Table of Contents
An opening statement
Shylock: The Character
In conclusion
This is an introductory statement.
William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice presents Shylock in a number of different ways. Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock is stereotypical in that it presents Shylock the villain and as the main problem in the Shakespearean comedy. Shakespeare portrays Shylock also as oppressed. Shakespeare’s presentation of Shylock shows the softer side of Shylock.
Shakespeare portrays Shylock with hatred when we meet him for the first time in Act I scene 3. Shylock reveals this when he tells Bassanio that he hates Antonio because ‘he is Christian’. The word hate’ clearly shows Shylock’s antipathy towards Antonio. Further, the use of alliteration to show his hatred is also evident. Shylock said that Antonio was a Christian, which shows the basis of his hatred. This is relevant to the historical setting, as during the Elizabethan times, Jews had a negative view of themselves. They were treated with such hatred by Christians that even Edward the 1st exiled Jews. Shakespeare uses vivid language to express the hateful feelings of Shylock in this same extract. “If I can catch him one time on the hip, then I will feed the fat I hold against him.” Shylock uses imagery when he says, “I’ll feed fat” to create an image that Shylock is a monster, feeding on Antonio’s grease. Shakespeare uses the same alliteration here with ‘feed and fat’. These two words are the ones that stand out when the line is read aloud. They highlight Shylock’s venomous character. Shylock concludes the line by saying: “Cursed is my tribe if ever I forgive him.” Shylock swears on his religion to not forgive Antonio. Earlier in the excerpt, Shylock referred to his religion as’sacred,’ which means it is important for him. Shakespeare creates foreboding tension by making Antonio worry about his revenge. Shylock also becomes a target of hatred from the audience because he’s a Jew, and at a point in history when Jews are despised. He’s also a Christian who is plotting to harm a virtuous Christian. Shylock also calls his religion a ‘tribe.’ Shakespeare suggests that Shylock has a primitive and barbaric nature by using this word.
Shylock hated Antonio from the very beginning. However, in public, Shylock addressed him with respect as “Signor Antonio”. Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock is evident in the two different ways he referred to Antonio. Shakespeare is highlighting the inferiority of Jews and their segregation in society by referring to this contrast. Jews were forbidden from expressing any opinions out loud but only in secret, out of fear of punishment. Act 4 Scene 1 shows that Jews are still legally considered to be ‘aliens,’ even though they are citizens of Venice. Shylock’s influence over Antonio grows with the development of the play. When it’s revealed that all of Antonio’s boats have sunk, the play turns. Once that occurs, the Christian must now kneel and plead for mercy to the Jew. It was difficult for the Elizabethan audiences to sympathize with Shylock because he was Jewish. The audience would feel helpless when Shylock, an ignorant Jew, called their Christian Antonio a “fool”. Shakespeare may have been cleverly trying to get the audience to understand Shylock by making a Christian suffer the same treatment as a Jew.
The entire play portrays Shylock as being hateful and vengeful. Shylock said that Antonio would receive ‘an equivalent pound of your fair skin’ if he broke the bond. Shylock may have mocked Antonio with his use of the adjective, ‘fair’, to describe Antonio’s fair flesh. This flesh would not be considered fair in a conventional sense. Shylock would convince Antonio to sign a bond and the audience’s disgust would be felt. The Elizabethan era was a period of vengeful plays, including Christopher Marlowe’s infamous ‘The Jew in Malta’, which portrayed Jews as being vengeful. Shylock does not seek money in this play. Instead, he is seeking something of value. I would be able to get my bond. Shakespeare might have wanted to demonstrate to Elizabethans that Jews did not simply want money.
Shylock continues to be obsessed with revenge. Shylock says ‘Let’s him look at his bonds’ repeatedly in Act 3, Scene 1 as Solanio, Salerino, and others beg Shylock not to punish Antonio for breaking the bond. This monosyllabic short line conveys a sense of stubbornness and determination in making Antonio suffer. The Elizabethan audience’s prejudices towards Jews would only be confirmed. In addition, Shylock is determined to keep his bond’.
