centered inconsiderate Jew, “I hate him for he is a Christian” (Act 1,
scene3) later; we learn that Shylock is treated badly for being a Jew.
“You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit on my Jewish
Gabardine.” So Shylock is treated badly by everyone because they are
all big on Anti-Semitism, (All of Shylocks “”Misbehavior” is based on
public opinion and story’s. This is why the play is set in Venice), he
acts in a way which is to be expected of him “let the forfeit be
nominated for an equal pound of your flesh, to be cut off and taken in
what part of your body pleaseth me.” This quote relates back to
Shylock being in power, being able to say whatever he wants.
Shylock has a daughter called Jessica. We can tell that she doesn’t get
on with her dad because she is saying farewell to Launcelot (Shylocks
ex-clown) and tells him how awful it is living in her house with
Shylock. “Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil, dist rob it of some
taste of tediousness […] Here is a Ducat for thee […] Give him this
letter, do it Secretly” (Act 2, scene3) This is where Shakespeare
introduces the third plot of the play “The romance between Jewess
and Christian” Jessica tells Launcelot to deliver a love letter in secret
to Lorenzo. Lorenzo is a Christian and Jessica is a Jew. If Shylock found
out about this little “love fest” between Jessica and Lorenzo, he would
disown Jessica completely. I think that this doesn’t make Shylock out
to be a victim or a villain because he is just respecting his religion but
in the eyes of the play, this would make him a villain because he is
getting in the way of young love. This is a good comparison between
Jews back in 1596 to Jews today. Jews back then were treated badly.
It was legal to beat up Jews and illegal for the Jews to retaliate. Jews
today are treated under the same law as everyone else unlike back
then where Jews were not permitted under the English law and had
their own which only allowed them to do a few jobs. The first time
we see Shylock and Jessica together, he calls “Jessica” and she comes
“Call you? What is your will?” (Act 2 scene 5) this connotes that she is
a very obedient girl. Later, Shylock tells her that she can’t have
anything to do with the masque “Lock up my doors, and when you
hear the drum band […] Nor thrust your head into the public street to
gaze upon Christian fools with varnished faces” Here, Shakespeare is
using shylocks language to make it us totally clear to us that he is
totally against Christians once again. Jessica is planning on sneaking
out and seeing Lorenzo, the Christian.
Jessica dresses up as a boy and meets Lorenzo at the masque. She has
stolen money from Shylock “Here, catch this casket, it is worth the
pains.” (Act2, scene6) Lorenzo tells Jessica that he loves her “Lorenzo,
and thy love” (Act2, scene6) Later on, we learn more about the people
and how they treat Shylock “As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:
“My daughter! O my Ducats! O my daughter” […] Stolen by my
daughter. Justice! Find the girl! She hath the stones upon her, and the
ducats.” (Act2, scene 8) This is said by Solanio to Salerio who are both
friends of Antonio in a general conversation and they are mocking him
for his losses which in my eyes, makes him a victim to the public. This
supports the idea of Shylock being a stereotypical Jew because that is
the way he is treated so he feels he has no choice but to me cruel and
greedy. Shylock approaches Salerio and Salanio and accuses them of
knowing about Jessica’s elopement. “You knew, none so well as you,
of my daughter’s flight.” This shows us that he is so angry; he is
getting paranoid and accusing anybody of knowing about Jessica so he
can find her and get his stuff back. We soon learn that under Veil of
evil that Shylock has, there is some feelings. “I am a Jew, Hath not a
Jew eyes? Hands, organs, senses, fed with the same food, subject to
the same disease; if you prick us do we not bleed? If you poison us do
we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge? This villainy
you teach me, I will execute” (Act 3,scene1) Shylock is saying here,
that he is bad because people treat him bad, he is basically telling
them that he is just as bad as they are and that they get what they
give. Shylock tells Antonio that he wants his bond because he can’t
pay back Shylock the three thousand ducats that were in the bond so
Shylock is demanding his forfeiture… The pound of flesh. “I’ll have my
bond, speak not against my bond, I have sworn an oath and I’ll have
my bond.” (Act3, scene3) This is showing Shylock to be a villain
because He doesn’t like Antonio and he knows how bad Bassaino
won’t be able to get the money to him so he would take his life
instead.
Finally, everyone ends up in court and Shylock is confident that he will
get his pound of flesh. “Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?”
(Act4, scene1) This again, makes him out to be a villain. Portia gives
Shylock a long speech about mercy and how he should be merciful
towards Antonio but Shylock refuses “My deeds upon my head, I
crave the law, the penalty and forfeit of my bond. Portia asks if there
is any scales to weigh the flesh and Shylock had his at the ready “Are
there balance here to weigh the flesh? –I have them ready” After
Shylock makes it clear to everyone that he wants nothing other than
the flesh, Portia drops a bombshell and makes a case against Shylock.
“Tarry a little, there is something else. This bond doth give thee here
no jot of blood […] One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
are by the laws of Venice confiscate Unto the state of Venice” (Act
4,scene1) Shakespeare uses dramatic irony here because Bassanio
doesn’t know that Portia is there and we do. Shylock is forced to give
half of his possessions to Lorenzo and Jessica thanks to Antonio “The
other half in use-to render it upon his death unto the gentleman who
lately stole his daughter.[…] He presently become a Christian.”(Act 4
scene1) The other half of his belongings went to the state of Venice.
In conclusion, I think that Shakespeare uses a number of elements e.g.
dramatic irony when nobody but the audience knew that Portia in
court, an oxymoron “o happy torment, when my torture doth teach
me answers for deliverance” and some more. Shylock is a villain but
this is because of the victims acting like villains themselves but they
are seen as victims because they are legal to discriminate Jews and
Jews can’t do anything about it other than act like they are treated so
overall, I think that Shylock is a victim to the own world that he lives
in.
