As a playwright, William Shakespeare has few, if any, peers of equal fame. He skillfully created works of incredible diversity; some tragic, some historical and some comical. Of the latter genre, Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice is an example. Through an excerpt that defines Northrop Frye's comedic literature, we can carefully examine this play and more fully discern why it is considered a comedy. According to Frye, New Comedy features a romantic intrigue between a man and a woman, hindered by an opposition that controls their current society. A twist resolves the conflict, allowing the couple to live happily in an idyllic society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay It is said that love makes the world go round, and after studying the contents of The Merchant of Venice, interest in matters of love is certainly pervasive. Many references to romantic intrigue are made, establishing the play as one of the New Comedy. One of the main couples in The Merchant of Venice is that of Bassanio and Portia. Romantic intrigue is first presented through Bassanio regarding Portia. He confides to Antonio: "In Belmont there is a lady.../And she is beautiful, and more beautiful than that word,/Of marvelous virtues....Her name is Portia..." (Act 1, scene 1, ll 161-165). Through this passage, Bassanio reveals that he is in love with Portia. In his estimation, Bassanio is also certain that he can woo the lady: "...many Jasons come looking for her/...[were] I [capable]/of occupying a rival position with one of them.../ I should be undoubtedly lucky!" (Act 1, scene 1, ll. 173-176). Once in Portia's presence, he tells her: "Promise me your life and I will confess the truth... love/It had been the very sum of my confession!" (Act 3, scene 2, ll. 33-36). In declaring himself Bassanio reveals to his lady his loving feelings for her. In yet another case, Bassanio shows himself infatuated with the beautiful Portia, while examining a portrait of the latter: "Yet look, to what extent / The substance of my praise does injustice to this shadow / by underestimating it ..." ( Act 3, Scene 2, 126-128). Undoubtedly confirming the feelings that Bassanio has for Portia are his words to Antonio: "...I have married a wife/Who is as dear to me as life itself" (Act 4, Scene 1, ll. 280-281) . From these excerpts, the love Bassanio has for Lady Portia is practically palpable. There is an undeniable romantic intrigue throughout The Merchant of Venice, on behalf of Bassanio. However, Bassanio is not the only soul to be struck by Cupid's arrow. The object of his affections is, in turn, affected. Portia complements Bassanio's love for her with her partiality for him. Although Portia is not as outspoken as Bassanio, she tells her maid, "I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of your praise," in response to Nerissa's remark about Bassanio: "...He, of all the men I ever saw from my foolish eyes, it was the best a beautiful/lady deserved." (Act 1, scene 2, ll. 108-112). Once the object of her affections arrives, Portia begs him: "I beg you to wait.../Before you risk yourself, for by choosing badly/I lose your company" (Act 3, scene 1, ll. 1-3) . With these words Portia confides her feelings to Bassanio. He reaffirms them when he exclaims to Bassanio: "One half of me is yours, the other half yours -/ My own I would say; but if mine then it is yours, / And therefore all yours!" (Act 3, scene 2, ll. 16-18). When Bassanio successfully obtains Portia's hand in marriage, she says in pure ecstasy, "O love.../I feel your blessing too much" (Act 3, Scene 2, l. 61). Portia once again emphasizes her love for Bassanio,telling him: "Because you are dear, I will love you dear" (Act 2, scene 3, l. 313). Through the comments of an exhilarating Portia, there is irrefutable evidence of her amorous fascination with Bassanio. There are frequent references to love when Bassanio or Portia speak. Thus The Merchant of Venice satisfies one of the requirements of a New Comedy play as defined by Northrop Frye: romantic intrigue between a man and a woman. Life is not always a bowl of cherries, and in the lyrics of The Merchant of Venice, this fact becomes startlingly clear. The show is full of pitfalls and obstacles, which are resolved by an intricate pattern of intertwining events. These obstacles, imposed on the lovers Bassanio and Portia, and their resolutions, help identify this drama as one of the New Comedy. Initially, the greatest obstacle Bassanio faced was a lack of funds: "It is not unknown to you, Antonio,/How much I have crippled my estate" (Act 1, Scene 1, ll. 122-123). Because of his self-styled poverty, Bassanio cannot afford to try to conquer Portia. Again to Antonio, he confides, "...if only I had the means/...I have a mind that predicts such parsimony/that I would undoubtedly be lucky!" (Act 1, scene 1, ll. 173-176). Hearing this, Antonio offers help to Bassanio: "...my credit.../Will be exploited to the utmost/To supply you to Belmont, to the fair Portia" (Act 1, Scene 1, ll. 180-182). In this way Bassanio manages to obtain enough money to make a worthy dress for Portia. Coincidentally, however, Antonio's generosity towards Bassanio blocks the latter's happiness later in the opera. To lend Bassanio the sum he needed to woo Portia, Antonio borrowed from Shylock, who agreed to take as collateral: "...an equal pound/of your fair flesh, to cut and take/In what part of the your body prefers me" (Act I, Scene 3, ll. 145-147). Antonio sealed that bond, (Act 1, Scene 3, l. 148), and was held there when he was unable to repay Shylock within the fixed date. Bassanio received the news of the confiscation and, in anguish, said to Portia: "When I told you/my state was nothing, then I should have told you/that I was worse than nothing; for indeed/I have…engaged my friend to his mere enemy/To feed my means” (Act 3, scene 2, ll. 258-263). Antonio's only desire is to see Bassanio before he dies due to the forfeiture of his bond. (Act 3, scene 2, ll. 317-319). Bassanio quickly distances himself from Portia, whom he had not yet married when Antonio's letter arrived. The forfeiture of Antonio's bond is yet another obstacle to Bassanio's peaceful and contented life. Things get a twist when, unknown to everyone, his new wife, Portia, disguises herself as a judge and presides over Shylock's case. He uses the illusory quality of language against Shylock and manages to save Antonio's life. (Act 4, scene 1, ll. 322-334). If it had not been for the twist in which Portia, as judge, saves Antonio from certain death, Bassanio would have been forever denied the happiness he sought. He would be distressed by the death of his dear friend: "I shall be bound to pay it tenfold / upon the loss of my hands, my head, my heart" (Act 4, Scene 1, ll. 209-210). Once the conflict is resolved, Portia returns home, where she greets Bassanio and Antonio, both free from all debt, to live in tranquility and love. The above quotes from the characters in The Merchant of Venice firmly indicate that the work is one of the New Comedies. Luckily, life often presents more than one test for poor unfortunate individuals to overcome. It's no different in The Merchant of Venice. While Bassanio has his own financial difficulties, Portia is not afforded her freedom of choice, and therefore her contentment, in matters of, 1987.