All glory and honor to your names and welcome to the small but fortunate group of those who know The Merchant of Venice.
Over the course of this semester, my studies have led me not only to a deeper understanding of this play and of its characters, but also to a new kind of final project. I can now explain motivations of characters for many of their actions, both those of good intent and those of hatred, and I understand the function of the three most important of the play’s themes: religious conflict, love and money, and law versus desire. However, that is not what the most interesting development has been for me recently.
My mentor, Mr. Bailey, has steered my project in a new direction - to the end goal of a final product worthy for presentation at an academic event. If I were to attend one, I could present my research in the form of a poster to a large and interested audience. While I admit it’s unfamiliar territory for me, I find the prospect fascinating and exciting, not only because of what I could share with others, but because of what I could learn as well.
I foresee many a long hour of working on my ELI in my future, whether it be in writing, designing, printing, poster making, reading, or something else. Probably I will spend weekends and vacations on it, plus more. It’s an interesting dilemma, trying to document and finalize a semester’s worth of work, but a good kind of dilemma to have. Finishing this project to my satisfaction will probably take a lot of time and effort. However, I plan to enjoy each and every minute of it - after all, I just spent months studying Shakespeare. Who wouldn’t?
~Jordan N.
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