How Shakespeare presents the character Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice Essay Example For Students

How Shakespeare presents the character Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice Essay I will be exploring how Shakespeare presents the character of Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice by using close reference of the text. I will also examine how the character of Shylock could evoke sympathy of a modern audience. Throughout The Merchant Of Venice there is a clear separation between Christians and Jews. This separation has been outlined throughout history. Christians and Jews have antagonised each other because of their beliefs. All arguments stem from the fact that Christians and Jews believe different things about Jesus. Christians believe that Jesus was the son of the god and that he sacrificed himself in order to save humanity from sin. Whereas Jews believe that Jesus wasnt the messiah and that when the messiah comes it will take them to the promised land of Zion. The clear anger between Christians and Jews in The Merchant Of Venice can be traced back to the event of the Holocaust. The Holocaust took place between 1941 and 1945. It was the extermination of more than 15 people including Jews. The event of the holocaust was what caused the anger between Christians and Jews. The occurrence of the Holocaust could evoke sympathy with a modern audience, as they are more likely to sympathise with Shylock who is representing the Jewish tribe. A modern audience is likely to sympathise with a Jewish character, as they know what the Jews went through during the Holocaust so they will feel sympathy for the character. During The Merchant Of Venice sympathy is lost and gained by Shylock who represents the Jews. I am going to explore where and how this sympathy is lost and gained throughout Act1 Scene3, Act3 Scene1, and Act4 Scene1. First I will look at how sympathy is lost by shylock then I will look at how Shylock gains sympathy in each scene. At the start of Act1 Scene3 shylock loses sympathy of the audience when he says to Bassanio: Oh, no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a good man is to have you understand me that he is sufficient This quote shows that Shylock is a typical Jewish stereotype by putting money above everything else. The word sufficient points out the importance of Antonio have sufficient money that shylock can take. This portrays Shylock as being selfish and greedy therefore losing sympathy with the audience. When Antonio enters the scene, Shylock makes a comment aside, to the audience. He says: How like a fawning publican he looks, I hate him for he is a Christian, But more for that in low simplicity he lends out money gratis This quote alludes to the fact that Shylock doesnt like Antonio, not just because he is a Christian, but because he lends out money gratis which means without charging interest. Again this is showing shylock as a typical Jewish stereotype losing sympathy with the audience. Also in the speech he makes aside to the audience Shylock states that: If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him This statement again, will cause the audience to lose sympathy with Shylock as he is showing his evil side. Shylock is saying that if he gets the chance to kill or harm Antonio then he will. Does the word fat imply something that will occur later in the play? Near to the end of the scene Shylock shows his evil side again by talking about Antonios forfeit. He says: Be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh to be taken in what part of your body pleaseth me This quote shows that Shylock wants to take flesh from Antonio instead of taking money as the forfeit. The word pleaseth shows how sick he is being pleased at taking flesh from Antonios body therefore losing sympathy with the audience. Although all these quotes point to the fact Shylock loses sympathy with the audience, there are parts of Act1 Scene3 where he gains sympathy from the audience. The first point where sympathy is gained is at the beginning of the scene where Bassanio asks Shylock to dine with him. Shylock replies: I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, but I will not eat with you, drink with you nor pray with you The words you show that there are more Christians than Jews on the stage. This creates sympathy for Shylock, as he cant mix with Christians. This shows social segregation. Later in the scene Antonio talks to Shylock about what Shylock is really like, he says: The devil can cite scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy wit ness is like a villain with a smiling cheek. A goodly apple rotten at the heart. O what a goodly outside falsehood hath! This speech talks about how Antonio thinks Shylock is putting on a false front saying he may look kind but he is rotten at the heart. Also he calls Shylock a devil. These things can create sympathy for Shylock as he is being called names that may not be true. Just after Antonio makes this speech Shylock makes his own speech. Some of the things that create sympathy for shylock in this speech are: For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe. You call me misbeliever, cut throat dog and spit upon my Jewish gabardine You that did void your rheum upon my beard, and foot me as you spurn a stranger cur Hath a dog money? Is it possible a cur can lend three thousand ducats? Fair sir, you spit on me Wednesday last; you spurnd me such a day; another time you called me dog, and for these courtesies Ill lend you thus much moneys? All these quotes show how Shylock has been treated in the past. He has been called misbeliever, cut-throat