Shylock is portrayed throughout the entire play as both a villain Essay Example

as a whole and scrutinize how Jews were treated during Shakespearean times.

Then I will draw another conclusion about the treatment of Jews as a collective and evaluate the historical accuracy of Shakespeare's plays. The focus of this essay is on The Merchant of Venice, a play written by William Shakespeare, which explores his recurring themes of love and hate. The story begins in Venice, where the prominent merchant Antonio is feeling blue. In an attempt to lift his spirits, his two friends Salerio and Solanio offer their support. However, Antonio's closest friend Bassanio arrives and he too is feeling downcast.

Antonio admits to losing a significant amount of money and being smitten with Portia, who is an heiress. However, Antonio's ships are currently at sea, leaving him with no funds to lend Bassanio. This financial constraint prevents Bassanio from reaching Portia, thus diminishing his chances of marrying her. Meanwhile, in Belmont, an imaginary island near Venice, Portia and her servant Nerissa discuss the selection process that suitors must undergo to earn the opportunity to marry Portia. Several men have attempted and failed, leading Portia to ridicule them and express her disinterest in them. Towards the end of the scene, Nerissa reminds Portia that Bassanio is about to arrive.

Joining a conversation in Venice between Shylock, Bassanio, and Antonio, we find ourselves in a public place. Shylock, a usuary and moneylender, is hesitant to lend money to Antonio and Bassanio due to their past mistreatment of him because he is Jewish. The topic of discussion revolves around the ethics of lending money. Shylock reminds them of their previous actions towards him, but ultimately agrees to lend the money,

albeit with an unusual collateral requirement.

His collateral was a pound of flesh to be given to Shylock. Then we return to Belmont where Portia meets the Prince of Morocco who takes the test with the three caskets, but fails. Once more, we go back to Venice where Lancelot Gobbo contemplates escaping from his master, Shylock. His father, Old Gobbo, appears onstage in search of his son.

Since he is visually impaired, Old Gobbo fails to recognize Lancelot and becomes a victim of his prank. Old Gobbo requests Bassanio to hire Lancelot, and Bassanio agrees. Gratiano also asks for a favor from Bassanio - to accompany him to Belmont. Bassanio agrees but reminds him that he must maintain proper behavior.

In this scene, we remain in Venice on a street outside of Shylock's house. Lancelot bids farewell to Jessica, Shylock's daughter, while Bassanio's friends organize an entertainment for the dinner guests. Lancelot delivers a letter from Jessica to Lorenzo, who then shares his plans with the audience. Meanwhile, Shylock instructs Jessica to secure the house before joining Bassanio for dinner.

Lorenzo and his friends gather near Shylock's house, while Jessica, disguised as a boy, appears on a balcony feeling embarrassed. Meanwhile, at Belmont, the Prince of Morocco arrives to examine the three caskets. He reads aloud the inscriptions on each casket, attempting to decipher their meaning. Unfortuantely, he chooses incorrectly. Salerio and Solanio engage in a conversation about Lorenzo's whereabouts.

Shylock's unfortunate news of his daughter's disappearance and stolen money, along with Antonio's ship sinking, has spread. Meanwhile, another suitor, the Prince of Arragon, has arrived at Belmont to make his choice among the caskets. After reading the inscriptions, he

determines his rightful selection. Just as he finishes reading the scroll, a servant enters with news that Bassanio is approaching. In Venice, Salerio learns about the misfortune with one of Antonio's ships. With an opportunity to exploit Antonio's perilous situation due to their pound of flesh bond, Shylock revels in satisfaction when alone with Tubal.

Shylock experiences as much joy in this matter as he suffers in the sorrow of losing his daughter. Portia has developed feelings for Bassanio and requests him to delay his decision about the caskets, but Bassanio is unwilling to wait. He contemplates the distinction between what things seem to be and their true nature, then selects the lead casket and wins Portia's hand in marriage. Nerissa and Gratiano offer their congratulations, and Gratiano also announces his own intentions to marry.

Lorenzo and Jessica reach Belmont accompanied by Salerio, who carries a letter from Antonio detailing his unfortunate situation. Meanwhile, in Venice, Antonio has been arrested and taken away. Shylock menacingly confronts him, but Antonio remains calm and composed throughout the encounter. As for Belmont, Portia entrusts Lorenzo with the responsibility of taking care of her home temporarily, as she and Nerissa embark on a journey to Venice with the intention of deceiving their husbands.

Lancelot Gobbo playfully mocks Jessica's Jewish background, with her husband Lorenzo joining in the jesting. In the following Act, we find ourselves in a Court of Justice in Venice. The Duke implores Shylock to display mercy towards Antonio, but Shylock rejects the plea and adamantly demands his pound of flesh. As the scene unfolds, a youthful lawyer enters the courtroom.

