Analysis of Shylock in Merchant of Venice Under Violation of Cooperative Principle

Abstract

As a unique linguistic phenomenon in linguistics, Cooperative Principle has aroused people’s attention since it was put forward. Recently, the study of Cooperative Principle is mainly reflected in the aspects of translation, teaching, humor, rhetoric and advertising. Few people combine Cooperative Principle with literary works, especially literary dialogues and its effect. This article attempts to analyze the image of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice under the violation of Cooperative Principle, namely, the quality maxim, the quality maxim, the relation maxim and the manner maxim. Through the analysis of Shylock's dialogue, this paper analyzes the duality of Sherlock's character. On the one hand, he is a cruel, stingy and merciless usurer, who is repugnant. On the other hand, he is the victim and resister of racial oppression, who is pitiful and admirable. It not only deepens our understanding of Shylock, but also deepens the theme of Shakespeare's humanism thoughts on money, law and religion in bourgeois society. In brief, it not only offers us an interdisciplinary perspective, but shows the feasibility and validity of combining literature and linguistics.