We see Shylock at his home in Venice. Here he is talking to Jessica. From the way he is talking to her. From Shakespeare’s presentation of Shylock as a father we can gather that he treats his daughter like a young child. He orders her to “lock up my doors” and look after their house. He is also very protective of her and tells her not to “clamber” to the “casements” to see “Christian fools” who are having a party outside. From this we can see that Shylock is a very protective parent, he also treats her like a child as maybe he wishes she was still a child. However, he prejudices her thinking by making reference to the religion of the Christians as he refers to Christians as “fools”. He obviously cares about her but doesn’t show it openly. We can also see that Shylock is going to dine with the Christians which is against his religion. This also shows that maybe Shylock is being hypocritical in his religion to gain revenge on Antonio. From this we can see that Shylock’s true hate to Antonio and thus he is prepared to sacrifice his religion to kill Antonio or bring harm to him. This gives the impression that although Shylock is very extreme in his religion, he has been oppressed so harshly by the Christians that he cannot tolerate it any longer. Thus he is now prepared to go against his religion in order to bring harm to Antonio.
The conflict between Jews and Christians is made intense when Shylock finds out that his daughter has ran away with a Christian. Jessica has taken some of Shylocks money and precious jewels. Shylock says that his daughter is “damned” for this. Shylock is so hurt at his own “flesh and blood” rebelling against him like this. Perhaps he is infuriated more so because his daughter has gone against is views and religion to assimilate with the “enemy”. Shylock is also angry about Antonio’s ships being lost, therefore causing Shylock to lose his money. Thus the loss he laments is both fatherly and financially this double calamity causes Shylock to seek revenge even more than before. He says the Christians and Jews both have “eyes, organs, dimensions” and then he further goes on to say “if you prick us do we not bleed”. This is just showing the similarities between Jews and Christians. Then Shylock says that from Christian example he will seek revenge on Antonio, Shylock is influenced by the Old Testament principle of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The Christians now leave the stage and Tubal, a Jew, enters. Tubal acts like a man who seems to be giving comfort but is not really, he is just helping to fluctuate Shylocks temper. Tubal tells Shylock about Jessica, he is deliberately reminding Shylock of the precious things he has lost, such as a ring given to Shylock from his first wife. Shylock is so angry that he wishes Jessica was dead and the “ducats in he coffin”. Tubal continues to make Shylock feel more and more angry that towards the end of the scene Shylock is completely intent on seeking revenge on Antonio. It is thus possible to see the intensity of his anger as more towards the material loss than the immediate family.
In Act 3, Scene 3 we see Shylock here already in the middle of a conversation, he is telling the jailer to look at Antonio. Antonio is trying to speak to Shylock but Shylock does not want to know. He is already extremely angry; Shylock does not let Antonio speak and tells him that he will, “have my bond”. Shylock says that Antonio always calls him a dog so “beware my fangs”. In this scene Shylock acts in a manner that is different to that of his before. He knows that he will have his bond as the duke cannot deny it, because others would hear about it and it will “impeach the justice of the state”. In this scene Shylock repeats the words “I’ll have my bond”. This shows that his use of repetitious language shows his narrow mindedness and unwilling nature of listening to the other side of the story. Antonio and Salanio only talk when Shylock has left. This shows the way in which he dominates the dialogue.
In Act 4, Scene 1 Shylock is ready at the door, he is going to enter a room filled with his enemies, but is only a few steps away from revenge. Shylock is very impatient and wants the duke to hurry up with the sentence. Shylock knows that of the Jew does not follow the law there will be “danger” on the “charter and your city’s freedom”. The duke asks Shylock to show pit, but Shylock refuses, he doesn’t give his reasons for wanting to kill Antonio, except that he hates him. Shakespeare presents Shylock as irrational, hateful and unfeeling. Antonio now tells the others in the court that there is no point reasoning with the pitiless Shylock; he says it is impossible to soften Shylocks “Jewish heart”. Bassanio offers Shylock six thousand ducats but Shylock is intent on have the bond. Shylock says that he wants the “pond of flesh” that is “dearly bought” by him. Shylock demands the pound of flesh that is his property and due to him by law.
When Nerissa enters disguised as a lawyer’s clerk, Shylock sharpens his knife on his shoe, ready to cut the pound of flesh. Bassanio then asks Shylock why he sharpens the knife so “earnestly”. Shylock says it is to “cut the forfeiture” from Antonio. Here Gratiano gets angry and starts to curse the Jew by calling him an “inexecrable dog” and “wolf”. Now Portia enters disguised as Doctor Balthazar. Portia tells Shylock that he must be merciful. Shylock asks why he should be merciful. Portia then says that mercy is the prerogative of kings and “an attribute to God himself”. She explains that mercy can neither be forced nor diluted, and it is greater than any monarch’s power. Mercy and justice should go hand in hand. Shylock completely ignores Portia pleas and tells her that his “deeds upon my head”. He also craves the forfeit. Bassanio asks Portia to bend the law to save Antonio; she disagrees and tells him that other legal cases would be affected. Shylock is so happy because it seems that Portia is on his side. Shylock praises Portia as a “noble judge”. Portia then says that according to the law Shylock can have a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Portia tells Shylock to get a surgeon in case Antonio bleeds to death, but Shylock says it is not expressed in the bond. This shows that hi wants Antonio dead. Just as Shylock is about to cut the flesh Portia stops him and tells him there is no mention of blood in this bond. If Shylock spills “one drop of Christian blood” his land and goods are given to the state. Shylock then quickly says that he will take the money and let Antonio go. Bassanio is ready to give the money but Portia tells Shylock that “he shall have nothing but the penalty”. Now Shylock is stuck he decides to leave but again Portia stops him, she tells him that in the laws of Venice if an “alien” “seek the life of a citizen” the person of whom he wants to kill shall have half his wealth and the other half goes to the Duke. The duke allows Shylock to live but takes away all his wealth, Shylock says that the Duke has taken his life by taking away the means that Shylock uses to maintain himself with. Portia then asks Antonio what mercy he can show the Jew. Antonio orders Shylock to become a Christian and that he gives his wealth to his daughter and her husband, after Shylock dies. Shylock is then forced to be content. Shylock leaves, this is the last time we see him
In Act 4, Scene 1 Shylock is treated very badly by the Christians at the end. They told Shylock to show mercy bit when it is their turn to show mercy, they show none. They are extremely harsh to him by taking all his wealth and then on top of it all they force him to become a Christian. However, the Christians do not realise that they cannot force someone to change their religion. They can still be a Jew in their heart. I think the Christians in this play are extremely horrible to Shylock, they show him no mercy after they tell him to show mercy. I think Shylock was supposed to be given his bond, and the only reason why he really wanted the bond was to get an upper hand on the Christians. I think Shylock had been forced to act in this way as he was suppressed by the Christians.
However Elizabethan play-goers would have seen Shylock as the ultimate villain, as he dealt with usury. They must have thought that Shylock deserved everything he got. The Christians of that time also believed that the Jews ate the flesh of Christians, so for them Shylock was the villain of the play, robbing most of the comedy from the play. From this we can see why he was so abused by the Christians and called “villain”, “dog” and “wolf”. However, nowadays people may see Shylock as someone forced to act in such as way from all the pressure he is put under. We can see that Shylock just wants to lead a life away from Christians who hate him.
