The Merchant of Venice Study Essay Example

such as murders and treason.This prejudice and discrimination soon forced Jews like Shylock to live off immoral jobs like Usurance.

Further more, Jews were forced to wear distinguishing dresses and were given separate rules so that they may be mocked at humiliatingly. England even began to expel Jews and consequently seized their lands. In Shakespeare's era, a Portuguese Jew, called Lopez was accused to have tried and failed killing Queen Elizabeth I. Although extreme measures by the Queen to ensure he was spared, Lopez was hanged in 1594 and this new spark in racism built up devastating pressure on Jews.

Shakespeare's play itself may have been taken from a previous play, 'The Jew of Malta' by Christopher Marlowe. Marlowe's Jew was called Barabas and similarly to Shylock, he was a usurer but Marlowe made his "Jew" much more vicious and devious. Shakespeare is also thought to have received his ideas form a French/Italian play called 'Il Pecorone'. Shakespeare chose Venice as his setting in my opinion because at that time, not only was Venice the best place for Jews to go but it was also the 'World Trade Centre' producing geniuses like Marco Polo.In Venice, Jews had legal rights and more freedom although they still had to live in ghettos outside of Venice.

Although Shylock obtains his ideas form others, his exhilarating and intense description of "The Jew" is incomparable though fair. Shylock has been made to look a restrained and nuanced yet character by Shakespeare. In many areas of the play, Shakespeare provides us with points to view Shylock sympathetically and not just as a comic villain. The most prominent example of Shakespeare's encouragement to

heed Shylock as humane is in his outstanding 'Hath not a Jew...

speech referred to by John Gross to us in the main title. In this poignant speech, Shylock asserts himself as a common human being. He compares himself with the basic similarities that all humans have, even between Christians and Jews.He asks "Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? " This unravelling of the differences between the two communities leaves the Christians blank and no reply is presented.

Shylock then asks Salerio and Salanio for what reason they were "mocking at my gains, scorned my nation and cooled my friends. The rhetorical question he asks has an obvious answer to it but still the Jew remains unreciprocated and thus he is forced to sympathise for himself. The answer: "I am a Jew. " This short simple four worded sentence by Shylock is an attempt to try and move the Christians, yet they remain heartless and void Shylock's humanity.Shylock also tries and builds up justification for revenge on Antonio.

Again he comments on his common humanity but this time it is about how he can be physically affected: "If you prick us do we not bleed? ; "And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? " For yet another time the Christians are as dumb and uncaring as before. Shylock has also been called and compared with the features of "the devil. " Salerio and Salanio are constantly pestering Shylock with anti-Semitic comments: "Let me say amen betimes, lest the devil cross/ my prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. " Essentially,

Shylock is not just called with envy and hatred but the two Christians also want Shylock dead. Earlier in the play Shylock has provided his motivation for the bond.He comments on the bitter, villainous acts Antonio has made him endure in the past.

Amongst this speech, Shylock also points out the hypocrisy in the Christians' nature: "Hath a dog money? Is it possible/ a cur can lend three thousand ducats? " Once again the Christians have offended Shylock through their tedious name calling habits. Already in two scenes, Shylock has been called a dog or devil many times. Shylock is next seen with his departing servant, Lorenzo and his daughter, Jessica. He is in two minds; whether to go to a Christian party, or not.His mood changes from anger: "Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call" to thoughtless sorrow shown by Henry Goodman's theatre version of the play in which Shylock slaps Jessica and shows his emotive side by showing care and love for his daughter.

Yet little does he know is she about to elope with the Christians. Shylock picks up a picture of his late wife, Leah, as he and his daughter sing a song in Hebrew. The audience's heart goes out to Shylock at this moment. The fact that Jessica is about to cheat on her father provokes the audience into feeling even more sympathy for Shylock.

Shylock's loss of all his family members mean the audience feel pathos and sorrow for him: "Farewell, and if my fortune be not crost, /I have a father, you a daughter lost. Salerio and Salanio then go on to mock Shylock about his

daughter's "flight. " They taunt Shylock at an emotional time and ridicule him by adding that they even knew the person who helped disguise Jessica; Shylock - "You knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my daughter's flight. " Salerio - "that's certain; I, for my part, knew the tailor that made the wings she flew withal".The two Christians savour their opportunity and punish Shylock severely thus fuelling his hatred.

Henry Goodman evokes this with physical and violent action. These scarce and mostly infrequent comments in the play show us of the denunciation Shylock undergoes due to the Christians. We can see that Shakespeare does not over victimise his character, giving him lifelines of mercy and sympathy throughout the play. Shakespeare does show prejudice in that his play favourites the Christians however, it is apparent he does not show the hatred of his two mocking Christian characters: Salerio and Salanio.