Portia is accompanied by Nerissa as her clerk in

this scene. Portia delivers a speech, but Shylock remains unperturbed by it. Portia acknowledges that Shylock has a legal right to a pound of Antonio's flesh, causing Antonio to prepare for his impending death. However, just as Antonio is about to face his fate, Portia devises a plan to rescue him. She argues that Shylock cannot extract flesh without drawing blood, which is prohibited. Bassanio expresses immense gratitude for saving his friend's life and offers a reward to the young lawyer. Portia requests a ring from Bassanio.

Next, in a street in Venice, Gratiano surreptitiously passes Bassanio's ring to Portio, who is still disguised as the young lawyer and is still accompanied by Nerissa, who also intends to retrieve her ring from Gratiano. In the final Act, Lorenzo and Jessica share adoring words under the moonlight. Messengers convey that Portia and Bassanio are journeying back home separately. After a brief time, Portia and Nerissa arrive at Belmont. Shortly thereafter, as dawn breaks, Bassanio and Gratiano make their appearance. The wives request their husbands' rings and feign anger, but ultimately disclose the truth.

Now I am going to discuss Shylock, the other subject of this essay. Throughout the play, Shylock is portrayed as a villain due to his Jewish background and strong religious convictions. His daughter, Jessica, is unhappy with her Jewish identity and desires to convert to Christianity, influenced by her future husband.

Shylock, a usury, is similar to a modern bank. Usury, which involves lending money and charging excessive interest, was highly disapproved of during the Elizabethan era. While the usurer does not necessarily have to be a Jew like Shylock, they are always seen as outcasts.

The way in which they earn a living is deemed wrong because they do not actually create anything but instead rely on the labor of others. Additionally, they face no risks as they can claim penalties if debtors fail to repay their loans. This method of making money was considered unnatural in contrast to the organic growth of wealth through farming and animal breeding.

This topic is addressed in Act 3 Scene I of the play, where Antonio and Shylock engage in a conversation. During this exchange, Shylock narrates the story of Jacob and Laban's sheep. Moreover, the character of Shylock is feared due to his ability to easily gain power over others and drive them into poverty through usury. Subsequently, we will explore how people interact with Shylock and his subsequent reactions, starting with Bassanio and Antonio's treatment of him.

In Act I Scene 3, Shylock reveals the mistreatment he has suffered at the hands of Antonio. He expresses his anger at being insulted and called names such as "misbeliever" and "cut-throat dog" in public settings. Additionally, Shylock mentions how Antonio has spat on him purely because he is a Jew. He further elaborates that Antonio has frequently humiliated him in the Rialto regarding his finances and lending practices. Essentially, Antonio has consistently subjected him to terrible treatment in public places, specifically by criticizing his work.

In an attempt to present himself as a tolerant and kind individual, Shylock claims to endure insults patiently, stating "... still I have born it with a patient shrug, For sufferance is a badge of all our tribe...". Shylock also pretends to be deeply hurt and upset by their remarks, although

it appears to be more of a teasing treatment rather than something of great significance. In Act I Scene 3, Shylock demands a pound of Antonio's flesh, which I find unreasonable. However, I understand why he suggests this form of collateral, as it serves as a way for him to retaliate if he does not receive his interest.

In Act IV Scene I, we witness the Courtroom scene, where Shylock adamantly refuses to relinquish his pound of flesh due to the unfortunate sinking of Antonio's ship, rendering him unable to repay the loan. Despite numerous pleas, Shylock displays great annoyance when Portia intervenes to prevent the imminent harm befalling Antonio. This instance genuinely upsets Shylock as he is unable to exact his revenge, which, in my opinion, serves as a fitting consequence for his initial demand for a pound of flesh. This request exemplifies his villainous nature and demonstrates his unchanging character. However, one may also perceive Shylock as a victim of unfortunate circumstances leading to his profound loss. Moving forward, I will discuss Shylock's interactions with his daughter.

In Act II Scene III, Jessica expresses her strong aversion to being Jewish because of her father's identity. Despite the limited evidence of their relationship, this statement implies that Jessica despised Shylock just as much as Antonio did in the end of the play. Evaluating a play without sufficient evidence is challenging, yet based on available proof, it can be concluded that Shylock is a villain who exploited others through his role as a usurer – an action deemed highly wicked. His demand for a pound of flesh, resulting in certain death, further reinforces this perspective. I disagree

with the notion that Shylock is a victim.

Despite his misfortune, I believe he ultimately faced the consequences he deserved. Shakespeare's plays, given their historical context, cannot be relied upon as trustworthy sources due to the inclusion of his personal opinions on topics such as Jews. However, if this particular play is historically accurate, it implies that Jews were subjected to unjust treatment during Shakespeare's era. If the portrayal of Shylock's mistreatment in Act I Scene III is indeed accurate, it would be extremely unfair to discriminate against someone solely based on their differences. Nevertheless, if this play accurately reflects reality, it suggests that discrimination and prejudice continue to persist for minorities and individuals perceived as different.