Journal February 9

2. I feel like the Merchant of Venice fits the Green World Theory very well. It has to separate lands, Belmont and Venice. In my mind, I see Venice as the normal world, and I see Belmont as the Green World. One example of this is that the normal world is usually run by males. Venice fits this part of the theory because the main characters in Venice are all male (Antonio, Bassanio, Shylock). Also in  the green world, the females are usually the ones running it. Belmont fits this part because Portia and Nerissa are really the only characters that we have seen in Belmont. They are also both women, and Portia seems to run Belmont because she is able to choose her man. Usually in those days, the men would choose the women, but Portia can tell any man that he can't participate in the contest for her love. The normal world often has many laws and has order. This is shown in the quote, " Three thousand ducats—’tis a good round sum. Three months from twelve, then. Let me see. The rate. " this was said by Shylock when Shylock was giving Antonio and Bassanio a loan. This supports the theory because the idea of loans means that there would have to be some laws. Romance is usually a major theme in the green world. This quote, "Therefore the lottery that he hath devised in these three chests of gold, silver, and lead, whereof who chooses his meaning chooses you, will no doubt never be chosen by any rightly but one who shall rightly love" supports this idea. Nerissa is explaining the lottery to Portia and the audience. This lottery is for Portia's hand in marriage. If a suitor comes along who wants to try the lottery, Portia gives them a choice of picking one of three caskets. One casket contains gold, another contains silver, and the third contains lead. If the pick the on with the gold in it, then they get to marry Portia. However, if they pick the other two, then they can never talk to Portia again. This fits in with the green world theory because this lottery has to do with romance. In the end, I believe that Belmont is the green world, and that Venice is the normal world. However, this could change as the book goes on.