Shakespeare also empathises with Shylock, imagining the Jew's situation and the feelings the Jewish community would resound. For this reason, I feel Shakespeare has not fully victimised Shylock. We find out next that Shylock's fellow Jew, Tubal, teases at his losses too. His erratic behaviour with Shylock showed that they were not best of friends and as he tormented Shylock with the bad news, we feel sorry for Shylock.

As Shylock mourns over the loss of his money and daughter, Tubal informs him with the knowledge that Antonio "hath an argosy cast away coming from Tripolis.To further depress Shylock, Tubal explains how his daughter spends "fourscore ducats" in one sitting. He is also told that his turquoise that he "had it of Leah"

was exchanged for a monkey. A turquoise was meant to be magical and was thought to change colour when its owner was in trouble.

Monkeys were thought of as filthy, malevolent creatures. Shylock expresses this rage by crying: "I would not have sold it for a wilderness of monkeys. " Shylock is also ridiculed when Portia introduces to him that there are complications to the bond. Gratiano is the main culprit of this impoliteness and discourtesy.He infuriates Shylock throughout the scene and laughs while saying "you sharpen your knife not on thy sole, but on thy soul.

" Shylock is then described as an "inexorable dog" and is told that he has reincarnated from a wolf. Gratiano further insults Shylock calling him a "currish spirit" and wolf again: "Governed a wolf, who, hanged for human slaughter. " Gratiano's following summary of Shylock is "thy desires/are wolvish, bloody, starved and ravenous. " The discriminatory nature of the Christians really comes through here as Antonio calls Shylock a "cruel devil. Gratiano continues his insolent behaviour plagiarising Shylock's speeches as the tide turns: "O upright judge! /mark, Jew - O learned judge! " This is unlike the Christians' general attitude: threatening others and heckling.

Portia acts just as Shylock had, contradicting her previous speech about mercy: "The Jew shall have all justice; soft, no haste! /he shall have nothing but the penalty. "Gratiano's torment now gets irritating and the audience really would sympathise with Shylock: "A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew! /now, infidel, I have you on the hip. Shylock's words haunt him here from earlier and he has now reached a tragic state. As Shylock goes "down,

therefore, and beg for mercy," he is derided and reproached by Gratiano in Henry Goodman's film. As Shylock leaves a broken man, Gratiano makes one colossal attempt to break Shylock "Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more, to bring thee to the gallows, not to the font. " This inhumane, barbarous comment torments and causes suffering upon Shylock.

This victimisation is appalling and can be considered horrendous behaviour.Al Pacino's film shows the insincere side of Christians. They are shown as "flesh and blood" playing with money and sexual parts. Shylock's rare and short moments where we sympathise with him, are overcome by the: raw meanness, immoral actions and vengeful behaviour he possesses. From the first sentence, Shylock speaks in a cold, calculating and deferring manner. He enjoys being in control of others, especially those whom he detests.

Shylock frustrates Bassanio by repeating "well" three times as well as reiterating the terms of the bond.His thought of Antonio's misfortune is crude and selfish as he bases his bond upon this: "There is the peril of waters, winds and rocks. " We then learn why Shylock hates Antonio and it is merely because "how like a fawning publican he looks" and for his religious point, he "hates him for he is a Christian. " Shylock is fighting fire with fire returning racist comments back to the Christians.

In Shylock's aside we learn he is intent, from the very start, to physically harm Antonio: "If I can catch him once upon the hip, /I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. Shylock shows us his violent, atrocious side. Shylock then summons his deceitful

nature explaining to Antonio that he "cannot instantly raise up the gross/of full three thousand ducats," yet he later on rushes to fetch the sum of money. Shylock also produces a deceitful personality.

When directly communicating with the Christians, he acts kindly and friendly where as in moments such as his aside, he is sly. Thinking the "Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind," Antonio takes the "pound of flesh" deal. Little does Shylock know, that at the end, he will become Christian.As Shylock calls for his daughter, Launcelot imitates him cheekily provoking Shylock to shout back "Who bid thee call? I do not bid thee call.

" Although Shylock has been invited to go to a Christian party so that Jessica may elope with Lorenzo, Shylock is "not bid for love," yet he will "go in hate, to feed upon/ the prodigal Christian. " Once Shylock hears about "masques" he becomes arrogant and orders his daughter to "lock up my doors," and when the "vile squealing of the wry-necked fife" is heard she should immediately "stop my house's ears. "Once Shylock has been devastated by his daughter's "flight," he tries to lose his emotions by blaming the two Christians, Salerio and Salanio, for his losses. The feeble pun Shylock uses of "damned for it" would make the audience laugh at Shylock's language. His anger and hatred towards Antonio is shown when Shylock grinds his teeth and bellows: "To bait fish withal.

If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. " Shylock goes on to explain where his villainous ideas have come from: "the villainy you teach me I will execute, and

it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. Shylock's agony is at such an extent that he would rather see his "daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear. " Shylock is being avaricious and insincere and would do anything for his daughter back. Once hearing of the misfortune of Antonio, Shylock becomes elated and rejoices calmly: "good news, good news: haha! " - "I thank God, I thank God. " Shylock's vice grows and he wants to "plague and torture" Antonio.

