The Merchant of Venice

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Ian Reeves, 11T2                                                                                  18/07/02

The Merchant of Venice

The famous play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare concerns several plot lines, including the bond, the ring, the caskets and the elopement. The bond is the main plot and usury is a key part of this. It is because Shylock is a moneylender who lends money to a Christian. Shylock is crucial because he is a crucial character to 2 plots including the main one.

When Antonio first meets Shylock he is immediately unkind to Shylock because he is a Jew. “Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow, by taking nor by giving of excess, yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend, I’ll break custom” Meaning he will borrow money although he doesn’t like to because most moneylenders were Jews and Antonio disliked all Jews. Shylock try’s to be civil with Antonio to get a deal. He say’s “How like a fawning publican he looks, I hate him for he is a Christian” The audience immediately feels that Shylock is evil. When the merchant was first shown in the 16th century everyone hated Jews and therefore they would hate him more than nowadays because Jews aren’t hated as much.

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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 ...

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