In 'The Merchant of Venice', there are three parent-child relationships; Shylock and Jessica, Portia and her deceased father, and Launcelot and Old Gobbo. There is an obvious contrast between these relationships. Although Portia's father is deceased, they had a good relationship while he was alive. However, the relationship between Shylock and Jessica is repressive and conflictual and ends tragically. After Shakespeare's song, Hamnet, died tragically in 1596, he began a theatrical study of parent-child relationships for …showed first 75 words of 1672 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1672 total…in the play as he seems to add both Portia's father and Old Gobbo's worst features together to become controlling and domineering over Jessica and does not show her love and affection, although he most likely feels it for her. One of the many messages that this play tells us is that to be a good parent, you do not just need to love your child but you must understand and know them well too.