Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

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Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

In Shylock’s first scene he comes in talking about money

“Three thousand ducats, well!”

The audience would think of him as a stereo typical Jew troubled more

about money than anything else. Later in this scene he asks “Antonio

is a good man” this could be a query or a proclamation but he tells

Bassaino that Antonio will be sufficient for the bond. Shylock is

asked to dine with Bassanio and Antonio but Shylock replies,

“Yes to smell pork, to eat the habitation which the Nazarite conjured

the devil into. I will buy with you sell with you, talk with you, walk

with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with

you, nor pray with you”

Later, when Antonio enters Shylock consults himself at this point;

you see how Shylock feels about the Christians. He has a deep hatred

for them. Shylock can not instantly raise up the money, so he must go

to his friend Tuble for the rest of the money. Later he takes a quote

from the bible about Jacob and his sheep.

Antonio replies “the devil can site scriptures for his own uses”

Shylock is quite obviously upset by this, as he is referred to as the

devil but he just brushes it off as if nothing has been said. Shylock

starts to think about the rate Antonio asks for a answer, Shylock

replies sarcastically and shows how he has been treated in the past ,

” Fair sir you spat on me Wednesday last, you spurned me such a day,

and for these courtesies I’ll lend thus moneys’?”

Antonio states that he would do it again. Shylock tells Antonio that

he will lend the money but not charge usury but if Antonio doesn’t pay

off the debt Shylock could take a pound from Antonio’s flesh, nearest

to the heart. Antonio agrees to this bond, they both call it a merry

sport. The audience think Shylock is a cruel man at this point.

Act 3 scene 1

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