In addition they were often forbidden to own property or to engage in any other professions and were thereby forced into the business of usury, lending money for profit.
Another example where shylock where shylock appears a villain is when shylock starts to sharpen his knife to cut up a pound of flesh of off Antonio’s. Bassanio says “why dost thou thy whet thy knife so earnestly then shylock says. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt here”. Shylocks actions suggest that he is a heartless man without any feelings. The audience would interpret this as cruelty. To want to murder another human is evil and human.
This shows us that shylock is a villain because of the way that he acts and the way that he is cruel to other people.
Neither the less, it is my view that Shakespeare presents shylock for the most part throughout the play as a villain for example, when shylock stuck to his band and would not let him give him the money
This tells us that shylock is an evil, bad and a dark character. Another example where shylock appears a victim is when shylocks daughter Jessica says that “I am ashamed to be your father” even though she is shylocks daughter. Although she knows that it is a “heinous sin” for a daughter to have such feelings.
This shows us that shylock is a victim because nobody is that fond of him to actually like him as a friend, not even his own daughter.
Shakespeare also presents shylock as a villain because when he lost his daughter he said “my daughter, o my ducats, o my daughter fled with a Christian, o my Christian ducats. This suggests that he cares more about his ducats then he does about his daughter. This shows us that he is a in feeling, cruel, selfish character.
This shows us that he is a villain because of the fact that he cares more about ducats then he does about his daughter.
Another example where shylock is insulted, spat on and kicked out of the way like a “stranger cur” and because of this we sympathize him is when Shylock says that hates Jews. Religious differences seem to be less important than professional jealousy.
This quote tells us that shylock is a bad Jew and does not like Christians for this nobody likes him not even his own daughter.
Shakespeare also presents shylock as a victim because he is a Jew. Lancelot Gabbo says that “the Jew is that very devil incarnation”.
This quote tells us that shylock as a Jew. And Christians think that they are a dirty, ugly, dark and evil race.
In addition shylock is portrayed as a victim when he finds out that his daughter had gone missing. This is shown by Shakespeare making him seen like a victim because he had lost his daughter and he wants the audience to feel sorry for him even though he is a Jew.
In conclusion, I have shown that Shakespeare portrays shylock as a victim and also a villain because he does something that makes people sorry for him. Like him losing his daughter and also he is portrayed as a villain because he cared more about his ducats then he did about his daughter when his daughter went missing.
Finally, this play still has relevance today because it shows us how people can be victims and villains at the same time and how evil and cruel people can be towards each other.
