Act 2 Scene 3 and Act 2 scene 4

“Our house is hell” (3)

The bluntness of Jessica’s statement is emphasises by the alliteration and this behaviour of Jessica in private of using an extremely harsh statement for the time shows how close she is with Lancelot.

“Most beautiful pagan” “Most sweet Jew” (3)

The juxtaposition in the way that Lancelot addresses her foreshadows that Jessica may never escape her background as a pagan is someone who is not Christian, so the fact that she is called ‘pagan’ and ‘Jew’ by Lancelot, who is using them as derogatory terms in a patronising way even though he actually likes and respects her, shows how she will always be viewed as a Jew and will have great difficulty trying to escape her religion.

“A heinous sin is it in me to be ashamed to be my father’s child” (3)

Jessica is going against filial piety as she is not ashamed of what she is doing even though she knows it is a sin.

“I am a daughter to his blood I am not to his manners” (3)

Jessica says she isn’t like Shylock, attempting to highlight the differences between them and show that she does not possess the qualities that he is criticised of having.

“What gold and jewels she is furnished with” (4)

Jessica has little respect for Shylock and feels no remorse for her actions. Lorenzo is also presented as materialistic as if he truly loved Jessica, he would not be concerned about how many jewels she has, so this is not just an elopement of love as it is also motivated by monetary gains.

“If e’er the Jew her father come to heaven, it will be for his gentle daughter’s sake”

Shylock is presented as the devil whereas Jessica an angel, as though Jessica’s good deeds will be the reason Shylock goes to heaven and she is her fathers redeeming figure, which is what Lancelot believes.