The Merchant of Venice – Shylock villain or victim Essay Example

Antonio is insulted by Shylock, who refers to him as 'Dog Jew' and 'Devil', while Shylock's primary disdain is rooted in Antonio's Christian faith.

Antonio is instructed to approach a moneylender to borrow money, which introduces Shylock to the play. Shylock devises a plan for his revenge, perhaps initially unaware of his opportunity. However, upon meeting and being insulted by Antonio, Shylock is quickly reminded of his chance for vengeance.

Antonio's principles are contradicted as he is given grief by Shylock. The discrimination and racism that Antonio exhibited towards Shylock is brought up, highlighting the latter's constant suffering as a victim of persecution. This mirrors the vulnerability faced by many Jews in the play.

By portraying Shylock as a victim, Shakespeare challenges the audience's perceptions of Jews and their treatment. The cruel persecution Shylock endures drives him to form a bond that allows him to seek revenge. Throughout the play, he tries to shield his daughter from foolish, dangerous Christians and their masques. "What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica, Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum...

According to the text, the character is attempting to prevent his daughter from leaving the house and marrying a Christian man named Lorenzo, as she is Shylock's only relative. The character believes that by keeping his daughter in the house, he can ensure her safety. However, he is dismayed when she runs away with Lorenzo and trades a sentimental ring for a monkey.

Shylock has become increasingly angered and determined to enforce his bond due to a series of terrible events and mistreatment, including a substantial financial loss. He is consumed with revenge during the trial, feeling it

is just retribution for the injustices he has suffered. Shylock believes his pursuit of justice is warranted considering all he has been through.

The turning of events led to Shylock giving up his estate to Lorenzo, who was a Christian and the fiance that Jessica eloped with. This is one of the reasons why Shylock had a motive to kill Antonio, who was involved in his daughter's escape. During the trial, spectators constantly insulted him with prejudiced terms such as "dog Jew", "misbeliever", "cut-throat dog", "wolfish", "bloody", "starved" and "ravenous". These insults were hurled at him by Antonio's friends in a court of law where such conflicts should not have arisen.

During the trial, Shylock is subjected to permissible name-calling which further isolates him. Being heavily outnumbered, Shylock takes advantage of the situation to prove that he also holds power and can control someone's fate, just as the Christians have control over him. Unfortunately, he is eventually coerced into converting to Christianity as a punishment, which is a harsh and cruel sentence.

Shylock is compelled to alter his way of living and beliefs, an outcome he deems the harshest sentence possible. He goes to the extent of preferring death to becoming a Christian, having already suffered the loss of his family, wealth, and home, and now also his fundamental identity as a practitioner of his religion: "...

The favour was granted on the condition that he would become a Christian. Therefore, Antonio is the one who determines Shylock's fate and makes him a Jew.

In spite of his contempt for Antonio, Shylock confronts an alarming situation as the latter wields the authority to determine his destiny. Regrettably, at the conclusion

of the play, Shylock discovers himself in a more hazardous predicament than earlier. The mistreatment of Shylock on account of his Jewish heritage reflects the discrimination and subjugation that numerous Jews faced during this period. Nonetheless, there are two divergent perspectives regarding this drama which I will scrutinize in my essay. Specifically, I will delve into how Shylock is portrayed as an antagonist.

Shakespeare depicts Shylock as a wretched and avaricious moneylender, characterized by Antonio as a deceitful villain hiding behind a pleasant facade and an attractive exterior concealing his inner corruption. Shylock's animosity towards Christians, especially Antonio, drives his vindictive obsession for retaliation, resulting in the formulation of a gruesome scheme to murder him.

Should Antonio fail to meet his obligation, Shylock has the legal right to claim one pound of flesh from him. It is a cruel and vengeful act, which ignites in Shylock a determination for retribution. Alongside this, Shylock projects a dictatorial approach as a parent, enforcing strict religious beliefs upon both himself and his daughter, Jessica.

Jessica feels that living with Shylock is unbearable. She is unhappy with his overprotective behavior towards her. When Jessica runs away, Shylock's primary concern is the money she may have taken rather than the loss of his daughter. His greed is evident in this behavior. Shylock should have been more worried about his daughter's well-being instead of the cost of the missing diamond, which he expresses as "A diamond gone cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfurt!" At the trial, Shylock's sinister nature is revealed.

Despite pleas for mercy from the duke, Bassanio, and the courtroom crowd, Shylock remains unmoved and shows no compassion towards Antonio, insisting

on his death. Even when offered three times the original bond amount, he only seeks revenge.

Shylock firmly believes that he has the support of the law in his quest for revenge. His confidence is so strong that he starts sharpening his knife on his leather shoe, which repulses the audience and diminishes their empathy towards him. During the trial, Shylock maintains a self-assured demeanor and expresses his determination to carry out his vendetta through forceful declarations like "I will have it."

Shylock believes that he must honor the bond, despite any wrongdoing it may entail, as it is a sacred commitment. He justifies his actions with religion. Nonetheless, upon discovering that there will be a surgeon present during the outcome he demanded, Shylock adamantly denies it being part of the bond. The portrayal of Shylock's conduct depicts him as merciless and wishing for Antonio's downfall.

During the trial, it is demonstrated that Shylock committed a crime and a sin by attempting to take another man's life. Therefore, he should face punishment. Shakespeare uses the detail of Shylock sharpening his knife to sway the audience's sympathy away from him and to disapprove of his intentions. Shylock remains determined to seek revenge until the tide turns against him. Ultimately, Shylock is portrayed as a multifaceted character.

Shakespeare's creation of the character of Shylock was meant to invite varying opinions from audiences. Whether Shylock is seen as a victim or a villain is informed by the viewer's background and the time period in which the play is being viewed. Shylock is now more sympathetically viewed after World War II, in contrast to the 1500s when most viewers were against him despite

his being subjected to abuse throughout the play. I believe that Shylock did not anticipate circumstances changing, allowing him to carry out his bond. It was only after his daughter left him that he seriously considered seeking revenge.

Despite the fact that Shylock may have unintentionally created an impossible bond, I view him as mainly a victim in this play. He endures a great deal of cruel treatment, and it is not until the trial that he seeks revenge. It seems unjust that Antonio - who barely survived - had the power to determine Shylock's fate. Due to his religion, Shylock faced discrimination in court and received a harsh and unnecessary sentence. Nevertheless, Shylock's complex character guarantees that different members of the audience will have differing viewpoints concerning him.