Shylock as Helpless Victim in The Merchant of Venice

Shylock as Helpless Victim in The Merchant of Venice

In 1594 the Earl of Essex, an English Nobleman who lived during the

Elizabethan period in England, was actively involved in the persecution and

trials of Roderigo Lopez. Lopez was a Jew of Portuguese descent, who was

wrongly accused of attempting to poison the Queen of England. Lopez, being

the Queen's royal physician, was in no position

to defend himself once he was accused. Essex, who provided the evidence also

presided over the trial of Lopez, leaving Lopez little chance of survival. The

innocent Jew was hanged, drawn, and quartered in Tyburn, England for all to

witness.

The story of Roderigo Lopez is similar to the story of Shylock, although,

Palmer tells us "It is not suggested that Shakespeare in portraying Shylock, had

any political or social intentions" ( 112-13). Both Jews were placed in time

where "anti-Semitism was in fashion" (Palmer 113), and both thrown into court

where they would be tried unjustly. The story of Roderigo Lopez sets the tone

for The Merchant of Venice. Lopez' incident occurred in 1594, The Merchant of

Venice was written only two years later. Anti-Semitism was prevalent during

Shakespeares' time, and therefore we must understand that it was as easy for him

to make a Jewish man the villain as it would be for us to make a Nazi the

villain. According to Sylvan Barnet "The Merchant of Venice [shows] the

broad outline of a comedy (not merely a play with jests, but a play that ends

happily). . . the villain in the comedy must be entirely villainous, or, rather,

comically villainous; he cannot for a moment gain the audience's sympathy" (1).

Shylock has often been portrayed as the villain in The Merchant of Venice. From

being more concerned with his ducats rather than his daughter, to demanding his

pound of flesh, Shylock fits perfectly into the mold of the villain. However,

with reference to Barnet's comment "he cannot for a moment gain the audience's

sympathy" (1), Shylock oversteps the boundaries of his villainous character.

The audience cannot and would not have rooted for Shylock during Shakespeare's

lifetime, yet, now we do. Shylock is merely a victim of anti-Semitism.