First let me start of by explaining the common stereotype of a hero and of a villain: A hero is associated as being brave, generous, warm hearted and an all round good person. A villain is normally thought of as cruel, deceiving, hurtful and evil.
The characters in A Merchant of Venice can all fit into one of these
catagories but especially those of Shylock and Bassanio.
Shylock's job is as a moneylender. Insists on a lot of interest back,
selfish when Antonio approaches him for money to borrow. If Antonio
does not pay Shylock back in the time he's given with interest Shylock
gets to cut a pound of his skin out from wherever he chooses. Antonio
foolishly agrees to this arrangement. This is definitely something
that a villain would do, as Shylock plans to cut out a pound of flesh
which would kill Antonio. Murder definitely is something a villain
would consider or do.
When Shylocks daughter goes missing he seems to be happier that
Antonio's ships have crashed than worried about his daughter. It
doesn't seem as though he is a very caring man.
But maybe Shylock has an excuse for the way he acts. Maybe he is not a
villain after all. He has always been treated badly by many other
people living in Venice, as he is a Jew and the rest Christians. With
so much cruelty given to him maybe he deserves to give a little back
without really being cruel, just getting his deserved revenge? Also at
times Shylock can be a rather decent man.
Bassanio in this play seem to be a very good, loyal man and holds many
qualities that a hero would. When he goes to try and win Portia's love
he chooses the right casket that must mean that the way he feels about
Portia is what her father would have wanted. Which probably means that
he isn't just after her money, instead loves her as a person and wants
People who seek vengeance are often driven blindly by flaws within their character. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare illustrates this underlying attribute. A casual reading of this play may suggest that Shylock’s act of vengeance was what had led to his downfall, yet a closer reading indicates that it was because of his underlying characterial flaw of hubris and the lack of mercy that had led to his ultimate end.
Throughout the play, Shylock was often reduced to something other than Human. In many cases, even the simple title of "Jew" was stripped away, and Shylock was not a man, but an animal. For example, Gratiano curses Shylock with "O, be thou damned, inexecrable dog!" (IV, i, 128) whose "currish spirit govern'd a wolf" (IV, i, 133-134) and whose "desires are wolvish, bloody, starved, and ravenous" (IV, i, 137-138). Or when Shylock is neither a man nor an animal, he becomes "a stony adversary, inhuman wretch" (IV, i, 4-5). When the Christians applied these labels to Shylock, they effectively stripped him of his humanity, of his religious identity; he was reduced to something other than human.
The terms "hero" and "villain" are as distinct as the terms "good" and "evil." They are mutually exclusive; the hero is courageous, popular, strong, morally, and willing to save the people at whatever cost, while the villain is despicable, hated, and heinous to his core. However, when we turn away from the archetypal world of comic books, this distinction is no longer as clear. When we look at real human beings we do not see a hero as a hero or a villain as a villain, but rather individuals composed of varying degrees of both extremes. No hero is perfect, and no villain is completely heinous. The most recent film adaptation of the DC Comic series Batman presents this truth of human nature. The Dark Knight Rises effectively communicates the
Before Bassanio leaves for Belmont he extravagantly decides to throw a big feast. Shylock out of malice and hatred goes to the feast, not to enjoy the party but to eat the wonderful meal bought with Bassanio’s money; he is determined to do all he can to ruin him. Shylock’s servant, the comic Lancelot Gobbo, shows his dislike of...
In Act 1 Scene 3, we are first introduced to Shylock, we see him as
The plot, characters, and relationships present in William Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice all revolve around the concept of money; a theme that is strongly linked to the religious dichotomies explored throughout the comedy. At the beginning of the play, Antonio and Bassanio 's money-rooted relationship is introduced. Bassanio asks Antonio to lend him three thousand ducats. Antonio agrees to take out a loan for his friend, even though Bassanio had previously borrowed money and had not yet returned it. Antonio’s willingness to help out his seemingly untrustworthy friend, demonstrates his belief that friendship is more imperative than money. As a Christian, Antonio is following the expected trend; he is valuing life over stuff. Another
Bassanio is the man she wants to marry, but she tries to play down her
When people think of heroes and villains they think of the characters who play these roles in cartoon movies like Batman and Spiderman, but in reality, anyone can be a hero and anyone can be a villain. Heroes are considered to be inspirational and bold because of what they do to help others. While villains are typically defined as a wicked or evil person who makes others feel helpless.
to pay it back. We see Shylock as a Villain in this scene as he plans
with how Shylock treats him since he calls Shylock “a kind of devil” and also
of why he hates Antonio is because he is a Christian. (I. iii. 43) This to the
Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is a simple story line with three distinct plot lines incorporated into each other intricately. These three plot lines are the bond plot, the casket plot, and the ring plot, each equally vital to the meaning and conclusion of the play. In this essay, I will discuss the roles of the characters in the plot, the symbols, images, and rhetorical figures central to each plot, and finally how the events of the three plots are intertwined.
It is difficult to say if Shylock is a complete villain or a victim, as his character is complex and ambiguous. However, it is difficult to view Shylock as anything other than a devious, bloodthirsty and heartless villain in the majority of the play. There are a few points in the story where he can be viewed as victimised, as most Jews were at that time, but Shakespeare has purposely portrayed Shylock as a stereotypical Jew, greedy, and obsessed with money. Shylock has been written to be very inflated and exaggerated. Even when Shylock makes his first appearance in the play, his first words are “Three thousand ducats,” Act 1, Scene 3.
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
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.