What's more is that Shylock is "glad of it. " The audience's reaction to this would be of fury and hate. In the lead up to the trial, Antonio pleads for mercy from Shylock.He begs Shylock to listen to him: "hear me yet, good Shylock. " - "I pray thee hear me speak. " Shylock remains persistent over his bond to reassure himself that he was in control; he repeats the phrase "I'll have my bond.

" In the trial, we see a menacing, vengeful and hypocritical Shylock. Salerio mentions that Shylock is "ready at the door," suggesting that he is blood thirsty and eager; crying out for revenge. Shylock's disparity is shown after Portia's poetic speech about mercy. He wants to "crave the law, / the penalty and forfeit of my bond.

He tries to bribe the judge, not knowing it is Portia, wife of Bassanio. His sycophantic actions are creepy and come to haunt him later on: "O wise young judge. " As he sharpens his knife "on thy soul," the audience feel that Shylock has taken his victimisation too far and that he should

stop his malicious actions. As he goes to murder Antonio, the "wise young judge" and "noble, excellent young man" stops him.

Shylock is stunned by this reversal of fortune and cries over the terms of his bond threatening to kill Antonio if he is to lose his life as well.This is shown in Goodman's film. Portia takes a risky decision telling Shylock "The Jew shall have all justice. " Shylock could have gone ahead with the bond. Shylock's language is extremely substandard compared to the fine poetic language of the Christians. Shylock's jokes are not at all funny and because they only make sense to himself, they are usually followed by an explanation: "land-thieves, (I mean Pie-rats).

" Shylock also tends to use irritating patterns of parallelism, chiasmus and repetition.He uses these to build up self confidence and to confound others. His tedious repetition of "I'll have my bond" throughout the play annoys the audience as does his calculating single words such as "well. " The innovative concept of chiasmus appears just once in Shylock's speeches: "the thief gone with so/ much, and so much to find the thief.

" The pitiable, hideous language that Shylock mostly uses can be compared to the fluent rhythmic language of the Christians: Salerio and Salanio who use puns to denounce Shylock.Portia gives an elegant speech on mercy and she uses enchanting words to dazzle the audience with her poetic style. If Shylock cannot be persuaded by this speech, no one can persuade him. Antonio also uses graceful rhythmic language even with the terror of his death: "But little, I am armed and well prepared," - "For herein Fortune

shows herself more kind/ than is her custom. " - "For if the Jew do cut but deep enough, / I'll pay it instantly, with all my heart.

" In the Henry Goodman film, Shylock and the Christians are exceedingly violent towards each other.They are slapping and trying to fight each other on every encounter between them. All in all, Shylock's villainy maybe comic to some Shakespearian audiences but most would have acted in disgust and revulsion at his behaviour. Although Shylock is nai?? ve in the way he believes he can overwhelm the Christians in power and wealth, the Venetian laws served the best interests of the Christians. In addition to this, Shylock does not strive to earn any respect and thus receives none.This maybe due to his arrogant and provocative behaviour or even for the simple fact he is an "alien creature," to interact with whom is a dilemma at the best of times.

Ultimately, Shylock's quest for revenge is one that does not agree with his plans but instead causes disastrous consequences. The fact that he loses his daughter and money at a time he feels uncomfortable: but he also is reminded of his beloved wife, Leah, and the one and only precious remembrance he had of her. His cruel ways also have him resigned from his dignity and religion which he abused.We feel anger and appalled towards the Christians and sympathy is offered to the tormented, mocked Jew; however this is not long lived as Shylock's fury and misery takes over.

It has always been said that Shakespeare has made Shylock 'one of the most complicated characters in English literature' and

he is definitely not a 'one dimensional character. ' Shylock treats his treasured with vindictiveness and with no conscience. He is deprived of a life and we feel helpless but to go up and hug him as he cries at the end of the backfired trial.In my opinion Shakespeare set out to implore to us that Shylock may be a Jew, but that not all Jews are iniquitous because they want to be; they are because they are forced to be. Shakespeare also wanted Shylock to act as a barrier for love and friendship.

Although Shylock may not be a 'legend nor a legacy' to a Shakespearian audience, John Gross's idea of the 'Hath not a Jew' speech being the main point is a fine one; though he portrays his idea in such a way, we are made to sympathise with Shylock.Shylock once again uses mediocre language, repeating the phrase "are you answered? " Shylock is fully entitled to take a pound of flesh from Antonio as the law legally allows it but he fails to realise that the law is biased and is intended to be just. Shylock is very careful about his rights and he complains rightfully about the way Christians interpret the law. He asks them whether it is 'right' to keep slaves while saying no to moneylenders. In the end, Shylock, the broken man, can do no more but leave a victimised character remembered throughout history.