Shylock is an ambivalent portrait: Discuss with some reference to the cultural background, how an audience might respond to him throughout the play.'The Merchant of Venice'.

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Graeme Bingham 11MN                02/05/07

Shylock is an ambivalent portrait: Discuss with some reference to the cultural background, how an audience might respond to him throughout the play.

Throughout ‘The Merchant of Venice’, Shylock is a character with a strong impact on the audience.  The response of the audience changes throughout the play, varying from pity to dislike.  His Jewish background and persecution provide a case for the audience liking the character and giving him pity, whereas his obsessions with money and his desire to kill Antonio gives the audience a bad impression.  The influence he has on the audience has varied over the years, from the Elizabethan times when he first appeared, who saw persecution of Jews everyday, to the modern audience who will dislike characters who are prejudiced.

Shylock first appears in Act 1 Scene 1.  For the audience, first impressions are vital.  His first line when Bassanio offers him the bond is ‘Three Thousand ducats – well’ (Act 1 Scene 3 Line 1).  To any audience this gives the impression that he is very concerned about money, especially when he repeats ‘three thousand ducats’ throughout the scene.  Throughout the scene, there is a repetition of the word ‘three’, e.g. ‘three thousand ducats’, ‘three months’, ‘three thousand ducats for three months’ etc.  This repletion not only emphasises Shylock’s obsession with money (as he is still pondering over the bond) but also shows how numerically Shylock thinks.  The obsession with money is a key part of his character and the first thing that the audience noticed.  Shakespeare himself was interested in money and usances himself, he invested much of his money into his theatre, and his knowledge of that subject is reflected in Shylock’s character

We also learn from this scene the intelligence of Shylock.  As soon as Bassanio propositions him, he considers the offer in his mind, and realises how he can get revenge on Antonio, e.g. ‘Antonio shall become bound – well’ (line 5).  Later on in the scene, Shylock shows his intelligence once again, when he tries to be friendly to Antonio to try and make him sign the bond, e.g. ‘I would be friends with you, and have your love’ (Line 133).  Shylock is a shrewd businessman.  He is careful not to lend money out to people who he doesn’t know, or people that he knows will not pay him back, e.g. ‘My meaning in saying that he is a good man, is to have you understand that he is sufficient’ (Lines 13-14).  He disguises his sinister bond as a joke in hoping to persuade Antonio to seal the bond, when he does he knows that he can kill Antonio if he does not repay him.  Shylock stalls with Bassanio not giving him a definite answer until Antonio arrives, this is because he wants to see Antonio and talk to him about his sinister bond.  His stalling also gives him time to think his plan through.

Shylock, being an orthodox Jew has considerable knowledge of the Bible.  In this scene he uses his knowledge to benefit himself.  He tells Antonio the story of Uncle Laban’s sheep and Jacob to justify why he should collect Interest.  His interpretation of the story is completely different from the Antonio’s.  Antonio believes that he twists the story to benefit himself.  Antonio detests Shylock, he considers him ‘ a dog’, and he does not agree with Shylock charging interest, i.e. ‘An evil soul producing holy witness is like a villain with a smiling cheek, a goodly apple rotten at the heart.’  Also ‘In the Rialto you have rated me about my moneys and my usances.  Still I have borne it with a patient shrug’ (Shylock).  Much of an Elizabethan audience would have agreed with Antonio on this, as the majority of them would have been Christians.  

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‘I hate him for he is a Christian’ illustrates the point that Shylock does not like any Christians.  He hates Antonio especially, owing to the persecution he has received from him, e.g. ‘You call me misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gaberdine.’ ‘Fair sir, you spit on me Wednesday last, you spurned me such a day, another time you called me a dog, and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much moneys?’  Shylock has obviously been persecuted due to his Jewish heritage, and this would make the modern audience feel sorry for him.  Due to the ...

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