Merchant Of Venice Is Shylock a Villain or a Victim that Deserves Our Sympathy?

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Carley Jones – English

Merchant Of Venice

Is Shylock a Villain or a Victim that Deserves Our Sympathy?

I think that the role of Shylock remains a popular one because Shylocks character can be open to interpretation. He can be played as a merciless old miser or as a persecuted bitter old loner. I don’t think that I would class him as neither a villain nor a victim, as he is a Jackal and Hyde sort. Throughout the play we see various sides to Shylock. We see him as a greedy moneylender, a Jew who is suffering from anti-Semitism and we meet many other personalities of his.

Many reasons that have led me to believe that Shylock is a victim are his daughter, Jessica, ran off with all of his treasures and money. Not only that but she ran off with a Christian, one of the things that he is against as he is a Jew, she not only stole from him but went against his beliefs too. Even though I feel sorry for Shylock because of this, I still think he over-reacted when he wished Jessica dead at his feet. I don’t know whether it was because he was enraged about her stealing off of him or because she ran off with a Christian.

Another reason why I regard Shylock as being a victim is because he was refused Antonio’s pound of flesh even though he should have received it because of the bond they made. I think this is unfair because even though Shylock was expecting a lot, i.e. Antonio’s life, Antonio shouldn’t have made the bond if he wasn’t prepared to take all of the consequences after and then took Shylock to court because he wasn’t prepared. When they were in court Portia and Nerissa lied so that not only Antonio would win back his pound of flesh but Shylock would be left with nothing and just about keep hold of his own life just because he expected what they both had agreed in the bond.

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Also, another reason in which I think that Shylock is a victim is because during the court case he is forced not only to give up his belongings but his beliefs too, i.e. he is expected to convert to Christianity which is immensely unfair! Whilst in the court, Shylock is offered the money he lent back but refuses. When he knows he is definitely not going to receive the pound of flesh he changes his mind and decides to accept the money. But it has been decided that because he already refused the money he cannot change his mind. I ...

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