Is Shylock Victim Or Villain in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

Is Shylock Victim Or Villain in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

William Shakespeare wrote the Merchant of Venice in the Elizabethan

period. The play is about Shylock, a Jewish money lender¡: trying to

make a living and survive in a community that despises him and

marginalia's him. Before the plot even starts, Shylock is condemned

for being a Jew, and a moneylender. Jews were forbidden to be

successful businessmen in Venice, so the only occupation open to him

was money lending which they exploited to the full, this gave

Shakespeare an opportunity to capture sympathy and understanding from

the reader towards Shylock.

One of Shylock's first phrases in the play is "Three thousand ducats".

This can be seen in two ways: as a man making a living at one of the

very few occupations open to him, or a greedy cold materialistic man.

I think he fits the cold greedy character more, because he makes such

a big point about locking up the house and protecting his possessions.

Also this shows him as a victim scared of the outside world.

Shylock is left alone with no family, as Jessica, his daughter, elopes

with Lorenzo, a friend of Bassanio's. Shylock earns pity from the

audience when he tells Bassanio that, "My daughter is my flesh and

blood", meaning that with her gone it is as if a part of him has been

taken too. He turns into a villain when he screams in rage showing his

emotions and strong views "My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!

Fled with a Christian! Only Christian ducats" This shows his hatred

for Christians, and that his property has more value to him than his

daughter's life.

Shylock's famous plea for equality ...

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...ck can be seen as both comic and tragic because of

his quick-witted responses, almost playing with the insults that are

thrown at him from day to day. And tragic because of the loss of his

daughter, friend and possessions. I think because he has been driven

to the edge of insanity, from the torment and prejudice pushed on him

throughout his life by his own Venetian community. That has led him to

such misfortune and bitterness.

I feel that shylock is both a villain and victim as we can see in the

play. When a gap opens for him to get revenge his true colours are

shown, and the reader can see how evil he really is. Also he is a

victim of great torment and is judged for something he believes in.

Shakespeare wrote the play for you to decide and have your own opinion

on Shylock, I feel he is a victim and deserves revenge.