The Merchant of Venice is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1596 and finished writing it in 1598. The play starts off with Bassanio wanting to marry Portia. He confronts Antonio to ask him for a loan so he can have enough money to marry his soon to be wife. Antonio finds he doesn’t have enough money to give Bassanio the loan so he agrees to be the person to guarantee the loan. The two of them find Shylock to give him the loan. Portia then welcomes the prince of Morocco, who has come in an attempt to choose the right casket to marry her, he chooses the wrong casket and loses her hand in marriage (Spark Notes: Plot Overview). 3 of the most important things in the play are how people that look nice on the outside may be rotten and mean at heart, giving mercy to enemies may turn back on you (Spark Notes: Themes, Motifs & Symbols, par. 3), and how people treat other people based on their religions or beliefs.
I realized in this play that people that look nice and innocent on the outside may be rotten and mean at heart, Portia is a perfect example of this. Throughout the play Portia turned more and more evil then she seemed to be at the beginning of the play. She seemed looked like a nice young woman but in near the end of the play she turned against Shylock and made him even more poor then he already was:
“Tarry, Jew:
The law hath yet another hold on you.
It is enacted in the laws of Venice,
If it be prov’d against an alien
That by direct or indirect attempts
He seek the life of any citizen,
The party ‘gainst the which he doth contrive
Shall seize one half of his goods; the other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the state;
And the offender’s life lies in the mercy
Of the duke only, ‘gainst all other voice.”(Sh...
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...ases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a
Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a
Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me I will execute—and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. (Shakespeare, 45)
I think Shylock did a good job portraying his thoughts in this quote as to showing how he was fed up being treated differently just because of his religion and beliefs. I agree with him fully about how Antonio should have treated him the same as all his Christian friends and family.
From the beginning, Shylock holds a tight grip on his daughter Jessica, as he restrains her within their house. As he leaves her one night, he states; “Lock up my doors, and when you hear...the vile squealing of the wry-necked fife, Clamber not you up to the casements then, Nor thrust your head into the public street To gaze on Christian fools.../ Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter / My sober house" (II, v, 28). Words cannot describe the love parents have for their children. Even as children grow to change, the hearts of parents continue to wish for the best of their child. Yet Shylock evidently does not portray this eternal love and care for his daughter, as his lack of mercy and contempt towards Antonio and Christians interferes with his relationship with Jessica. Shylock, being a loving father as he ought to be, merely desires the best of his daughter. Jessica is the only family he has left, illustrating the significance she must have to him. Therefore, due to his strong feelings of hatred and unforgiveness towards Antonio, he genuinely believes it is for the best of Jessica to stay clear of all Christians. Yet ultimately it was wrong of Shylock to let his personal experiences with Christians dictate Jessica’s life. Each and every one of us possess the freedom and right to live
still a common view of Jews is for them to be penny pinching, both in
We frequently see the intent of greed and selfishness covered up by the words and face of virtue. Such exploit is displayed by the exceptionally stingy Shylock, an unpopular Jew who makes his living through the practice of usury. When confronted about his unsympathetic trade, he resorts to citing scripture, thus comparing his selfish trade with the actions of holy men (I, iii, 73-87). Antonio, a well respected and honorable merchant, sees right through the falsehood of the justification and asks Shylock, "Was this inserted to make interest good? Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?" (I, iii, 91-92). The response from Shylock to the question reveals a glimpse of his true meaning. "I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast" (I, iii, 93-94) is a rather boastful reply of his wealth than a righteous rationalization. To which Antonio can only turn to his friend and say "The devil can site Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness is like a villain with a smiling cheek" (I, iii, 95-97).
In the beginning of the play Shylock makes an unsettling bond with a well-known, good and generous man named Antonio. Shylock has always had a grudge against Antonio because he is trusting; he lends money without interest, taking away Shylock’s business. He is also a Christian. We know that we can never trust Shylock to have any feeling of consideration towards Antonio, when he says,
For example, during the Elizabethan time period, a plethora of derogatory stereotypes emerged in Shakespeare’s plays. And particularly in The Merchant of Venice, with the character of Shylock. Miserly, vengeful and materialistic, Shylock occasionally appears as no more than a one-dimensional negative stereotype of a Jewish man. However, Shakespeare also allows Shylock several moments of redemption. One incident that stands out is during the deal negotiation, when Shylock informs Antonio that “I would be friends with you and have your love” (I.iii.134). Despite everything, Shylock is still willing to accept Antonio as friend, thus defying
Shylock is no more greedy than Bassanio begging for money or Lorenzo accepting Jessica’s gifts. Shylock is a loving father who wants the best for his only daughter. This love is expressed by his distress after he finds she has left him and through Shylock’s concern about Christian husbands during the courtroom scene in Act 5 Scene 1. Although Shylock showcases benevolent characteristics, like any individual he possesses faults. Shylock occasionally has moments of great acrimony in which he expresses his displeasment in the society. A strong proclamation of Shylock’s displeasment with his environment is when Shylock cries, “what 's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes?”
