The Merchant of Venice - What is the relationship between Nerissa and Gratiano in "The Merchant of Venice"?

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   linda-allen Teacher
   High School - 10th Grade

   Like Portia and Bassanio, Nerissa and Gratiano are in love and get married during the play. The eNotes study guide describes the two marriages as "almost a mirror image":

   Nerissa imitates the actions and embraces the values of her mistress. In the copycat wedding of Nerissa and Gratiano and in the parallels of the ring subplot, The Merchant of Venice offers a lesson in Elizabethan social conduct: lower-class persons should mimic their social superiors.

   The scene with the two couples and the missing rings in Act V serves as comic relief after Shylock's "trial."

   Visit the links below for more information.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/merchant/act-v-scene-summary-analysis

   http://www.enotes.com/merchant/other-characters-descriptions

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   Posted by linda-allen on Thursday May 1, 2008 at 9:39 AM