Antonio’s attitude to Shylock is not a very good one. The audience begins to feel sympathy for Shylock when we find out he is treated badly by all Christians who are the majority of the population of Venice at the time. Shylock tells us later in the play that he is only human in probably the most famous speech in any Shakespeare play. “If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die?” Shakespeare uses language here to show both sides of Shylock. “If you Poison us do we not die” “Fed with the same food”
Finally, Shylock suggests the bond on the condition that if Antonio doesn’t pay up on time he shall have to pay the penalty “as merry sport”. He goes on to say that the penalty shall be “an equal pound of your fair flesh” from what part of the body pleases Shylock. It seems that Shylock is evil. Antonio immediately agrees to the bond “Hie thee, gentle Jew. the Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind” This is despite that he cannot confirm repayment. He does this because he is sure that he will be able to
Soon after Shylock’s daughter, Jessica, leaves in Act3 Scene1, Salarino meets Shylock on a street. Shylock turns on them and accuses them of helping Jessica elope. He then goes on to rage about the loss of Antonio’s ships. He repeats the phrase “Let him look to his bond” 3 times. This is clearly because he is glad to get revenge against Antonio. Shylock seems to be evil still. This is instantly contrasted with the speech mentioned earlier.
Shylock is both angry and brief stricken to find out that Tubal cannot find Jessica, but he doesn’t make it clear if it’s the jewels or Jessica he’s looking for. The audience feels fairly sorry for him at this point.
Following the loss of Antonio’s ships Shylock immediately demands to take it to the courts. From the beginning, he is presented to us as an evil person who insists on having his revenge against Antonio. The duke begs him to take the money and not the pound of flesh but Shylock won’t have it. Meanwhile, Gratsiano is still taunting Shylock.
Shylock is defeated by Portia, dressed up as a lawyer, but there is worse to come “the law hath another hold on you” He is punished when he cannot spill any blood when cutting the pound of flesh from near Antonio’s heart. The other ‘hold’ on Shylock is a punishment for wasting the court’s time. He ends up with nothing as half his possessions are given to the state and the other to the defendants.
The audience’s final view of Shylock is that he is revengeful, bully’s target but is still seen as being fairly evil. At the end of the play some people will feel sorry for Shylock and some will think that he deserves what he got and this one will have been the only view when it was first screened in the 16th century.