The Character of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice Essay

The Character of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice Victim or villain. These two words are the total opposites of each other. A victim is someone that we in general should, or may, feel sorry for and attempt to sympathise or empathise with. But a villain is the one person that people love to hate. The best example of this I feel is pantomime. The victims or heroes are clear-cut and the audience willingly cheers them. But as soon as the villain walks on stage he is hissed and booed, unfortunately it is not as simple as this in The Merchant of Venice and how the audience react to the characters is all important in making the distinction between victim or villain. Although the title of the†¦show more content†¦In contrast to this however, modern attitudes to racism, in particular anti-Semitism, are different. All throughout history Jews have been persecuted, most recently in the Holocaust in Germany. I would think that many people today would be affected by this, that such persecution could happen just because people stood up for their faith. It is this view that makes The Merchant of Venice, and particularly Shylock, so complex and still extremely relevant to modern society. Shylock is a Jew in a Christian city, isolated and vulnerable. This is a cause of great prejudice against Shylock and means his apparent villainy can begin to be understood. But, interpretation of Act 1:3 and the lines therein and underlying meanings accounts for many things. For example, when Bassanio invites Shylock to have a meal with them, If it please you to dine with us, it can be read as a kind offer rejected by Shylock or ignorance of the Jewish faith, either unintentionally or intentionally to patronise and provoke Shylock. But one point in this very important scene, Act 1:3, is when Shylock recounts all he has suffered at the hands of the Christians, epitomised in Antonio. Shylock has borne it with a patient shrug and goes on to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the supposedShow MoreRelatedMerchant Of Venice Shylock Character Analysis762 Words   |  4 PagesThe Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s most widely known and controversial comedies. Written in the lat e 1590s, its’ controversy stems from the modern mindset between tolerance and prejudice. Shylock, who was â€Å"at once a fabulous monster, the Jew incarnate, and also a troubling human uneasily joined with the monster in an uncanny blend†, is now looked at as a victim in light of the prejudice bestowed upon him now being recognized. Shylock’s character is so stereotypically Jewish that he becomesRead MoreEssay On The Character Of Shylock In The Merchant Of Venice1395 Words   |  6 PagesShylock is the hated Jew character in The Merchant of Venice. Despite the presence of other, minor, Jewish characters, when The Jew is mentioned, he is instantly recognized as Shylock. The Jew accumulates several negative monikers throughout the play, and in act four, scene one, he is referred to as: an inhuman wretch, / uncapable of pity, void and empty / from any dram of mercy (Shakespeare 4.1.4-6), inexecrable dog (4.1.128), and a cruel devil (4.1.215). The society of Ve nice despisesRead MoreThe Character of Shylock as a Victim or Villain in The Merchant of Venice1527 Words   |  7 PagesThe Character of Shylock as a Victim or Villain in The Merchant of Venice Do you consider the character of shylock to be a victim or villain in the play The Merchant of Venice? Shylock is one of the most interesting, memorable and debated characters in the play â€Å"The Merchant of Venice†. In many ways this is because he is both a victim and a villain. Shylock was made a laughing stock of and is ridiculed by the Christians because he was Jewish. 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Shylock is also portrayed as literally bloodthirsty as he demands punishmentRead More How The Character Of Shylock From â€Å"The Merchant Of Venice† Is2264 Words   |  10 PagesHow The Character Of Shylock From â€Å"The Merchant Of Venice† Is Presented To The Audience In Scenes 1.3, 3.1 and 4.1 Over the years, Shylock has been portrayed in many ways, for instance, in the Elizabethan time, Jews were seen as the cause of Christ’s death and were known moneylenders so they were persecuted, so Shylock normally came on stage wearing a bright red wig and portrayed as a comic villain due to this he was always mocked. However, after the holocaust was brought to light, JewsRead MoreCritical Essay: the Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare - Shylock Character Study1406 Words   |  6 Pages‘The Merchant of Venice’ - Shylock Character Study Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ starts off in Venice with Shylock as a simple money lender. His intentions seem reasonable to begin with, he sounds a nice man then he does a soliloquy saying how much hatred he has for Antonio, the Christian who treated him disrespectfully. Shylock conflicts his emotions again and speaks to Antonio in a joking manner which in his mind turns out to be the truth. In the play Shylock is aRead More Is The Merchant of Venice an Anti-Semitic Play? Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesIs The Merchant of Venice an Anti-Semitic Play?      Ã‚   The Merchant of Venice features a Jewish character that is abused and slandered by nearly every character in the play. Throughout the play the behavior of these characters seems justified. In this way, The Merchant of Venice appears to be an anti-Semitic play. However, The Merchant of Venice contains several key instances, which can be portrayed in a way that criticizes anti-Semitism. 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The friendship love is shown through Antonio towards Bassanio, romantic love is shown through Portia and Bassanio and self love is shown through shylock. However Shakespeare also illustrates hates during the play through the characters shylock and AntonioRead MoreThe Two Worlds of Venice and Belmont Depicted in Shakespears The Merchant of Venice865 Words   |  4 PagesThe Two Worlds of Venice and Belmont Depicted in Shakespears The Merchant of Venice In The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare explores two different yet similar worlds. The world of Venice and the world of Belmont. These two worlds have many differences and some similarities. For example, Venice is a completely different setting compared with Belmont. Also, the characters in Venice are different but also similar to the ones in Belmont. Furthermore, the society in Veniceis