In Act 3 scene 3, Shylock repeatedly interrupts Antonio’s pleas by declaring: “I will have my bond”. It shows that the power balance has completely shifted. This scene is the reverse of what happened in the first act, where Antonio constantly interrupted Shylock’s attempts to speak. Shakespeare shows that religion is not a factor in determining one’s social influence. The Elizabethan audience would have been surprised by this, since they thought Jews were worthless. The monosyllabic sentence and contraction of ‘I’ll confirm to the characters and audience that Shylock is not going to ease Antonio’s punishment. Shylock is also very important to him, as he always uses’my,’ when referring to the bond he has with Antonio.
Shakespeare presents Shylock in numerous instances as being oppressed or mistreated. First, Shylock’s humanity is continually dehumanised in each act. He is constantly described as a “devil”, “dog”, “cur”, and a”villain”. Shakespeare shows how Jews were incorrectly viewed as inferior, being below Christians on the Great Chain of Being and among the rank of animals. Shakespeare’s use of these terms by all the characters to describe Shylock reveals this view from society. Shylock also receives insults from words that are part of the same semantic area, like’misbeliever and devil’. It is clear that the insults directed towards Shylock weren’t just aimed at him because the characters disliked him, but were also aimed at his religion. Shakespeare highlights not only the mistreatment Shylock received, but also the mistreatment all Jews suffered at the time. The characters’ words show that they viewed Judaism and those who follow it as inferior religions. They were to be treated badly. Antonio, a supposed Christian who treated Shylock very disrespectfully, was also portrayed as a person of great morality. Shakespeare uses disgusting, vivid imagery to show the treatment of Jews. Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock as oppressed is a way to question the audience’s understanding of Shylock and Antonio’s bond. We will look like you if we follow your example in all other areas. Shakespeare uses a rhetorical questions to question the paradoxical theme. Shakespeare asks the question: How is it possible that a Jew, Shylock, could have killed a Christian, Antonio, even though this was within Shylock’s rights? Yet, a Christian can force a Jew out of their religion and make them give up most of their assets and wealth, which may be worse than death.
The play also contains moments where Shylock reveals his inner feelings. Act 3 scene 1 is a good example. Shylock gives his famous Has not an eye a Jew?’ speech when Solanio or Salarino question him. Shylock repeatedly uses rhetorical queries to show his irritation at the mistreatment Jews. Shylock normally shows hatred and anger only towards Christian characters. He is constantly trying to separate himself from these characters. Shylock’s speech in this scene is contrary to the actions he took before. Shakespeare demonstrates that Shylock wants equality and respect, even though he has an angry, hateful exterior. Shakespeare’s performance on the stage could be interpreted as a questioning of the mistreatment that Jews were subjected to by society. This notion is further supported by rhetorical questions that are used to communicate.
Shylock shows his humane side when he learns later that Jessica sold the ring of his wife. He was overcome with sadness. He said, “Thou torturest-me, Tubal.” after he was told. The verb torturest shows how much he valued his ring. The ring was actually Shylock’s dead wife ‘Leah’. Shakespeare dispels the idea that Jews were only interested in money by showing the sorrow of Shylock when he loses his wife’s wedding ring. Further, the line where Shylock declares, ‘I wouldn’t give it for monkeys in a forest’, supports this belief. Shakespeare’s line demonstrates that Jews do not judge the value of something based solely on its monetary worth. Shakespeare subtly shows that the quote “All that glitters” is not true, as Shylock valued his wife’s jewelry above anything else. Bassanio on the other hand, a Christian and a good man, gave away his wife’s jewellery to a person he thought of as a male. Shakespeare’s message is to encourage people to examine someone’s character rather than judging them by their looks.
ConclusionAs a conclusion, Shakespeare doesn’t present Shylock, either as demonic, animalistic or perfect, as it was thought in Elizabethan times. Shakespeare, instead, uses Shylock’s kaleidoscope to highlight the fact Jews have human emotions. The play shows that even the ideal Antonio and the just Bassanio made mistakes. Antonio, as he seems to be seducing Bassanio. Bassanio gave Portia the ring. But by the end of this play, the characters as well as the audience have let them off the hook. Shylock, on the other hand, has lost his family, wealth, and religious convictions. Shakespeare could not blatantly oppose Jewish views and support Jewish rights because he was a popular playwright. But by showing that Shylock is mistreated and treated without mercy, Shakespeare wants the audience members to treat all people equally and not judge books by their covers.
