Many agree with Bender that the play was supposed to be a slam against the Jews and that Shakespeare was being anti-Jewish, but a few, disagree. Martin Yaffe debates that Shakespeare was pro-Jewish. He said that Shakespeare was not showing a typical Jew but a “bad Jew”. He argues that Shakespeare was trying to get the audience to be sympathetic toward Jews and that he was trying to get Christians to understand that Jews are similar to them. He backs this up with a quote from the play where Shylock is comparing his nationality to Christians:
I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? (Luxon)
This aspect is often refuted by the argument that Shylock was trying to justify his wrongdoing and get sympathy from the Duke and the rest of the people.
Shakespeare wrongfully diminishes Jews in ‘The Merchant of Venice’. His views fit into the culture from where he based the play, but is obviously anti-Jewish. Many historians agree with Thomas Luxon (graduate from Dartmouth) when he wrote, “I prefer the term anti-Jewish to anti-Semitic as a description of the attitude that is the focus of this essay because the latter implies attitudes based on late modern notions of race. The anti-Jewish attitudes depicted and endorsed by this play are more about theology, religion, and nation than about race as we conceive of it […] (Luxon).
In Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice”, the theme of mercy v justice was used effectively to clearly display the different attitudes amongst the central characters. Shylock “stands for the law”, for justice at all costs. The Christian characters balance this; they seem to value love and mercy above material wealth, although they have no conscience when it comes to the treatment of Jews and their families. Prejudice is a core theme in this play and is present in many aspects of Venetian society of the times. The characters’ different attitudes towards the giving and taking of mercy and justice provide a great deal of conflict throughout this skilfully crafted story.
Shylock accepts Antonio’s bond in the hope that he may fail in repaying him, therefore, forfeiting a ‘pound of flesh, to be by him cut off nearest the merchant’s heart’, a penalty that would surely kill Antonio - an opportunity for revenge that is too tempting to overlook. He shows no compassion for Antonio and his grave situation.Shylock’s hate for the merchant and his fellow Christians runs so deep that this anger seems almost inhuman. Shylock is heavily portrayed in this text as the villain, yet it could be said that his hate for the Christian is not unfounded. Shylock has suffered many times under the powerful Christian influence in Venice, and has “borne it with a patient shrug.” Even Antonio, who is painted as a kind, merciful character, is prejudiced, as he warns Shylock that he is likely “to spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.” simply because he is a Jew.
Antonio risks his own life to provide his friend Bassanio with ‘his purse, his person, his extremist means’ and ensure that Bassanio has enough provisions to play suitor to his beloved Portia. These characters value love and friendship above material wealth and possessions. This fact works to Bassanio’s favour and helps to secure Portia’s hand, when Bassanio chose the correct ‘lead’ casket. This shows that he knows the truth, that morals and beliefs make up the value of a person, rather than outward appearance and possessions. Shylock is the contrasting character in this respect, as he holds monetary wealth close to his heart. The Jewish moneylender proves this fact when he discovers that he has lost his daughter to a Christian, as well as a significant amount of his fortune. He exclaims “My daughter! O my ducats!” as though the coins hold the same worth as his only daughter – his own “flesh and blood.”
Portia tries to convince Shylock otherwise in her speech in the court, that mercy “is twice blest; it blesses him that gives and him that takes. ’Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes the throned monarch better than his crown.” But his hate for Antonio is so intense, that he would forsake the payment for his revenge. “If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.” Shylock is made to suffer the consequences of his selfish decision, however, when Portia saves Antonio from the knife; finding a loophole in his ruthless plan and points out that in the taking of his ‘dearly bought pound of flesh,’ he may not take “one drop of Christian blood.” Once Portia has turned Shylock's greatest weapon—the law—against him, she has the opportunity to give freely of the mercy for which she so beautifully advocates. Because of his insistence of justice, he loses all he has - to the law that was once on his side. “Thyself shalt see the act; For, as thou urgest justice, be assured thou shalt have justice more than thou desir’st.” Shylock’s greed is his downfall in the end. He is made to sacrifice all, because he would show no compassion to a man that was in his debt. Shylock is stripped of his bond, his estate, and his dignity, forcing him to kneel and beg for mercy. It seems that mercy, as delivered in this play, never manages to be as noble, or with as pure intentions as Portia presents it.
