A Study of Anti-Semitism in The Merchant of Venice
‘The Merchant of Venice’ was written by Shakespeare in 1596 and
appeals to both audiences of comedy and tragedy. The play features
anti-Semitism which is a response to 1500’s Britain as well as other
literature of the time. Anti-Semitism is the term used to describe
discrimination towards Jews and Judaism. ‘The Merchant of Venice’ has
received both positive and negative comments over the centuries and
throughout this essay I will look at some of these. I will also look
at reasons why Shakespeare wrote an anti-Semitic play and what other
similar literature there was at the time of writing.
At the time of writing Queen Elizabeth the First was in reign and the
country was Christian. Protestant more than any other form as
Catholicism was banned by the Queen. Some people of the time were also
anti-Semitic and this was only heightened by the case of Rodrigo
Lopez. He was the Queen’s physician and was hung for supposed plotting
against the Queen even though he was considered innocent by many. The
Judge called him “That vile Jew” and he was hanged for being a Jew.
This is an example of the treatment of Jews at the time. It is very
important to stress that not everyone was anti-Semitic at the time.
Many people of Shakespeare’s time did not know what a Jew looked like
and only had medieval tales of Jews drinking the blood of Christian
children to base their opinions on; despite human sacrifice been
against the Jewish faith. This is why so much hostility was held for
Rodrigo Lopez and these stories were very much still believed during
Shakespeare’s childhood and it is thought that an upbringin...
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...hakespeare, I think, is using current affairs of the 1500’s as well
along with other literature to create a play of the moment.
Shakespeare also took the views of the general public and created a
play that people would go to see. The popularity of the Rodrigo Lopez
case meant that hatred of Jews was a big seller in Elizabethan
England. It is important to remember that anti-Semitism is something
that still exists but the prejudice of the 16th century has been
diminished. The holocaust of the 20th century is the biggest attack on
the Jewish faith and is, hopefully, the last time anti-Semitic
prejudice is inflicted on the rest of the world. I don’t believe
Shakespeare was personally anti-semitic but I do believe he used the
mob mentality and anti-Semitic views of 16th century England to sell
tickets and gain popularity.
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, anti-Semitism is hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group. There are two main types of anti-Semitism: classical anti-Semitism and modern anti-Semitism. Classical anti-Semitism is the hatred and intolerance towards Jews because of their religious differences. According to remember.org,
“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” said by the enlightened Dalai Lama. The Jews, innocent and sympathetic, were treated like trash during Kristallnacht. The Night of Broken Glass was one of the most terrifying and brutal nights of German history, in addition Kristallnacht was an excuse for the Nazi party to eradicate the Jews and other minor ethnic groups. The Secret Police and the Waffen SS could determine if people were Jewish or not if they had certain attributes such as having blonde hair, having light blue eyes, and having a rectangular shaped forehead. Over hundreds were injured and a copious amount had died during Kristallnacht, in addition Jews were not only affected in Germany but also in “territories forcibly seized by Germany, Austria and Sudentland” (Kristallnacht: Overview). Kristallnacht, a doomsday for Jews, inducing in destruction of Jewish property, death of Jews, and social isolation.
Some things are better left unsaid, and others are not. In his case, however, it was best to share his story. If these false accusations about Jews are still believed, then they will never be treated with respect. We now know today that these statements are false, thanks to survivors like Elie Wiesel. Chapter One
Throughout history, Jews have been persecuted in just about every place they have settled. Here I have provided just a small ...
It is mentioned that the bishops tell the common folk that “the Jews have stolen your religion and yet the Jews live with you in your own land.” As a result, these words create violence as the common folk “rush out together in search of Jews, and when they find one they kill him.” The killings and violence committed during this time was also predominately recognized as acts of vengeance for many bishops and other Christians deem “the Jews as Christ-killers.” Again, this idea supports the notion that Jews created mischief and thus, the cruelty directed to them is understandable and
Jews have faced heavy discrimination throughout the Middle Ages, 1800s and mid-early 1900s. Middle Ages Anti-Semitism dates all the way back to the Middle Ages, where all over Europe, persecutions of the Jews took place (“The Roots of the Holocaust”). During this time period, the Jews were “regularly excluded, persecuted, exploited and murdered” (“Medieval anti-Semitism”). “They were forbidden from holding public office; from employing Christian servants; from doing business; from eating or having sex with Christians” (Medieval anti-Semitism). It was also illegal for Jews to be seen in public during Christian Holy Week.