dog and had his Jew ish gabardine spit upon. Shylock asks Antonio why he should lend him money. This shows how intelligent Shylock is. Shakespeare's comedy EssayTherefore I sympathise with Shylock in this scene. I will now study the text of Act4 Scene1 and will look at the areas where shylock loses and gains sympathy. I will start with looking where Shylock loses sympathy. At the beginning of Act 4 Scene 1 the characters present are asking Shylock why he is taking Antonios flesh. When asked this question, Shylock replies with a speech. One of the quotes from this speech that loses Shylock sympathy is: But, say, it is my humour: is it answerd? This quote loses Shylock sympathy because he is saying that he taking Antonios flesh for fun and just because he wants to. The audience will lose sympathy with Shylock as taking flesh from a persons body is seen as inhuman. Later on in Shylocks speech about why he is taking Antonios flesh, Shylock states that: More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing I bear Antonio, that I follow thus a losing suit against him. Are you answerd? In this quote, Shylock is saying that he is taking Antonios flesh because he hates him and loathes him, this would lose sympathy for him with the audience because, again, he is acting inhuman. Further on in this Scene when Antonio is about to have his flesh taken, Bassanio decides to risk his own life for Antonios. He says: Good cheer, Antonio! What, man, courage yet! The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones and all, Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood. This quote will lose sympathy for Shylock as Bassanio is showing homoerotic undertones, Shylock is ruining someones relationship, thus causing the audience to lose sympathy with him. Another area where Shylock loses sympathy is later on in the scene, when the conditions of the bond are being agreed, Portia who is disguised as a doctor of laws suggests that Shylock has a surgeon on stand incase Antonio bleeds to death, Shylock replies with the comment: I cannot find it, tis not in the bond. This quote will lose Shylock sympathy as he will not agree to have a surgeon standing by as he doesnt want Antonio to be saved, this is cold-hearted and the actions of a murderer, thus causing loss of sympathy. The last comment that is made in this scene causing the audience to lose sympathy with Shylock is when Bassanio reveals homoerotic undertones again. Bassanio says to Antonio: I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all Here to this devil, to deliver you. This quote will cause loss of sympathy for Shylock as he is braking up a relationship and the audience will view this as being evil and uncaring. Although there are many points in Act 4 Scene 1 where Shylock loses sympathy with the audience, there are also parts where Shylock gains sympathy with the audience. I will study these now. The first point at which Shylock gains sympathy with the audience is at the beginning of the scene when Bassanio calls him: Unfeeling man This causes the audience to gain sympathy with Shylock as he is being called names and is being classed as a typical Jewish stereotype. Later on in the scene Antonio makes a comment that gains Shylock sympathy with the audience. He compares Shylock to several things. These are: You may as well use question with the wolf. Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb; You may as well forbid the mountain pines To way their high tops and make no noise This comment makes the audience sympathise with Shylock as he is being compared to an animal. The audience will sympathise with him because it is not fair, calling him names and comparing him 2 a killer. Towards the end of the scene, Portia who is disguised as a doctor of laws is going through the rules of the bond. One of the things she says is: In the cutting it, if thou dost shed One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods Are, bye the laws of Venice, confiscate unto the state of Venice This comment causes the audience to sympathise with Shylock because if he does not follow the rules then he will lose his land and all his belongings. The last quote from the play where Shylock gains sympathy is when he is asked to sign the deed, he says: I pray you, give me leave to go from hence; I ma not well: send the deed after me, And I will sign it This quote creates sympathy as it is alluding to the fact that he is too ill to sign the contract and physically not able to stay in court. This creates sympathy, as the audience will feel sorry for him, as he is not well. After studying the quotes I have taken from this scene, I think there is more evidence of not sympathising with Shylock. We learn about how he is too ill to stay in court and how he nearly lost all his belongings yet he was still going to go through with killing Antonio and I think that is cold-hearted and cruel. Therefore I do not sympathise with Shylock in this scene. After studying the text thoroughly and taking into account the quotes I have chosen to support both sides of the argument I have come to the conclusion that I do not sympathise with Shylock in this play. He has shown that he can kill an innocent person all because he doesnt like their religion and I think he is cold-hearted and a killer. However, I do sympathise with him when he is being called names by the other characters, as I dont think it is fair to call someone just because of their religion. Although there are times when I sympathise with Shylock in this play, overall I do not sympathise with him because I dont like his actions he takes against other characters because of their religion.