The way characters behave shows what they are really thinking. Shylock can be quite devilish at times in act 1 scene 3 where he pretends to joke about the pound of flesh; Antonio believes he is jesting and falls into Shylock’s trap. This pretence enabled Shylock to manipulate Antonio with his careful selection of words, which instead of making him angry, as he was earlier in the scene, lulled Antonio into a false sense of security. “Why fear not man, I will not forfeit it.” This shows that there is no doubt in Antonio’s mind that he will not fail to pay back the fee. Shylock uses sarcasm quite a lot, "Fair sir you spat on me Wednesday last." Sarcasm is not an appealing quality, which makes him seem like a villain through his use of words. Alternatively, Shylock’s behaviour in certain scenes shows his vulnerability and he becomes the victim. Salanio illustrates this when he recounts Shylock’s behaviour upon discovering that Jessica has gone with his money and jewels. He was crying in the streets shouting “My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian Ducats...” Surprisingly Salanio said that Shylock cried out for his daughter first over his money, this shows his daughter is more important to him than his wealth. The fact that Salanio and Salerio are mocking him when they helped cause this anguish creates pity for Shylock and portrays him as a victim.
Shylock is often thought of a loveless career minded money-lending Jew. This is because of the stereotypical Jew who only cares about money. In another play “the Jew of Malta” by Christopher Marlowe, made a Jew as the central villain who share some of the same characteristics e.g. bloodthirsty and the unkindness to Christians. At the time the Merchant of Venice was written the Jewish people were subjected to prejudice and regarded as an inferior race. However as we see throughout the play Shylock feels very strongly for his daughter and wishes to protect her at all times and when the Christians masques came he told her to lock up all the doors; this shows that he cares for her and he appears the victim when she runs away. When Shylock finds out that she had sold his late-wife’s turquoise ring for a monkey, he is deeply saddened as it was very precious to him. On the other hand, earlier in that scene, Act 3 scene 1 Shylock declares” I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear.” meaning he would want her dead so he can get his jewels back. This colours our image of Shylock as a villain, what father wishes their child dead for material possessions?
Shylock has a moral code which he stuck to even when everyone was against him. He contracted a bond with Antonio, Antonio failed to honour the bond and must forfeit to what was agreed. Shylock feels it would be a great injustice if the forfeit were not carried out. “My deeds upon my head, I crave the law, the penalty and forfeit of my bond.” The scene of the trial shows his search for justice and he wants nothing more than what was written on the bond, this scene portrays Shylock as a victim of the law, if the tables were turned and it was Antonio seeking the law his Christian status would deny Shylock of any justice as The duke, the judicial power in Venice, is a fellow Christian. The Christians are against Shylock merely because he is a Jew this would make Shylock a victim. Equally this same argument can be reversed and interpreted as just a way of getting back at Antonio for those years of name-calling and abuse.
The fact that Jews could not take up a career as craftsmen, one of the very few options remaining was to become a moneylender and have to charge interest rates to earn a living. The Christians looked down on this as it was against their own religion and this would cause friction between Shylock and Antonio. Shylock cannot do much else so his limited choices cast him as a victim.
Jessica, Shylocks daughter, wishes she was out of his life and escapes with the race he hates the most- the Christians. Jessica is ashamed of her father, the Christians mock and say “There is more difference between thy flesh and hers than between jet and ivory” meaning Shylock and Jessica are very different; Jessica is so kind and gentle and is the opposite to her father. This would make Shylock out to be a villain as Jessica says how living with her father is hell and she hates it.
From analysing the play it is not hard to determine whether Shylock is a victim or villain. Shakespeare created Shylock as a villain; however, in some scenes we do feel pity for him and feel that he is hard done by. In turn making us feel he is a victim. These feelings and opinions change but at the end of the play our sympathies are with Antonio and we are bound to feel hate for his opponent Shylock. We recognise his faults more than his qualities and therefore perceive him as a villain.