At this Shylock is seen for his greed and desire to have Antonio’s life. Shylock will have none of it, demanding his pound of flesh at the trial. As the trial gets underway the Christian people bind together in protest of the ill seeking matter that Shylock is demanding. Bassanio appears with twice the amount of ducats due and pleads for Shylock’s mercy. Shylock calloused from Christian mistreatment will not be swayed from his bond. As he prepares to extract his revenge, he is informed by Portia (Dr. Bellario) “This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood; The words expressly are “a pound of flesh” (Act IV, Scene 1,line 305), then she states to Shylock: “Shed thou no blood, nor cut thou less nor more But just a pound of flesh” (Act IV, Scene 1, line 324-25)… ending with “Thou diest, and all goods are confiscated” (Act IV, Scene, 1, line 331). Here we witness that Shylock is not only at battle with a Christian society but he most also encounter pro-Christian law. In that same instance we see a cowardly and gluttonous side of Shylock as he grasps for any last hope of victory. Those thoughts are soon shattered, as Shylock is stripped of all his worldly desires. All the while the court portrays itself as merciful by allowing him the opportunity to take on the Christian faith. Entering this reading of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, as bias reader might profess that this is a compliment to horrendous discrimination
You have among you many a purchased slave, which, like your asses and your dogs and mules, You use in abject and in slavish parts because you bought them.....You will answer “The slaves are ours!” So do I answer you: The pound of flesh which I demand of him is dearly bought; tis mine and I will have it.” (Act 4 Scene 1, Lines 90-101) Here in this quote, it is clearly stated that Shylock believes Christians are allowed to buy slaves and own them within the law. Justice would mean that by his bond with Antonio, Shylock owns a piece of Antonio’s flesh. Therefore, legally and justly, Shylock technically owns Antonio’s flesh.As for mercy, the character that this comes from is Portia. Portia in defining mercy, says this: The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven. Upon the place beneath.....The throned monarch better than his crown. His scepter shows the force of temporal power, the attribute to awe and majesty wherein doth sit the dread of fear of kings; it is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God’s when mercy seasons justice.” (Act 4 Scene 1 Lines 190-202) Portia is talking about how even high kings and gods would have mercy deep in their hearts, while Shylock doesn’t. Portia
Shylock knows that he is entitled to usury under the Torah and Venice’s protection, but instead decides that he will not use it to try and change opinions of himself in their minds. He uses his refusal to change their opinion of him, but instead decides on a pound of flesh because that was such a distant possibility. Antonio sees this and states that he is growing kind, like a Christian. In the end, that is what Antonio required of
This shows that Shylock puts his money before his religion. He says he hates Antonio because he is a Christian (and so an immediate enemy of the devout Jew) but more than that he hates him because he lends out money for no fee and so takes business away from Shylock. He also puts his money before his daughter, Jessica. When she runs away with Lorenzo she takes some of her father’s money and we hear from Solanio and Salerio that Shylock runs out into the street shouting; “My daughter! O my ducats!” He repeats the two phrases until they become confused, and it is clear that the money is more important to him than Jessica. Shakespeare emphasises the confusion in Shylock’s mind between his ‘daughter’ and his ‘ducats’ by using alliteration. The only time when money...
In order to understand the concept of evil for evil, one must examine the initial evil, aimed at Shylock, through Shylock's own eyes. Some may see the discrimination aimed at Shylock as justified, as he is a malicious usurer; certainly the Venetians thought so. However, the discrimination took its toll on Shylock, until he began to hate all Christians. Shylock saw himself as an outsider, alienated by his society. The evil he saw done to him took three major forms: hatred from Antonio, discrimination from Christian Venetians, and the marriage to a Christian of his daughter Jessica.
Shylock lends Antonio a sum of money, that Antonio intends to pay back when his merchant ships arrive in Venice, one month before the debt would be forfeited. When Bassarnio arranges the sum of money, Shylock befriends them, only to stand aside and utter to him self, "I hate him for he is a Christian... If I catch him once upon the hip, I will feed my ancient grudge I bear him," Act 1, Scene 3. Shortly after saying, "But ships are but boards, sailors but men... the perils of waters, winds, and rocks...Three thousand ducats; I think I may take his bond." Shylock is setting his trap here. Shylocks terms of the debt are a pound of Antonios flesh from closets his heart if it be forfeited.
Shylock is a wealthy Jew who invests money into shipments and trades. When Shylock’s enemy, Antonio, requests a loan of 3000 ducats, “Shylock adopts this Christian model of "kind" lending in his bond with Antonio as a means for lawful revenge.” Shylock’s agreement is that if the ducats are not returned, Antonio must repay his loan in human flesh. This is a way for Shylock to either make money or kill a Christian, either will satisfy him. Lee describes Shylock’s feelings towards Christians, “Indeed, although Shylock will neither "eat," "drink," nor "pray" with the Christians, he is willing to "buy" and "sell" with them.” This is where Shakespeare first introduces the devil inside Shylock. Had Antonio been a Jew, there would not have been a payment of flesh. Shylock’s hatred propels the story from start to finish. His hatred causes him to lose his daughter, drives Portia to use her money and wit to save Antonio, and why he ends up losing
Shylock lends Antonio a sum of money, that Antonio intends to pay back when his merchant ships arrive in Venice, one month before the debt would be forfeited. When Bassanio arranges the sum of money, Shylock befriends him, only to stand aside and utter to him self, "I hate him for he is a Christian... If I catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him," Act 1, Scene 3. Shortly after saying, "But ships are but boards, sailors but men... the perils of waters, winds, and rocks...Three thousand ducats; I think I may take his bond." Shylock is setting his trap here. Shylocks terms of the agreement are a pound of Antonios flesh from closets his heart, if it be forfeited.
Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. 1967. Ed. W. Moelwyn Merchant. The New Penguin Shakespeare. London: Penguin Books, 1996.