In the play, The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, Shylock is a villain because in the play Shylock uses deception and his knowledge of Antonio to exact his revenge, Shylock also shows that anger, revenge and hate has clouded his mind and so he chooses to show no forgiveness or mercy towards blogger.comted Reading Time: 5 mins 24/4/ · Throughout the play, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, Shylock reveals many personalities; therefore making him such an emotionally complex and detailed character that shows elements of being both a victim and villain; and to come to my decision to whether Shylock is either of the two, other characters language towards him and his reactions will perceive different ideas from different era’s in Estimated Reading Time: 9 mins Essay that compares and contrasts the characters of Shylock & Portia (Shakespeare’s The Merchant Of Venice.) William Shakespeare’s masterful storytelling in his play The Merchant Of Venice (MOV) allows audiences to introspect and gain insight into the anomalies which epitomise the human experience. Accordingly, the Bard’s treatment of Shylock and Portia’s individual experiences is
Shakespeare’s presentation of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice Essay Example
Not only can lines in the play be interpreted by the audience in multiple ways, they are meant to have multiple meanings, merchant of venice essay on shylock. This duality can be seen in the characters as well. We are first introduced to Shylock in Act I Scene III when we learn about his job as a moneylender. During this period of time, Jewish people were very limited in the jobs they could obtain; they were looked down upon by, and on the fringe of, society.
While the Christians could lend money, it was immoral and against church rule for them to charge any type of interest, it was usurious. However, there was nothing to forbid Jewish lenders from making a living by charging interest.
His hatred is dual in nature; Antonio lends money without interest threatening the existence of his job as a moneylender. Also, Antonio is prejudiced against the Jews and has humiliated and insulted Shylock publicly for both his lending practices and his religion. This portrays Shylock as a person who is victimized and helpless against the prejudice and racism present in that society. At this point, there is a substantial shift in the character of Shylock from being that of a victim to that of a villain.
Shylock is not interested in receiving mere interest on the money he lends, he wants a redemption and revenge for himself and his people which no amount of money will satisfy for him. The selfish, greedy, merchant of venice essay on shylock, usurous Jew many want to make Shylock out to be is no longer being guided by a monetary beacon, merchant of venice essay on shylock.
He is now seemingly overtaken by a cruel morbid desire for revenge. The arrest of Antonio for failure to timely pay his bond solidifies what is lawfully owed to and bought and paid for by Shylock. Speak not against my bond. Shylock has transformed from discriminated repressed Jew to despised money lender to murderous vengeful sinner.
Shylock is unyielding in his desire. The pound of flesh is worth more to him than ten times the amount of ducats owed. Even though he is legally entitled, Portia tries to appeal to his moral obligation to show mercy. He is not moved by this, and readies to collect his bond. At this point, the law is turned on Shylock.
Shylock, realizing his desired pound of flesh will not be his bond, agrees to accept the payment of the ducats. Soft, merchant of venice essay on shylock haste! In granting him to keep half of his goods, Antonio takes his identity, his religion, his heart and soul. Life and Christianity have defeated Shylock, they have taken his daughter and given him a Christian son to which he is bound to leave everything he owns.
Shylock has been stripped of any power he may have once, if fleetingly, had. He is no longer villainous, he is piteous. Shylock evolved and transformed as a character, before us as an audience just as our feelings, perceptions and sympathies for him. I'm Amanda. Would you like to get a custom essay?
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16/5/ · The theme of ‘otherness’ that is present throughout the play fuels Venetian society’s obsession with Shylock. The contrast between the old testament and the new testament creates an atmosphere of ‘us and them’ that projects Shylock as the object of the Venetian Christians’ obsession In the play, The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, Shylock is a villain because in the play Shylock uses deception and his knowledge of Antonio to exact his revenge, Shylock also shows that anger, revenge and hate has clouded his mind and so he chooses to show no forgiveness or mercy towards blogger.comted Reading Time: 5 mins 15/4/ · Shylock is “The Merchant of Venice” In William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice,” there are many themes, symbols and words alike which take on a complex and dual nature. Not only can lines in the play be interpreted by the audience in multiple ways, they Estimated Reading Time: 6 mins
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