A critical Stylistic Analysis of Humiliation in “The Merchant of Venice”

Abstract

Critical stylistics is a linguistic field which provides crucial tools to examine, and analyze how linguistic patterns and structures are used to enhance ideologies. By using critical stylistic tools, this study, with particular focus on the character Shylock, aims to uncover how Shakespeare’s language reflects, constructs, and communicates the act of humiliation in the play “The Merchant of Venice”. Humiliation is viewed as a deeply social emotion including degradation, put down, and loss dignity. It is imposed externally, usually publically, and carries long-lasting effect. The study explores how stylistic choices contribute to character humiliation. It sheds light on humiliation as a distinct discursive and stylistic phenomenon by identifying linguistic features which depict humiliation in “The Merchant   of Venice”. Through selected excerpts from Shylock’s dialogues, and the language used towards him, the analyses reveal the effectiveness of stylistic choices such as lexical selection, transitivity, and modality in the contribution to constructing his margin-alized identity and humiliated character. The study demonstrates that “The Merchant of Venice” both critiques and reflects social hierarchies, providing a clear framework for examining the linguistic strategies of humiliation. The results contribute to understand the role of language   in literary texts to sustain or challenge power relations.