Defining Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

Defining Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

During the play, Shakespeare illustrates Shylock's situation in such a

way that the audience understands his villainous action towards

Antonio is a result of victimisation. He is a victim of anti Semitism,

including verbal abuse and even his own daughter insults him by

robbing him and running away with a Christian and in the end he is a

victim of not showing mercy and so suffers from that mistake.

To find what makes up a classic Shakespearean villain one could look

to Iago in "Othello". In this play he is seen as the embodiment of

evil, that is to say he has no real motivation for his wicked actions

and no one could give him any sympathy. On the other hand, Shylock

does have a motive for his villainy therefore he is not a villain.

Instead Shylock has been directed towards his position because he has

been victimised.

Shylock has been a victim of racial abuse, "You call me misbeliever,

cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gabardine", "(Solanio

referring to Shylock) Let me say 'amen' betimes for here he comes in

likeness of a Jew", Solanio is anti Semitic, claiming Shylock is the

devil. Because he is a Jew his situation in Venice is second-class.

This is first seen in Bassanio's hostility towards him. At the

beginning of the scene Bassanio's speech is short and prosaic

indicating the lack of friendship between them, "Your answer to that",

this statement shows his agitation with Shylock and, "Be assured you

may", shows that Bassanio has taken shylock's previous comment as

negative which Shylock didn't intend. Bassanio insults him with snide

remarks, "If it please you to dine with us"; this is an insult because

Shylock, for religious reasons can't eat with them anyway, so the very

suggestion is disrespectful. Because Antonio does not deny his

actions, "I am as like to call thee so again, To spit on thee again,

to spurn thee too", this makes Shylock seem even more a victim of

their racial discrimination.