Shylock quotes “ Curs’d be my tribe, If I forgive him! ”, which states his pride in his tribe. Shylock hates the fact that the Christians are treating the Jews with such contempt. He’s so angry and frustrated, “I hate him for he is a Christian”. He states this quote thinking of the way the Christians dominate them and show no respect. He’s also jealous and angry with Antonio, as his money-lending business doesn’t charge interest. “ He lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice.” He hates Antonio even more for his money lending that is making his business decrease and he also thinks that Antonio is doing this on purpose to annoy him. Shylock doesn’t feel that the Jews are treated fairly, “ He hates our sacred nation, and he rails abuse.” Shylock’s feelings about the way the Jews are treated will prepare the audience for his attitude to Antonio knowing that Shylock is angry and will want to get his personal revenge on him for the way the Christians show contempt.
Antonio enters and Shylock speaks to him for the first time (remembering that the audience has just heard his aside and knows how he truly feels). The aside being Shylock reflecting on when Christians killed Christ and the damage it caused. “I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.” Shylock quotes “But soft, how many months do you desire?” It makes Shylock feel better treating him like a lower class person in revenge to the past. Then there is dramatic irony as Shylock says to Antonio “Rest you fair, good signor!” He says this in a very polite way but he’s also two faced, as the audience know his aside. The audience now know what Shylock plans to do and there is great excitement, drama and tension that build up. This has still come to the audience like a blow in the face because they can now see what’s going to happen and it keeps the audience on edge. Antonio is quite hostile and aggressively quotes, “Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow by taking nor by giving of excess, yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend I’ll break a custom.” Their differences in the money lending trade are revealed and so the antagonism increases. Antonio’s comment begins to clarify why Shylock hates him. Furthermore, Antonio reveals his true feelings about Shylock behind his back. “Is like a villain with a smiling cheek, a goodly apple rotten at the heart.”
The audience start to feel sympathy for Shylock, as they understand how Antonio has been treating him. It’s not fair on Shylock as he struck a deal that is now off because Antonio went the traditional way by lending some of the money to a friend. This has made Shylock so furious that he can’t accept it. Shylock speaks to Antonio in an angry type tone with Antonio being oblivious to what’s going on. Shylock quotes, “Well then, your bond; and let me see-but hear you, methoughts you said you neither lend nor borrow upon advantage”. Shylock is angry and full of resentment, disgusted by what Antonio has been playing at. Antonio replies, “I do never use it.” Antonio replies back without knowing what Shylock is thinking about and smouldering. He is playing with a dangerous enemy not that Antonio sees it. The tension is increasing and there is a growing awareness of Shylock’s hate as Antonio makes him sick by the way he speaks and his words. “I do never use it.”
The language used to deliver the bond is very formal and going back to the past conflict between Jews and Christians. Antonio quotes, “Yes,Shylock, I will seal unto this bond”. Shylock is thinking of that evil man in his eyes and how he can get him. Shylock is happy but Bassanio is worried for Antonio because he knows that Shylock’s out to get him and Antonio is oblivious. Antonio thinks it’s a joke because he’s confident that his ships will arrive in time, so he’s happy to go through with it. The audience can also foresee the next steps in this play as they’ve seen Shylock’s aside. They are also on edge because of the excitement and curiousness of this bond.
The scene ends with Antonio quoting “ there can be no dismay”. This is ironic as the complete opposite is about to happen and he is about to suffer many losses. It also builds up more drama as well as suspense. The scene ends in superb fashion as the audience are kept guessing about what’s going to happen next. They can sense something is going to happen right at the death therefore the dramatic suspense is huge. “I pray you wrong me not.” This quote is of irony by Shylock and it states his intent to get Antonio.
I think that Shakespeare was trying to highlight the conflict between the Christians and Jews. This play can have an effect on the audience relating back to the conflict. Antonio was prepared to give up his life for his friend and that is a typical Christian. Also, their hate is mainly based on the religious history and their status in society. I think that the Elizabethan audience would have favoured both Antonio and Shylock because you can look at the play in two contexts rather than one. The audience in today’s world would have favoured Shylock overall because he made a deal, Antonio was happy with, and then Antonio cuts the deal, which angers Shylock with great desire to get revenge on him. In other words it can be seen that this action by Antonio started a huge rivalry that escalated and maybe if he stuck to the deal there wouldn’t have been any trouble. The play concludes with the audience being in a happy tone as there is no hostile violence at the end of the play.
