AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE OMNIPRESENT OF THREATS AND CHAOS – A LITERARY NARRATIVE ON THE MERCHANT OF VENICE AND ROMEO AND JULIET

Sone Ngulle Moses, Robert Cyril

Abstract: An Aristotelian tragedy includes many different characteristics. It is a cause-and-effect chain and it contains the elements of catharsis, which is pity and fear, and hamartia, which is the tragic flaw embedded in the main characters. Romeo and Juliet is often thought to be such a play; a play that encapsulates enduring love alongside threats, violence, and chaos that always encompass the streets of Verona. Likewise the Merchant of Venice whose central theme could be identified as selflessness and self-interest, with greed and cyclic increase of hatred that cause threats and chaos is not far from societal mayhem though with a happy ending. Shakespeare‘s wish to show that generosity and giving freely bestows blessings on those that do so whereas disaster awaits those who are tight-fisted and lack mercy is also one of the profound insights into the complexities of the human mind and emotions. It was within the context of the above viewpoints that this study was rationally constructed to be a necessary academic exercise for investigation. The inquiry was therefore on a detailed understanding of the omnipresent of threats and chaos – a literary narrative on The Merchant of Venice and Romeo and Juliet. The study also sought to establish the presence of the spirit of Anti-Semitism in Shakespeare‘s Merchant of Venice, explored how Shakespeare presented the power of love and hate in Romeo and Juliet, and reconnoitre the relevance of Shakespeare‘s literary works in modern-day society. The study employed a case study approach which underpins an interpretive qualitative research orientation. Data were generated through document analysis and watching the Romeo and Juliet movie directed by Bazman Luhrmann produced in 1996.The analysis of the document was done using the theoretical underpinning of Mukarovsky & Felik Vodicka Dynamic Structuralism Theory. The findings of the study revealed that the two plays display incredible amount of threats and chaos from the part of characters, that Shakespeare‘s work is still very relevant in modern day society, that the Merchant of Venice and Romeo and Juliet possess the power of love and hate with the results of threats, and chaos being effects on the central themes in the two plays under review. Chaos and threats are the abysmal darkness that scotches all forms of human dignity as revealed from the findings.