Home > The Merchant of Venice Summary & Study Guide > FAQs > Why does Jessica convert to Christianity?

The Merchant of Venice | Why does Jessica convert to Christianity?

In the course of the play, Jessica elopes with Christian youth Lorenzo and their dual inclusion in Act V suggests that she has been converted into a full-fledged Christian. There are plainly "push" factors involved in Jessica's decision to leave her father's home, which she characterizes as a "hell." But Jessica is not mistreated by her father: he shows genuine affection towards her and trusts her with the keys to his chest. As to the "pull" factors, Lorenzo is an undistinguished young man and Shakespeare does not furnish us with any romantic moments between the two. Assisting Lorenzo in...

[The entire page is 221 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...