2) How is Belmont different from Venice? How can we use the Green World theory to interpret this?
In class we talked about the difference between the Green World and the City World. We said that Belmont is part of the Green world and Venice is the City World. I think that Belmont IS part of the Green World in the Merchant of Venice, but since it's also a city, in another play it could be considered part of the City World. In the Merchant of Venice, Belmont is where Portia and Nerissa are, while Venice is where all of the men like Bassanio, Lorenzo, Shylock, Gratiano, and Antonio. All of the business transactions and stuff like that happen in Venice, and the romance happens in Belmont as the suitors try to win over Portia and play the game so they can marry her. Belmont also has intergenerational strifes because Portia is kind of upset at her father because he made it so she can't choose her husband if she wants her inheritance. These strifes may not be resolved because Portia's father is dead, but she may come to terms with everything he did. Venice has a lot of social hierarchy that Belmont doesn't have. Most of the things we read about happening in Venice were about money or how Jews and Christians disliked and didn't trust each other, while things that happened in Belmont so far were about romance and family issues.
Your blog changed my opinion about Belmont and Venice. Before I did not believe that Belmont was the Green World and Venice of the City world, but you have a strong arguement and you changed my mind. Do you think that Portia's late father lived in Belmont, even though he was a man (I think this presents a minor problem)?
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