Shylock continues in the scene, to make hateful comments towards Antonio and Christianity.
“But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon the Prodigal Christian.”
The audience of Shakespearean times would have been deeply offended by this and their hate of Shylock would grow as he continued to insult the Christians. However, audiences today would be much less affected by his anti-Christian comments.
Shylock goes on to state, in this first scene, the terms of the bond. These terms are very bloodthirsty and seem to the audience to be very unreasonable.
“ ...an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.”
The very terms of the bond make the audience dislike Shylock, or feel quite mystified by him. This would have made the Shakespearean audience dislike Shylock further more as it shows him being a cunning businessman; a reason they hated the Jews outside of the play.
However, in this scene, we also see some moments that make the audience sympathise with Shylock. For instance, Shylock lists the ways Antonio has persecuted him.
“You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,”
Audiences of Shakespeare's time would have thought it right for Antonio to do this to Shylock. However, audiences of today will hold a different view. They would have felt more pity for Shylock.
At the end of this scene, the modern day audience would have felt very confused about Shylock's character. They wouldn't know whether to give him compassion or antipathy.
In Act 2, we meet Shylock's servant, Lancelot Gobbo, who is contemplating leaving Shylock's service. Lancelot refers to Shylock many times as the devil.
“Certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation...”
The modern day audience would take pity on Shylock at this point, as his own servant is against him also. However, Lancelot Gobbo also say that he is “ Famished in his service,” suggesting that he is not fed enough by Shylock and treated badly. This gives the sympathy to Lancelot and takes it away from Shylock.
Shylock's own daughter, Jessica, also speaks badly of her father.
“Our house is hell.”
This shows that she also does not like the way her father treats people. Some people may empathise with Shylock for this, but others may see this as evidence to prove Shylock is a bad person.
“...To be ashamed to be my father's child!”
Later in the play, Jessica speaks ill of her father again.
“ ...he would rather have Antonio's flesh
Than twenty times the value of the sum..."
This shows that Shylock is greedy and stubborn. The fact that his own daughter has said this about him shows the extent of how greedy and stubborn he is. This makes the audience sorry for Shylock but simultaneously evoking a feeling of dislike as they learn more about Shylock's character.
In Act 2, Jessica runs away from her father to marry a Christian man, named Lorenzo. This in itself arouses much compassion for Shylock from the audience. However, as Shylock's reaction is seen, the audience loses all understanding and pity for Shylock, as he is much more worried about the loss of money that Jessica has stolen on fleeing.
“I wish my daughter were dead at my feet and the jewels in her ear.”
"I shall never see my gold again!"
He is not at all affected by the loss of his daughter, or if he is, he conceals his feelings and concentrates on the loss of his money. This makes the audience feel that Shylock dispassionate.
However, there is evidence in the play to suggest that Shylock was deeply upset by the loss of his one daughter.
“My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!
Fled with a Christian!...”
However, Shylock continues to talk of his ducats and how he wants his daughter dead.
This rise and fall of sympathy in scenes is also shown in Act 3. Shylock delivers a speech that, to begin with, wins him much sympathy from the audience.
"Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christians is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?"
The aim of this part of the speech is to illustrate that Shylock, a Jew, is a person - just as Christians are people. Shakespeare is illustrating to his audience that Jews are just like them in the ways that they eat, the ways that they hurt and the ways that they laugh. This speech would have moved both the Shakespearean audience and the modern audience, and got the Shakespearean audience to think about the justifications of anti-Semitism. It associates people with Shylock's inner character, as this is perhaps the one point in the Merchant of Venice where we see Shylock's real emotions. The audience feels great pity for Shylock at this point and can associate themselves with what he is feeling.
However, as the speech continues, again Shylock loses his gained sympathy by speaking of vengeance.
“And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we shall resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why revenge! The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.”
This part of the speech shows the other side of Shylock. His repetition of “Revenge” shows how strongly he wants it. It is in complete contrast to the rest of the speech, which is very moving. The audience returns to feeling uneasy about the character of Shylock.
This unease is emphasised later in the play in Act 3 Scene 3. In this scene, Shylock and Antonio discuss the outcome of the court case that will occur in Act 4. Shylock is shown in his most malicious state yet.
“I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak;
I'll have my bond, and therefore speak no more.”
This shows Shylock as a very stubborn and scornful character. It shows he will have no mercy on Antonio and is not even prepared to discuss matters with him. This makes the audience dislike Shylock greatly. This scene is begins an increasing dislike for Shylock.
Act 4 of The Merchant of Venice gains perhaps the most sympathy yet most hate for Shylock out of all the acts. It is the court case between Antonio and Shylock regarding the bond they had both sealed to.
Shylock continues his decrease in popularity from Act 3 scene 3, by stating that there is no definite reason for his dislike of Antonio.
“So I can give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing
I bear Antonio...”
He continues demanding his bond stating that he would not have money instead of the flesh, displaying his obstinacy and mercilessness.
“If every ducat in six thousand ducats
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat,
I would not draw them; I would have my bond.”
The audience loses more sense of sympathy that they had once felt for Shylock as the scene progresses. Shylock shows more and more malice it begins to emerge that he may get his bond.
“A Daniel come to judgement; yea a Daniel!
O wise young judge, how do I honour thee!"
Here, he is praising the doctor of law (Portia) for his (her) decision to grant Shylock his bond. This suggests his bloodthirstiness and his eagerness to get his bond, dispelling the audience further. Shylock continues his praise for the doctor of law, as she continues to give Shylock his bond.
However, as the doctor of law finds a loophole in the law, and proves that Shylock's bond is void, he becomes distraught and gains a lot of sympathy for himself from the audience.
“Give me my principal and let me go.”
Shylock gains more sympathy from the audience due to the actions of the other characters onstage, and their persecution of Shylock. Gratiano begins as soon as the loophole is discovered, by mocking Shylock's previous praise for the teacher of law.
“O Jew, an upright judge, a learned judge!”
The audience feels more sympathy for Shylock as the other characters issue him his punishment. Shylock is told that not only must he give half his money to the state and half to his daughter's Christian husband, he must also become a Christian himself. This would have destroyed Shylock, as he is so against the Christian faith.
“ He presently become a Christian.”
To conclude, I believe Shakespeare neither intended us to hate or like Shylock. The objective of the Merchant of Venice was to make audiences, at whatever time through history, to think about the people they discriminate against, and whether the prejudice is really justifiable.
