Shylock Villain or Victim

Many people are nefarious in the modality they behave. Their villainous figures may be attri excepted to their desire to destroy others and in crack elevate themselves to a higher financial or kindly level. However, the root cause of their villainy may be a reply to the treatment they have endured at the give of others. In short, they have been taught villainy, rather than it world an integral set more or less of their personality. In frequently(prenominal) instances, r change surfacege bottomland be a headst champion motivator in inspiring them to act in a villainous way. In the ?Merchant of Venice? it can be argued that u receivedr is the antagonist, opposite the naïve and essentially bang-up Antonio, the protagonist who essential defend himself against the rag money pass oner. The evil he represents is one of the reasons Shakespeare chose to dispose moneylender as a Jew, as Jews of his time were seen as one with the Devil. In Italy, where The Merchant of Venice is set, the Jews were cosmos greatly disadvantage against; they were being expelled from the coun evidence, they were made to break remote demoralizing items such as ? evilges of shame? and Jewish synagogues were turned into Christian churches. They were made to wear cloaks, caps or badges that indicated that they were beneath the Christians, and they were condemned to make love in just one part of the city, the Ghettos, which were often of bad condition. The moreover place they were allowed to transmit with Christians was on the Rialto where they could do business. The Rialto is where we commencement exercise meet Shy seal in. through with(predicate)out the quicken loan shark is criticized because he is Jewish. ? here comes a nonher of the tribe- a third gear cannot be matched, unless the devil himself turned Jew? (Act 3, Scene 1). This is one of the umteen bring ups that die hard that Shylock is the victim of the play because others torment him for being a Jew. They treat him equal a dog and Antonio has ! scour sprinkle on him. In Shylock?s first dig it, he spends a long time debating whether or not to lend Bassanio the 3000 ducats. The main reason for his delayed response is he likes to have control over the situation, which is not unremarkably the case. He loves the fact that for once Christians need him, a Jew especially. Shylock cruelly takes advantage of his position and keeps Antonio and Bassanio in suspense waiting for his decision, he even goes as far as to venture he has forgotten the amount they indispensabilityed. Shylock is besides actually double-tongued he tells Bassanio how oftentimes he abhors Antonio. ?I hate him for he is a Christian?, but to Bassanio he is dulcet ? succour you fair seignior?. When Shylock eventually says he will accept the bond, he says he will only lend Bassanio the money if when the 3 months is up and the money is not repaid in full, then he shall have a shell of Antonios flesh. This would be Shylocks way of taking revenge on Antoni o, he says to Antonio? You adjure me misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish washcloth? this seems like a rather excessive extent to go to. Through most of the play he seems selfish, and it seems in most separate of the play as though he doesn?t kick somewhat his daughter. While hi is selfish, he sometimes does try and be a good father to his daughter such as in act 2, context 3.

This is where he tells her to lock the house up and to keep safe from the masque, but even part of this act to his daughter was to make sure no Christian men would come into his house to eliminate anything. In act 2, sc ene 8 Salerio and Solanio are public speech communi! cation about the way Shylock reacted to his daughter leaving him. Solanio let out that Shylock had said, ?My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!? This iterate makes the audience feel a tiny bit of rationality for Shylock as it shows how he feels awful about how he has lost his daughter and money at the same time. Solario besides goes on to say that Shylock said, ?Stolen by my daughter! truth! Find the girl! She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats!? This quote explains that he only cares about finding his daughter because she has his money and jewels with her and the only way to palpitate it back is to find his daughter. Overall, the contemporary audience?s scene would be less prejudiced and more sympathetic towards Shylock than an audience in Shakespeare?s time. This is so because now, there is much more religious toleration compared to the past such as Shakespeare?s time. Since this play is written from a point of venture from Shakespeare?s time, Shylock is portrayed more as a villain then a victim. While Shylock was anguished by Christians, this is no excuse in compulsioning to stumble another, even if it was for revenge. Shylock can be considered as a villain not for his religion, but for his personality. Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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