scene that he witnessed as a young boy. He describes watching his sister, Mrs. Joe beat her husband, Joe. Her assault on Joe was described as her knocking his head against the wall, while Pip sits in the corner watches Joe's struggle.“By this time my sister was quite desperate, so she pounced on Joe, and, taking him by the two whiskers, knocked his head for a little while against the wall behind him: while I sat in the corner, looking guiltily on.” From the way that Pip describes this situation, we can infer that Mrs. Joe is not a calm, gentle women, but rather an abusive, shrew-like women. At this point in time, historically, women were not given the same legal rights, and did not have the same social standing in the society as men did. Resulting from this sexist discrimination, and Mrs. Joe's desire to be a powerful women, it could be possible that she is taking her anger out, on Joe. There are other experiences narrated by Pip, where she is abusive towards himself. In their household, it seems that Mrs. Joe feels that she has the control, that she has power. This is what she has always craved, and desired. Mrs. Joe's power in her house balances out the lack of power, and rights she has in the real world, outside of the home.

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