Shylock’s first line in the play is
‘Three thousand ducats...’
This line can be interpreted in two different ways. I can either be seen as a man trying to make a living or a very greedy man with only one thing on his mind; money. I think he fits in with the cold greedy character as he guards his possessions with his life. The only two significant things to Shylock are related to money, his wealth and his money lending trade. During Act 1 Scene 3 Shylock seems quite jovial and as if he is an agreeable business man; however this all changes after the arrival of Antonio. Shylock despises of Antonio for one reason other than his Christianity, his own money lending. Antonio lends money but charges no interest, which is against his religion.
‘I hate him for he is a Christian; but more, for in low simplicity he lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice.’ When Shylock says this, the Elizabethan audience would shun him and some might feel hatred towards him for talking of a Christian in that manner. However a modern day audience would pass his comment off as one of a minor prejudice statement.
Also the people in Venice mock and laugh at Shylock when his daughter eloped with his money to marry a Christian. Salarino and Salanio make fun of him by saying ^..... the dog Jew did utter in the streets: ^My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter! .....^ all the boys in Venice follow him, crying, his stones, his daughter and his ducats^ (II.8) They had no sympathy towards the man who has just lost his only family and his precious money. Maybe he is greedy, but it was still his money and one would expect people to feel sorry for him but they were even more cruel to him by laughing at his losses.
Even though one should feel sorry for Shylock, he himself is a very cruel and vindictive man. He hates Antonio and all Christians and when he got the opportunity to take revenge he was more than prepared to do so. He and Antonio had a bond which stated that if Antonio was not able to pay off the debt of three thousand ducats he borrowed from Shylock within three months, he would have to pay the debt by letting Shylock cut a pound of flesh from his body close to the heart. When Antonio^s ships were lost and he was not able to pay off the debt Shylock rejoiced in his lose. ^..... other men have ill luck too: Antonio, as I heard in Genoa, .....hath an argosy cast away, coming from Tripolis^ (III.1) said Tubal, a friend of Shylock^s informing him about Antonio^s misfortune. Shylock rejoices saying ^I thank God, I thank God..... I thank thee good Tubal: good news, good news! ha, ha! ..... I^m am very glad of it: I^ll plague him; I^ll torture him: I^m glad of it^ (III.1) This ! shows that he was a horrible man. Later when he was offered the money, he refuses saying that he would rather have Antonio^s flesh than money ^When I was with him I have heard him swear to Tubal and to Chus, his countrymen, that he would rather have Antonio^s flesh than twenty times the value of the sum that he did owe him^ (III.2) says Jessica, Shylock^s daughter informing Bassanio and Portia how much of a cruel man her father really is. These unkind attitudes of Venitians have originated from Venice being a commercial city of trade and business. People are untrustworthy and cunning. People who live here have to be aware of their fellow citizens, thus they have developed a untrusting, unkind attitude towards others.