Throughout the play Shakespeare makes it obvious to the viewer why Shylock seeks such revenge upon Antonio. It is because of Shylocks religion everyone dislikes him which causes him to become isolated and ignored. In one place where Shylock should receive equal treatment is in the courtroom; however he doesn’t and gets mocked by the duke ‘An inhuman wretch’. A present audience would recognize how unfairly Shylock is getting treated and yet again pity him; nevertheless an Elizabethan audience would think this was fair as Jews were not accepted into their society. Whilst in the courtroom Antonio would appear like a hero to an Elizabethan audience and a true Christian. But a modern audience would see Antonio as pressingly being on the border to a racist thug, because he act’s nothing like a true Christian would; unpleasant and nasty. I believe that as a modern viewer I have a wider perception and commiserate more with Shylock as I find it disturbing that Christians are that racist.
There is a religious aspect to the prejudiced anti-Semitism, as the Christians are totally against the Jews. This is for the reason that the play was written over 400 years ago and when Shakespeare wrote the play religion played a huge role and a far greater part in life than it does now; Antonio see’s himself as a sacrificial lamb, comparing himself to Jesus ‘I am tainted wether of the flock, meetest for death’. The Elizabethan audience and the modern audience would both see the comparison between Antonio and Jesus. In the era of Elizabethans, Judaism was outlawed, so maybe Christians do not like Shylock as he practices a different religion, in a diverse church.
In some parts of the ‘Merchant of Venice’ Shylock is referred to as ‘An evil soul producing holy witness’. Jessica, Shylock’s daughter even describes her house as hell; ‘Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil’ this suggests that Jessica is calling her father the real devil and Lorenzo is the merry devil. An Elizabethan congregation would feel that Jessica is confessing that her house is hell. When Shylock is in the court, Grationo speaks of Shylock and mentions that ‘Thou almost makist me waver in my faith’. At this remark an Elizabethan audience would see Shylock as an anti-Christian, who is out to destroy any Christian, especially Antonio.
In the Elizabethan era Christians thought of Jews as Cannibals they considered Shylock wanted a pound of flesh to eat ‘Be nominated for an equal pound of your flesh to be cut off’. Shylock plays along with this idea and taunts the audience into thinking he wants to eat the flesh for enjoyment. ‘But yet I’ll go in hate, to feed upon the prodical Christian’ Shylock just wind’s up the audience, as though to say he is a typical Jew. When Salerio asks ‘What’s that good for?’ Shylock replies ‘To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge’ this taunts the Christians and winds up the audience yet again as he lives up to the typical Jew.
The last thing the court does to Shylock is take his religion ‘He presently become a Christian’. Antonio suggests this as he does not want half of Shylocks wealth as he knows he would not care, so it is at this point where the court may as well take Shylock’s life as he has nothing left. An Elizabethan audience would think Antonio has saved Shylock’s life and is a hero, on the other hand a modern audience would feel shocked at the fact Antonio has taken Shylock’s religion as it is part of his culture and background. Compared to Jessica, Shylock has had no decision as to whether he becomes a Christian or not. Jessica became one as part of her own free will so she could marry Lorenzo.
Although Shylock comes across as cruel, Shakespeare is able to portray a different side to him in which he comes across as a warm, kind-hearted man. This is shown clearly when Shylock finds out Jessica has taken his turquoise ring which was of sentimental value to him ‘Tourt-urest me Tubal. It was my turquoise, I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor. I would not have given it for a wildness of monkey’s’, normally Shylock would be keen on making money but in this particular scene he does not and comes across as an emotional man which is unusual. Nevertheless you can see a clear contrast in his character when he would ‘rather have my daughter dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear’.
‘I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?’ Shylock occasionally gets very emotional and lets out what he is feeling inside which makes it seem as if Shylock is dropping a mask in plea to the Christians to be treated the same as everyone else. ‘If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?’ Shakespeare wrote Shylock’s character to be amusing and to a Christian audience they would be insulted that Shylock has even dared compare himself to a Christian therefore getting a better reaction from the audience. Conversely a modern audience would feel more sympathy for Shylock because of how prejudiced the Christians are being.
Shakespeare has to paint a picture in the audiences head, giving the impression Shylock is a stereo-typed Jew and a villain. In some scenes I feel Shylocks character can become too exaggerated ‘I hate him for he is a Christian’, I get the impression this has been put in the play for an Elizabethan audience as Shakespeare knew that religion was a very sensitive subject and would get the audiences attention and reactions.
Portia and Antonio have a totally different attitude to money compared to Shylock, Shylock being a typical Jew liking to make money because it makes him proud. Shylock is a loan shark who puts extortionate rates on the money people loan so they can not pay him back and get trapped; therefore they go into debt to Shylock. Alternatively Antonio is trying to put Shylock out of business as he lends out his money ‘gratis’ with no charge or interest. Another complete variation in character is that Antonio does not mind about giving money ‘My purse, my person, my extremest means lie all unlocked to your occasions’. ‘I make it as breed as fast’ illustrates that Shylock is referring to himself as a farmer with sheep and he is able to double his money year after year. An Elizabethan audience would understand Antonio as he has made money through taking risks whereas they would think Shylock’s attitude to money is wrong. A modern audience would understand Shylock as we are now careful with money.
The business side to the play is portrayed well in the courtroom scene. Every time the bond is in question in the court room Shylock says that it cannot be questioned and Antonio owes him the flesh that he is entitled to. Shylock is going by the law in every way so legally he is in the right. But Shylock over steps the mark on a life law when Portia asks ‘Have by some surgeon Shylock, on your charge, to stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death?’ Shylock replies ‘I cannot find it, tis not in the bond’. After this remark from Shylock, Portia turns the bond against him ‘This bond dath thee here no jot of blood’. A modern audience would feel consideration for Shylock whereas an Elizabethan audience would be biased, sensitive to people's religion and would certainly know about it as some theatres were burnt down because of disapproving spectators.
From analysing the play it has come apparent that Antonio and Shylock are two totally opposite strong characters. Shylock seeks revenge for a number of different reasons one of which being culture. ‘He hates our sacred nation’ suggests that Shylock has acted on behalf of his Jewish nation and not just upon the personal grudge between himself and Antonio.
Shakespeare has written Shylocks character in order to impress two different eras, which I feel he succeeds in. He raises a series of different issues which enable audience to express there contrasting views. He creates Shylock in such a way he is portrayed as an Elizabethan scoundrel but a modern case to pity. I believe it is the racism and prejudice Shylock undergoes which adds to the drama of the play and creates more sympathy for his character.
