Shylock is undeserving of our sympathy. Comment on this view of Shylock with specific reference to Act 4 Scene 1.

Before we consider having any sympathy for Shylock at this point in the play, we must look at events that have occurred and attitudes towards him leading up to Act4 Scene1

We know that Shylock is unpopular with many citizens. This is shown when he himself says that people have:

‘‘Laughed at my loses, mocked at my gains, scorned at my nation’’. However, the Venetian citizens are not the only guilty party for Shylock says that he hates Antonio

‘’For he is a Christian’’

In addition to this, he has few friends or allies in Venice, even his own daughter abandons him with Lorenzo – a Christian (Shylock is Jewish) along with some of his possessions. He feels that his daughter is the only person who understands him and that he can talk to, yet she leaves him.

However, it is important to recognise the affect that all this animosity has upon Shylock and, in particular, the way he might feel when he approaches the court to ‘exact’ his ‘bond’ that he has with Antonio. Shylock has three main feelings in the courtroom, they are confidence because the bond is a legal document, resentment because of his treatment, mocking of his religion, and verbal abuse and finally devastation at the loss of his daughter. I think this makes him more defiant in exacting his bond.

When he approaches the court they belittle him because of his profession (money lender) and mainly his religion which is Jewish. He contradicts the court when asking if Jews are

‘‘Fed with the same food, hurt by the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means and cooled and warmed by the same winter and summer as a Christian is?’’

He thinks that the court should not be prejudiced towards him because of his religion, but to accept him for whom he is. He knows that Jews and Christians live in the same world, why ...

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When he approaches the court they belittle him because of his profession (money lender) and mainly his religion which is Jewish. He contradicts the court when asking if Jews are

‘‘Fed with the same food, hurt by the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means and cooled and warmed by the same winter and summer as a Christian is?’’

He thinks that the court should not be prejudiced towards him because of his religion, but to accept him for whom he is. He knows that Jews and Christians live in the same world, why should he be ostracised because of his faith or his profession, they are all human.

At the beginning of Act 4 Scene 1, we are aware immediately that The Duke feels the bond is unreasonable, everyone in the courtroom is opposed to Shylock and his demands, Bassanio is immeasurably loyal to Antonio because of what Antonio did for him and that Shylock is in control.

The judge feels that Shylock’s demand for a pound of flesh is unreasonable. This is because it is barbaric. The Duke (judge) says

‘‘That it is thy strange apparent cruelty’’

To prove that he dislikes Shylock and his demands.

In addition, everyone in the courtroom is against Shylock. This is because of his religion and his demands. In addition, he receives verbal abuse from Gratiano who calls him a

‘‘Damned inexecrable dog’’.

This quote shows the court is against him.

Bassanio is extremely loyal in friendship to Antonio. Bassanio begs Shylock to forget his demands for flesh and offers to pay the money

‘‘Ten times o’er’’

To Shylock. Shylock refuses this because he is confident and very defiant.

Antonio is honourable because he is prepared for Shylock to take from him a pound of flesh nearest to his heart, which in turn will almost certainly end his life. We know this because Antonio says

‘’I am armed and well prepared’’.

The courtroom now knows Antonio is not afraid.

We get the feeling Shylock is in control of the courtroom because the whole courtroom is thinking about what to suggest next, because Shylock is so defiant in exacting his bond. A pound of flesh is a pound of flesh as far as Shylock is concerned; the bond is legal documentation so he cannot be prosecuted as it abides by Venetian law. He is also sarcastic when Portia pleads with him to ask a surgeon to exact the bond not Shylock. His response is to read the bond and say

‘’I cannot find it, ’tis not in the bond.’’

I think his sarcasm has been fuelled by his confidence of being in control.

Shylock is convinced that he has won the case when the court awards him the pound of flesh; he tastes victory for the first time. He walks over to Antonio and draws the knife from its sheath. He then conscribes to taunt Antonio when saying:

‘’Most rightful judge’’ ‘’Most learned judge, a sentence, come prepare’’.

However, in a bizarre twist of fate Portia finds a critical flaw in the bond. The bond did not allow for a single drop of Christian blood to hit the ground.

‘’This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood, the words are expressly a pound of flesh’’.

Shylock has now lost complete control and becomes overpowered by the Duke, Portia and the rest of the courtroom when they mock him. They call him by his religion – Jew, not by his name. For example when Portia says

‘’Tarry Jew, The law hath yet another hold on you.’’ This phrase means wait Jew; the law has more power than you do.

In addition, Shylock cannot leave with any dignity because the court has ordered him so that he must give

‘‘One half his goods’’ to ‘’The party ‘gainst the which he doth contrive’’ and the other half ‘‘comes to the privy coffer of the state’’.

He is now at his lowest point and is in a state of mind that his predicament is worse than death.

Antonio has commanded him to change his religion from Jewish to Christian, which robs him of any distinction. For him this is the worst punishment of all. Shylock is now a totally beaten and resigned man, a far cry from his confident and vengeful image and with his exit from the courtroom.