How The Character Of Shylock From “The Merchant Of Venice” Is
Presented To The Audience In Scenes 1.3, 3.1 and 4.1
Over the years, Shylock has been portrayed in many ways, for instance,
in the Elizabethan time, Jews were seen as the cause of Christ’s death
and were known moneylenders so they were persecuted, so Shylock
normally came on stage wearing a bright red wig and portrayed as a
comic villain due to this he was always mocked. However, after the
holocaust was brought to light, Jews were taken more seriously and
were treated with more respect than they were previously shown so when
Shylock appeared on stage, he was treated fairly and was not mocked as
he had been in previous versions of the play.
Shylock is one of the main characters in the play. He is a Jew who is
treated very badly by all Christians and wants revenge so when Antonio
goes to Shylock for money, Shylock tries to make a deal which would
give him the chance to kill Antonio the christian if the money is not
repayed. This shows Shylock to be the villain but as we go through
the play, we hear of how Shylock has been treated and we start to feel
sympathetic towards him as we hear how he has been a victim of racial
prejudice.
In act 1 scene 3, Shylock is first introduced as “Enter the Jew”. In
the first few lines of the play, we find out that Shylock is happy
because Antonio is to borrow three thousand ducats from Shylock for
his friend Bassanio to get married. We know that Shylock is happy
because he repeats that Antonio wants three thousand ducats for three
months and that he is bound to the contract. This makes Shylock seem
like a greedy man as he is excited at the prospect of gaining interest
from the money he is about to loan Antonio. The first thing he talks
about in the scene is his business and then he only talks about his
religion later, which shows that money is his main priority. We also
see Shylock as devious as he knows that the only way Antonio can pay
back the loan is if his ships that are selling goods abroad return and
Shylock talks about all the dangers for the boats. This shows him as
devious as we wonder why he is excited that the boats may sink.
Shylock is also seen as devious as he hides his true desire to trap
Antonio in a debt he may not be able to pay. Shylock highlights his
religious difference when he says “yes, to smell pork, ...
... middle of paper ...
...In Elizabethan times the prejudice shown to Shylock in the play would
be perfectly normal because Jews were banned in England since 1290 and
were seen as evil people. Nowadays we are shocked at the prejudice
because we are living after the holocaust when Hitler attempted to
wipe out the whole Jewish race and now everyone has a degree of
sympathy for Jews. The anti-Semitism shown in the play would be seen
as comedy in the Elizabethan period. Shakespeare's play was so
successful because Queen Elizabeth's doctor was executed for high
treason in 1954. He was a Jew. Shylock has been seen as both the
victim and the villain of the play. A victim because he loses all his
money and has to change his religion at the end of the trial scene.
Also he is the victim of lots of prejudice from the Christians like
them spitting on him and calling him names. But in conclusion I think
that ultimately Shylock is a villain. The way he treats those close to
him, for example his daughter Jessica exposes his evil character. He
lets his need for vengeance engulf all other aspects of his life and
his complete lack of mercy towards Antonio, renders him as a villain
in the eyes of the audience
According to Mason (Vii), soccer is the world’s most favorite sport. In fact, Mason book, A passion of the People, talks about soccer as a way of life in South America. Throughout the narrative,
In South America in the county of Colombia, we find many Catholic communities in where we can observe Foer’s thesis. The catholic church of this community promotes sports. The church itself, creates teams to play “friendly soccer” among the people from the church. Teaching those values that they are also being taught in church. Team play, discipline, a healthy life style and concentr...
This article discusses the illustration of females in Disney’s animated films between 1922 and 1948. The author’s main claim is that Disney films between 1922 and 1948, such as Snow White and the Sven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Bambi, and Dumbo, all play a part in stereotyping females. Even with the strong women characters, these movies still provide inaccurate portrayals of females. The author deals with problems that can be seen easily in Disney films in
Disney movies have a very narrow view of what women should be like. Since the arrival of the first Disney movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, the idea of it has expanded, but rather marginally. There is a clear distinction of what a young women should be and what she shouldn’t be. Those who do not fit the mold of Disney’s expectations are cast aside to become villains, but those who do, end up becoming the damsel in distress. Ultimately, these stereotypes are what influences young girls who watch these films, and can have devastating effects on their self worth and change their idea of what it means to be a women. Films like Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,
as the play starts and as Shylock is introduced as a Jew it is certain
receives. So it would not be fair to say that he was totally evil as
Disney promotes sexisim by forcing young girls to live in a patriarchal world. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The little mermaid, Aladdin, and Snow White are all examples of popular Disney movies that encourage young viewers that they need a man to save the day. Yes, it’s true that there are recent movies such as Moana and Frozen that prove otherwise, but how long will it take to completely get over the fact that women are mainly viewed as secondary citizens compared to the men? There are countless examples of how Disney movies influence this theme, and how much the female characters’ actions, ideas and thoughts are not included in a Disney movie.
Everyone who reads The Merchant of Venice must bear in mind that it is, like any other literary work, a creation of a skillful writer, rising a case that can be a subject for many interpretations and not necessarily revealing a specific view of its writer, however it aims to convey a certain moral to the readers. Therefore, the character of shylock, being stereotyped or not, with its controversy is a tool manipulated to convey a moral message: when people live in a society that is open to cultural diversity and that values the contributions of all society members – regardless of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, race, life styles, and beliefs – they will be one step closer to living in a civil society. Works Cited 1) Encyclopaedia Britannica, the definition of "Anti-Semitism". 2) E. E. Stoll, Shylock (an essay in Shakespeare Studies, 1927). 3) John Palmer, Comic Characters of Shakespeare, Shylock. 4) John Palmer, Comic Characters of Shakespeare, Shylock.
In looking at Shylock, the sixteenth-century audience would deduce all view except the greedy, selfish, manipulating, Jew. In accordance with the normative view, Jews were believed to be out of tune with the universe. This is re-enforce in act 2 scene 5 lines 27-30 when Shylock is comment...
Being a Jew in Christian dominated Venice, Shylock is persecuted by society. He is the victim of popular Christian prejudice, which scorns his religion and restricts his means of employment. He is left with no choice but to be a moneylender and earn his money from collecting interest. To the Christians, collecting interest was against their teaching. This is one of the reasons for the Christians hatred.
Constant traditional themes seem to surface regarding women in various Disney animated films. A current study completed by Towbin et al. (2003) concerning a thematic analysis of gender roles in Disney featured animated films found similar themes. She found that four themes emer...
Discrimination is a resounding theme in The Merchant of Venice (Meyers). All of the characters are affected by inequality. This inequity is clearly evidenced in Shylock, the Jewish usurer. He is treated with scorn and derision by all the characters. Shylock’s misfortunes stem not from poor attributes or even a poor background; it stems from the fact he is Jewish, and what is more, he is impeccably of that distinction.
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.
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
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.