Explore the ways Shakespeare presents Shylock in The Merchant of Venice.

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Amandeep Badesha

Explore the ways Shakespeare presents Shylock

in The Merchant of Venice

In The Merchant of Venice Shylock is the plays antagonist, he is the creator of many circumstances that arise during the play.  Shylock is a Jewish moneylender who earns his living by charging interest on money he loans (like modern banks). He often speaks prose in the play, which marks him out as an outsider. Shylock is persecuted by all the non-Jews he comes across in the play. He is verbally abused and bullied by most characters in the play and is called cruel names including "villain with a smiling cheek, cut-throat dog, bloody creditor, damned in execrable dog” 

Later on in the play Shylock tells Antonio, "suff'rance is the badge of all our tribe." We can see that Shylock is clearly an intelligent businessman as he is very astute and is aware of other people's concerns as he knows all about Antonio's business ventures.

Shylock seems jovial in this first scene, before the Christians start to heap insults upon him. I believe that this scene may contain the only true indicator of Shylock’s true demeanour, i.e. an agreeable businessman. This view is unfortunately shattered by the arrival of Antonio and his good credit rating.
Although he hates Antonio for being a Christian the main reason he hates him is financial:
"I hate him for he is a Christian, But more, for that in low simplicity, He lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice

Shylock hates Antonio, not only on principle, as the Christians hate him, but also due to Antonio’s own money lending activities and this, his cardinal sin, of charging no interest. We can recognise Shylock’s hatred, firstly upon principle of religion, and secondly hatred on behalf of his business, which may be the most important thing to Shylock apart from his beloved religion. The burden of his race gives Shylock both a sense of righteous indignation and an overwhelming sense of superiority.

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Shylock is thrilled to hear that another of Antonio's ships is lost, making Antonio more vulnerable.

"I thank God, I thank God. Is it true, is it true? "

He is very confident that he will win, telling Antonio while he is in prison, "Thou call'dst me dog ... But since I am a dog, beware my fangs. " He knows that the Venetian justice system will have to support him and so relishes beating Antonio at his own game.

This leaves us wondering why Shylock makes such a strange agreement with Antonio; asking for a pound of flesh ...

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