Word Count: 698
Racial and Cultural Stereotyping and Bigotry in The Merchant of Venice
In The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare has characters follow certain common stereotypes of certain religions and cultures during the Elizabethan Age. This is done in order to establish a quick understand about characters and their relationship with other characters. The stereotypes of characters and their bigotries become more apparent and amplified as the story progresses. Shakespeare has characters either use allusions to reinforce their bigotries or use metaphors to increase the effect of their prejudices.
Shakespeare has his characters follow stereotypes of the time in order to fully develop the theme of stereotyping and bigotry. At the time, only Jews were allowed to lend money with interest. As we learn when Antonio seeks a lender, Shylock is a loan official, following the stereotype of a common Jew. Antonio then falls into the common stereotype of a high-class businessman. He is rich, shown by his amount of wealth he loans to his friends. He is a nobleman, as he did not try and escape Shylock's bond. He could not care less about a lower class citizen or Jew, as stated by Shylock, "You that did void your rheum upon my beard..." (Merchant of Venice 1.3. 113-114). This shows Antonio has no respect for the Jewish community, as they are low classed. Another common stereotype of the Elizabethan Age was that Jewish people were blood-thirsty and murderers. Shylock's need for Antonio's flesh follows this stereotype. Although, Shakespeare makes Shylock more than a simple stereotype. Such emotions are inferred from when Tubal tells of Jessica trading Shylock's ring. Shylock cries, "I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor..." (Merchant of Venice 3.1. 113-114). It is shown that Shylock has loved another woman as his equal and is more than a simple stereotype. This is all done to have characters follow stereotypes while keeping a sense of reality.
