... that students agree with this assumption - I know I did when I was younger. I was of the opinion of "how can a play written 500 years ago have any relevance to me today?" Little did I know that Shakespeare's themes transcend time and are relevant even now. Take the Merchant of Venice for example - the themes of racial prejudice, justice, the rights of an ethnic minority in their adopted homeland are all questions we are grappling ... with today. The same could be said of Jane Austen novels with regards to feminism. The NC provides the opportunity for teachers to explore these texts with...

• Word Count: 1096
• Approx Pages: 4

... to blend into society. Whether it is wearing a certain article of clothing or behaving a certain way in public, we all have participated in this invisible barrier that we call normal behavior. Like Anne, we have sacrificed our happiness in order to be accepted or liked. In the play, The Merchant of Venice, Portia is not allowed to pick who her husband will be. This situation is ... very much like the predicament of Anne in Persuasion. Portia and Anne are quite similar. Both are subjected to certain guidelines that they feel they must follow ... . However, Portia tends to seem stronger t...

• Word Count: 695
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School