These characters were portrayed cleverly to reveal meaning and moral to the reader – giving insight into the change between the values and ideals of Elizabethan and modern society. Their very different attitudes to mercy and justice provide a complicated and entertaining web of relationships that contributes to the play’s meaning and importance. Love, hate and the choice between giving mercy or maintaining justice, add depth to the themes and characters and create a passionate and complex plot.
I think the passages demonstrate negative feelings and attitudes between the two religions, Judaism and Christianity. I think this is because of the history of Jews living in the Christian community, which dates back many years. In medieval England, the money lender or usurer was a sinner, therefore, you can imagine how Shylock was treated by the Christian community in Venice, the Christian Church was openly abusive to Jews, calling the Jews ‘money making criminals’. Many people depended on Shylock’s loans for help although no one really accepted interest which they had to pay back along with the sum of money, that was borrowed. Shylock gained success in money lending. He made it clear that his relationship with Christians was strictly business, Shylock said: "I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you." This passage tells us that Shylock was willing to offer his profit-making services to Christians but was not prepared to socialise with them. One person who also depended on Shylock’s loan was Antonio. Shylock agreed to give Antonio the three thousand ducats he required but did not charge interest instead he said if Antonio could not pay him back he would have his bond, which was one pound of flesh of Antonio’s, one pound of flesh would virtually kill Antonio. Antonio was confident of his three ships returning home with wealth, however, Shylock doubted the security of Antonio's ships, which were to repay his loan. Shylock wanted Antonio to suffer and Shylock knew there was no guarantee that the ships would return safe, so he fancied his chances of fulfilling his vengeance against Antonio. Shylock agreed to have one pound of Antonio’s flesh if he could not pay back the three thousand ducats. In this way Shylock would not be prosecuted by the law of Venice. Shylock had made a bond with Antonio, which Antonio could not break. Shylock said: "But ships are but boards, sailors but men; there be land rats, and water rats, water thieves and land thieves - I mean pirates - and then there is the peril of waters, winds and rocks. The man is notwithstanding sufficient." Shylock wanted revenge on Antonio because of the way Antonio had physically and verbally abused him in the past. Shylock said: "You call me misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine." Shylock tells how Antonio had treated him in the past. It is noticeable that Antonio does not deny abusing Shylock, instead Antonio swears that he is likely to do it again: "I am as like to call thee so again, to spit on thee, to spurn thee too." This shows that even though Antonio was dependent on the Jew (Shylock) he still acknowledged the fact of the differences between the two religions. We had learnt that Shylock had suffered at the hands of Antonio but it did not appear it was just Shylock suffering. Shylock said: "For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe." This passage tells us that all of Shylock’s tribe, Jews, were used to suffering, it is highly likely they suffered at the hands of Christians. I think this causes prejudice against all Christians and gives the reader the impression that the Christians in Venice treated all Jews unfairly. Shylock asked, "If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrongs a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why revenge. The villainy you teach me I will execute."
Shylock felt he had been wronged, therefore, he thought he was entitled to revenge. Shylock had been waiting for the opportunity of getting one up on Antonio, Shylock now intended to use the bond as a way of getting revenge on Antonio, Shylock said: "If I catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him." Shylock’s hatred of Antonio was for three reasons; the first reason was 'I hate him for he is a Christian'. It was clearly obvious that Jews did not like Christians and vice-versa due to the different religious beliefs. Also Antonio warns Bassanio when Shylock quotes from the bible, saying, "The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness." The second reason was that Christians lent money without interest. This clearly affected Shylock’s business. Shylock said, "He lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice." Christians did not make profits whereas people like Shylock made their profits from interest, this clearly did not please the Christian community, this may have created negative attitudes towards all Jews. Antonio is aware that "Shylock seeks my life; his reasons I well know: I oft delivered from his forfeitures Many that have at times made moan to me; Therefore he hates me." (III, ii, 21-24) Antonio ‘hates our sacred nation, and he rails.’
The above clearly depicts ‘The Merchant of Venice’ as being anti-Jewish.
