Audience's Response to Shylock in William Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice
As the opening scene of the third Act opens, Solanio and Salerio are
used as a chorus by Shakespeare to inform the reader of the events
that will be discussed in the scene. News is learnt of Antonio's ships
"wreaked on the narrow seas" (Line 3). With this comment, Shakespeare
instantly prepares the reader for the entrance of Shylock, who
embodies danger throughout the play. As Shylock enters, both the
reader and Solanio know "what news amongst the merchants?" as this
refers to the elopement of Jessica. Even though the reader has yet to
see Shylock since the elopement, we know that his anger will have been
fuelled by the fact that a Christian has stolen his daughter, as well
as his ducats. Immediately after the mention of Antonio, Shylock
states to "Let him look to his bond" (Line 44), and without question,
the reader realises that Shylocks true intentions for Antonio.
However, Solanio and Salerio fail to comprehend this, as question,
"Thou wilt not take his fresh. What's that good for?" (Line 47), which
is replied to with "If it will feed nothing, it will feed my revenge"
(Line 49). At this point, both the reader and the Christians now see
the truthful and avenging Shylock, who is now presented as a revenge
filled man, who's now only passion is to punish Antonio for the
Christians stealing his daughter and his ducats.
Additionally, the malicious digs and insults from Solanio and Salerio
spark Shylock's hatred, to produce one of Shylock's most dramatic
speeches since the start of the play. It is writte...
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...ng to trade with
Christians, but this is the furthest any relations will go. "I will
buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you…but I will
not eat with you, drink with you nor pray with you" (Act 1, Scene 3,
Line 32). However, in this Act, following Jessica's elopement and
stealing of her father's ducats, Shakespeare presents the true nature
of Shylock, a relentless man fuelled by his hatred for Christians. The
presentation by Shakespeare encourages the reader to reconsider their
perception of Shylock, with the reasons for his hatred becoming
understood. Shakespeare's key aim is to ensure Shylock is not plainly
a malevolent villain, but shown to purely be a Jewish man who is
possessed with hatred that can be justified through the punishment and
treatment he has received by the Christians within Venice.
say, “If I can catch once upon the hip I will feed fat the ancient
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,
In the words of Harvey Fierstein, “What looks absolutely fabulous in rehearsal can fall flat in front of an audience. The audience dictates what you do or don't change”. Clearly, the success or failure of any work of art depends, almost entirely, on its ability to engage and connect with its audience. Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights in history, certainly understood this concept. He targeted his Elizabethan audience skillfully, drawing them in and manipulating the way they interpreted his works. This is evident in one of his renowned plays, Hamlet. Attempts to target the audience are evident throughout the play, but focusing on one speech can provide a greater appreciation for Shakespeare’s deliberate efforts. In act four, scene two, while explaining that Polonius is dead, Hamlet says:
William Shakespeare attained literary immortality through his exposition of the many qualities of human nature in his works. One such work, The Merchant of Venice, revolves around the very human trait of deception. Fakes and frauds have been persistent throughout history, even to this day. Evidence of deception is all around us, whether it is in the products we purchase or the sales clerks' false smile as one debates the purchase of the illusory merchandise. We are engulfed by phonies, pretenders, and cheaters. Although most often associated with a heart of malice, imposture varies in its motives as much as it's practitioners, demonstrated in The Merchant of Venice by the obdurate characters of Shylock and Portia.
This is shown by 'If it be proved against an alien' (Act 4 Scene 1
Shylock is one of the main characters in the play. He is a Jew who is
The Merchant of Venice and Othello: Shylock vs Iago. Shakespeare's use of timeless themes makes his works relevant to the modern reader. His two plays "The Merchant of Venice" and "Othello" deal with the seeking of revenge and forbidden love. In "The Merchant of Venice," Shylock, the main character, is a Jew who loans money and charges interest.
hate him for he is a Christian” this is not a valid reason to hate
... only reason why he really wanted the bond was to get an upper hand on
Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice The play begins in Venice where the wealthy merchant Antonio is talking to his young friends about the reasons for the depression. Antonio claims not to understand himself his sad nature. Bassanio arrives with the news that he wishes to court a wealthy, beautiful heiress named Portia. In order to present himself to Portia he wants to borrow 3000 ducats.
at the end of the 16th century was overtaken by England which was at a
just a pound of flesh.” To cut off an exact pound of flesh and have it
In this essay I will try to discover is Shylock a villain or a victim, in the William Shakespeare play “The Merchant of Venice”
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.