In the late 1800’s many Jews in Europe were exposed to events regarding anti-Semitism. In the Papal State, the Christians wanted to convert the Jews. If they refused, death was the punishment. They were taxed heavily, and put in ghettos so that they were contained- like cattle. Herzl states “Wherever they (Jews) live in perceptible numbers, they are more or less persecuted. Their equality before the law, granted statute, has practically a dead letter.” (The Jewish State, 21)
It is fairly obvious that marginalization can distort logic action and reason. Even if one is not inherently marginalized, trauma, whether physical or mental, may occur from unfortunate experiences. Case in point, we as a society become more aware of those living with PTSD every day, such as soldiers and victims of sexual assault, and how these people are challenged to continue living a normal life. We see veterans flock to the Artillery Club, victims of assault go to group counselling, trying to find people that share their experiences and understand how they feel. When being seen or seeing oneself as the dirt that Bauman states in The Dream of Purity exists solely to be purified, there will be inevitable damage to the psyche. Two prime examples of this are Shylock of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare and post-war Vladek of MAUS I and II, whose actions due to marginalization are comparable and perhaps make them more enlightened and aware than most people.
Anti-Semitism was an issue that rose throughout the world during the Renaissance era. This was primarily an issue in Spain during this time period due to the Crown Ferdinand and his wife Isabella. Spain was vastly separated at this time because they all had their own laws and government. In order for Ferdinand and Isabella to gain power, they would have to unite Spain in some way. People did not like the Jews for the reason that they were a potential threat to Spain because they had threatened before.
Stereotypes are a fixed image of all members of a culture, group, or race usually based on limited and inaccurate information resulted from the minimal contact with this stereotyped groups. stereotypes have many forms; people are stereotyped according to their religion, race, ethnicity, age, gender, coulor, or national origins. This kind of intolerance is focused on the easily observable characteristics of groups of people. In general, stereotypes reduce individuals to a rigid and inflexible image that doesn't account for the multi-dimensional nature of human beings. One example of stereotypes is the categorization of the Jews in Elizabethan era. In fact, Elizabethan era was an age of prejudice, discrimination, and religious persecution particularly against minorities. Jewish people were one of those minorities who was suffering and struggling for survival. This racist attitude was rife not only in England but also across Europe. "Christians tended to see the Jews as an alien people whose repudiation of the Christ had condemned them to a perpetual migration. Jews were denied citizenship and its rights in much of Europe and forced to wear distinctive clothing to identify themselves in public (the yellow star, or badges of shame). There were forced expulsions of the Jews from several regions across Europe." (1). Jews were even believed to worship the devil.
that a man has for a woman, or vice versa. Bassanio and Portia, Jessica and
Religion was a major factor in a number of Shakespeare’s plays. Religion motivated action and reasoning. In Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice,” religion was more than a belief in a higher being; it reflected moral standards and ways of living. In the “Merchant of Venice,” “a Christian ethic of generosity, love, and risk-taking friendship is set in pointed contrast with a non-Christian ethic that is seen, from a Christian point of view, as grudging, resentful, and self-calculating.” (Bevington, pg. 74) Although Shakespeare writes this drama from a Christian point of view he illustrates religion by conflicts of the Old Testament and the New Testament in Venetian society and its court of law. These Testaments are tested through the Christians and Jews of Venice.
In the play The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, there is a concept of otherness throughout the play. Many characters had roles in which they were examples of the outsiders, that occurred during the time the play was written. If not all but in most plays by William Shakespeare, there is always a character who is categorized as the outsider. However, The Merchant of Venice took the concept into a deeper level, instead of depicting differences in social class as otherness, the play included race and religion, instead of social class. These beliefs shaped not only the way the play was written, but how the characters treated certain individuals in the play and how the personality of each character
Many racial and ethnic groups are treated cruel, which contributes to the problem of discrimination. The inhumane treatment inflicted onto different racial and ethnic groups is provoking horrific violence around the world. The film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, gives us an insight to the cruel treatment endured by Jewish people in World War II. Jewish people were taken from their homes, separated from their families, and placed in concentration camps where they were expected to die. They were exposed to extreme levels of abuse, such as starvation, physical beatings, and emotional torture. The fear and terrorizing the soldiers used on the Jews is shown in the scene when Lieutenant Kotler catches Shmuel eating a cookie: “Are you eating? Have you been stealing food?
Discrimination is a resounding theme in The Merchant of Venice (Meyers). All of the characters are affected by inequality. This inequity is evidenced clearly 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 impenitent of that distinction. If he had been more daunted by Christian influence, he might have been forgiven, as Jessica is subjectively exonerated. He is not contrite and it is believed that his appalling birth cannot be absolved (Bonnell).