Shylock in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare Shylock is certainly an interesting character made even more intriguing by Shakespeare's portrayal of him. Much before the twentieth century, anti-Semitism was rife and The Merchant of Venice is a curious tale, as we are able to see how Jews were viewed in the late 1500s - especially as Shakespeare's depiction was at odds with the accepted anti-Jewish prejudiced views in that he considers both sides of the argument. This play is an insight into the general opinions of Jews, the daily hostility facing them Shakespeare's time and helps us understand why the hatred facing them through the ages came about. When Shylock is first encountered in Act I, scene iii, he strikes the reader as contemplative and very shrewd businessman. He takes his time over deliberative answers and never overcommits - by saying, "...well" (I, iii, ll. 1, 3, 5) at the end of each sentence, Shylock allows himself time to think and weigh up the information he is just received. Everything he does is precisely relevant and he conducts fast, efficient business that is not at all convoluted with exactly measured short utterances. He is canny and avoids Bassanio's direct questions with ambiguity. Shylock is always in full control of the conversation and seems to be aware of everything that is going on in Venice from a myriad of contacts "upon the Rialto" (I, iii, ll. 15-6). Shylock does not appear to bear any strong grudges against the Christians despite the fact that Antonio has previously "spat on [him]" (I, iii, l. 119), "spurned [him]" (I, iii, l. 120) and "ca... ... middle of paper ... ...help his cause by being so unwelcoming himself and coming up with cruel terms such as his desire for "An equal pound/Of [Antonio's] fair flesh" (I, iii, l. 143-4). It is easy to feel sorry for a widower and social outcast who is hated by his servants and only daughter but, when confronted with the details, it is very obvious why he is disliked. Even taking account of people's prejudice, Shylock is not a particularly pleasant or amicable character. It is usually natural to support the underdog, but Shylock just makes things hard for himself by being hostile and repugnant to everyone despite clearly being aware how it feels to be disliked by people. Any affinity and pity we feel for Shylock is countered and cancelled by his blatant adversity to getting on with other people and the negativity felt by those closest to him.
still a common view of Jews is for them to be penny pinching, both in
Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice An ogre is according to the Collins Dictionary “a monstrous or cruel being” but more significantly as “something or someone who eats human flesh.” Is this how Shylock is portrayed in the play or is he a simple human being, a species capable of showing emotions and feelings such as vulnerability and love. Certainly, Shylock is presented to the audience in so powerful a way that even though he only appears in five scenes, many consider him the central character. Throughout the play Shylock appears to be the butt of all the jokes and many critics see his status in the play as the tragic hero.
‘villain’; he is a complex mix of both. In the first part of the play,
Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice Shylock's character in Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice' has long been a controversial subject- more so now than it was when the play was written in the late 16th Century. First performed in 1605, it seemingly conforms to the anti-semitic stereotypes towards Jews and their conduct but, unlike Shakespeare's rival's work ('The Jew of Malta) by Christopher Marlowe, the main Jewish character is attributed not only the negative traits associated with Jews at the time, but also a side that sees to show humanity. Therefore, in this essay, it is my aim to explore whether calling Shylock the villain in the play is justified or not based on his actions and those of the characters surrounding him (to see if there is evidence of provocation), and placing this into the context of Elizabethan England and thus coming to conclusions abut whether views towards the extent of his villainy have remained the same. The one single action in the play which seems most convictive of Shylock is his argument with argument over the lending of 3,000 ducats-and the penalty fixed in case of its late return in Act 3 scene 1.
Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice "Shylock is a two dimensional villain who does not deserve our
Shylock as the Villain in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice William Shakespeare wrote 'The Merchant of Venice' in about 1597. It was first performed by The Chamberlain's Men at the Theatre Shoreditch. The Merchant of Venice was in the repertory of Shakespeare's company before they took up residence at the Globe in 1599. The play was written as a comedy, but has become a serious drama.
Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice Shylock is a Jew in the play "The merchant of Venice". He has a daughter called Jessica and he is in many ways a victim of anti-Semitism. Shakespeare brings across Shylock as a Jew using many different devices. For example he uses anti-Semitism to show that Shylock is meant to be portrayed as an isolated character. Anti-Semitism was based on religious grounds back then, they held the belief that Jews murdered Christ and were therefore in the league of the devil, this is why the Christians in the play and the directors of the play are vengeful towards Shylock.
William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice "The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare features, Shylock a very controversial character due to his religion, profession and personal traits. Professionally Shylock lends money to people in debt, in order to gain interest and profit. Although, this is very much central to our modern way of life, in the Elizabethan period, money lending was not accepted as an acceptable profession. Throughout "The Merchant of Venice" Shylock is portrayed as menacing, inhumane and slightly eccentric, yet at times misunderstood and induces sympathy from the reader.
Shylock is one of the main characters in the play. He is a Jew who is
In Act 1 Scene 3, we are first introduced to Shylock, we see him as
This is an example of the treatment of Jews at the time. It is very
It is evident in both plays by William Shakespeare that ambition and pride seem to be the
things he has called him and for all the many times he has spat on him
Rutter. Each of the actors has tried to show him in either his best or
William Shakespeare shows how two tradesmen can have completely different lives when others view them differently in the play The Merchant of Venice. In the play, Bassanio, Antonio’s friend, needs money to pursue his love. They seek a loan from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender in Antonio’s name. The contract is for three times the value of the bond in three months or else Shylock cuts off a pound of flesh from Antonio. While all this is happening, there are love plots going on. One of which is for Shylock’s daughter to elope with Lorenzo, a Christian. Later on, Antonio’s source of money, his ship, is reported sunken in the English Channel, dooming him to the loss of one pound of his flesh. There is a trial on the bond, and when it seems sure that Antonio will die, Portia, disguised as a doctor of laws legally gets Antonio out of the situation and Shylock recieves harsh penalties. Antonio and Shylock, two similar businessmen of Venice, are viewed differently and are treated oppositely to heighten the drama of the play and mold a more interesting plot.