The Merchant of Venice.
The Merchant of Venice was one of William Shakespeare's best known plays, it was written sometime between 1596 and 1598. This play was in some cases classed as a comedy, but comedy had a very different meaning at the time. The Merchant of Venice is best known for its Portrayal of the Jew Shylock which has raised many questions of Anti Semitism. What I am about to discuss is how the modern audience has reacted to the character of Shylock the Jew.
Shylock is one of the many main characters in this play. He is a Jew who was treated very badly by Christians at the time and he was set out for revenge. When a man named Antonio came along to ask for money, an opportunity rises for Shylock to kill Antonio the Christian man if the money is not repaid by him. This shows us that Shylock is the villain but as we move on though the play, we notice the ways in which Shylock is being treated. He was a victim of racial prejudice and there got feel sympathetic towards him and the way that he is being treated.
'' You call me a misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine. Hath a dog money? Is it possible? Fair sir, you spat on me Wednesday last, you spurned me such a day, another time you called me a dog; and for these courtesies I'll lend you thus much money? The proposal has surprise Shylock because of the fact of the way he has been treated by this man. Shylock has a vivid memory of recollections of torments that he had received from Antonio. Shylock had been mistreated and given status in the community no higher than any dog. The way Shylock was treated causes sympathy towards Shylock from the audience because the audience is aware that an animal is never spat at, but a human within the community is treated differently to others due to prejudice.
The Merchant of Venice was one of William Shakespeare's best known plays, it was written sometime between 1596 and 1598. This play was in some cases classed as a comedy, but comedy had a very different meaning at the time. The Merchant of Venice is best known for its Portrayal of the Jew Shylock which has raised many questions of Anti Semitism. What I am about to discuss is how the modern audience has reacted to the character of Shylock the Jew.
Shylock is one of the many main characters in this play. He is a Jew who was treated very badly by Christians at the time and he was set out for revenge. When a man named Antonio came along to ask for money, an opportunity rises for Shylock to kill Antonio the Christian man if the money is not repaid by him. This shows us that Shylock is the villain but as we move on though the play, we notice the ways in which Shylock is being treated. He was a victim of racial prejudice and there got feel sympathetic towards him and the way that he is being treated.
'' You call me a misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine. Hath a dog money? Is it possible? Fair sir, you spat on me Wednesday last, you spurned me such a day, another time you called me a dog; and for these courtesies I'll lend you thus much money? The proposal has surprise Shylock because of the fact of the way he has been treated by this man. Shylock has a vivid memory of recollections of torments that he had received from Antonio. Shylock had been mistreated and given status in the community no higher than any dog. The way Shylock was treated causes sympathy towards Shylock from the audience because the audience is aware that an animal is never spat at, but a human within the community is treated differently to others due to prejudice.
