“Shylock – I hate him for he is a Christian ……..He hates our sacred nation…………..Cursed be my tribe if I forgive him ………… you call’d me a dog and for these courtesies I’ll lend u thus much moneys”
This establishes antagonism between the Christians and the Jews in Venice showing their conflict is both personal and racial. We know that Antonio has been victimising Shylock by shouting abuses and insults at him in the past. We see both for them as proud champions for their race and culture in a thin contest for advantage. There is a clear resentment from shylock and his prejudice towards the non-Jews but we also see indisputable prejudice behaviour from Antonio where he reveals the intention for spitting and spurning shylock again. Here shylock is seen as a victim of Antonio prejudice behaviour towards him. He is also seen as a villain for hating Antonio because he is a Christian and the desire he posses to seek revenge from him. To me the Elizabethan audience would have liked Antonio’s prejudice behaviour towards shylock. They would be supporting Antonio and would see shylock as a villain for his clear resumption towards Antonio. The argument between them comes to the point where shylock nominates Antonio for a bond.
“Shylock – Let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of to be cut off and taken in what part of your body pleaseth me”
This emphasises Shylock’s cruelty and his passionate internal desire to seek revenge for all his past insults from Antonio. Again he is a villain from the audience’s view for daring to nominate such a bond against a Christian. We see Antonio very relaxed however in response to this bond (whereas Bassanio is unhappy) because he is expecting his ships back from the sea, which is worth three times more than the bond causing him not to worry. This is the typical beginning to a Shakespearian comedy where we see the play beginning with an old man (Shylock) imposing strict and harsh laws (i.e. the bond) onto someone (in this case Antonio) following an old world of order.
In Act 2 scene 2 is where we get the comical servant of Shylock Lancelot Gobbo stating his intentions to leave his master. This again reinforces the objectionable nature of Shylock. Here shylock is again both a villain because his nature is very stubborn and therefore his servant prepares to leave him
In Act 2 scene 3 we get Jessica saying bye to Lorenzo and revealing to the audience her intention to elope with Lorenzo.
“What heinous is it in me to be asham’d to be my father’s child ……………. I shall end this strife become a Christian and thy loving wife”
This shows Jessica as a sympathetic character to the audience. It also suggests she is kind to Lorenzo. Despite admitting it is a “heinous sin” she is still ashamed to be her father’s child, which impresses the Elizabethan audience and almost suggests they are with Jessica in her elopement with Lorenzo. Here shylock can be seen as a victim from his own daughter because she does not respect him and his attitudes towards Christians. He is also seen as a villain by the audience on basis of his past actions with Christians such as Antonio that have compelled his daughter to form a negative opinion about her father. Once again shylock’s jewishness is pushing shylock onto the edge of loneliness, as after Lancelot Gobbo now it is hid daughter who is planning to leave shylock.
As play progresses Jessica secrecy of elopement is moved forward by the plot as Shylock announces to dine with Bassanio telling Jessica to look after her house. Jessica to dress up as a boy in the festival of masque. Shylock would hate such things because it’s a Christian activity and so would never participate in such acts of festivity and therefore she would be safer eloping with Lorenzo there. Shylock is again seen as a villain for being mean to her daughter, mysterious and a repressor of faith. As night falls Lorenzo and friends meet Jessica. She gives the casket of jewels to Lorenzo, who tells her not to be ashamed of what she is doing. Audience here wants the affair to succeed because they want her to get away from her father who is a villainous Jew and what’s more by giving the casket of jewels she is betraying the Jew, which is always good for the audience.
In Act 3 scene 1 Salerio confirms the bad news of Antonio ships sinking whereas on the other hand Shylock now lements the disappearance of his daughter and blames Salerio for knowing about his daughter’s elopement with Lorenzo. Shylock emphasises the betrayal of his own flesh and body and tells Antonio to look to his bond
“Shylock - You knew none so well, none so well as you, of my daughter’s flight…….. My own flesh and body to rebel……. he was wont to lend money for a Christian courtesy. Let him look to his bond.”
There is lot of emphasis on the flesh and body in this part where shylock’s bond is to take a flesh from Antonio’s body part as a way to his revenge but also on the other hand the betrayal of Jessica to shylock and her family’s flesh and blood. It is a very symbolic theme in the play. We again see no kindness on Shylock’s behalf to Antonio as he lacks any human feeling towards him. The disappearance of Shylock’s daughter is kept aside for a moment, while he gives the expression of hatred and resentment he has for Antonio. It seems like he had been keeping his feelings against Antonio locked up inside his heart around a Christian community for years but now he is on the verge of exploding as his passion and eagerness for Antonio’s flesh increases and so does the audience’s excitement. He is clearly a villain here for insisting on having his pound of flesh. However he does try to gain sympathy from the audience by “Hath not a Jews eyes” speech, which is a very popular one
“ Shylock – Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimension, senses, affections passions”
Here shylock is aiming towards a common humanity between both the faiths. He is trying to generate sympathy for himself because he is a Jew. He is claiming to have learnt all the violence, hatred, and hostile behaviour form the Christians but we will do better than them. Shylock experiences a perplexity of emotions as Tubal narrates the news in a very illogical manner. Jessica busily spending her father’s money. She swaps her father’s ring for a monkey. Furious anger and rage conflict with contentment and delight when the news of Antonio’s sunken ships greet the ears of the Jew. It now becomes very evident that he will use the loss of his daughter, his ring and past abuses from Christians to take revenge from Antonio
The play then moves on to build up tense to the trial scene, which is the most important scene in the whole play but exactly what and who is on trial? Hearing is to determine the legality of the bond which bellario’s assistant (Portia in disguise) is going to communicate this information. In a metaphorical sense Judaism and their attitudes to Christianity is on trial but for modern day audience it is the 16th century Venetian attitudes to Jews. The conversation between Antonio and Duke shows the helpless acknowledgment of shylock’s bond. The duke asks shylock to show mercy but he remains impassive to his bond.
“Can I give no reason, nor I will not, more than a lodg’d hate and a certain loathing I bear Antonio”
He admits to his hatred for Antonio being irrational and more emotional but is not willing to provide an answer. Antonio describes him as unstoppable force of nature. Shylock is very eager to and impatient to carry out his bond. He seems confident on his grounds and wants it to happen as quickly as it can. He is even described as sharpening the knife on the grits in the sole of his shoes. Gratiano cannot stand this sight and so shouts abuses at Shylock but he is unaffected by the insults because he is aware of the strength of his position. He describes him as a wolf that is starving and ravenous. The audience and we can perceive that Shylock is the motivator of the scene and denies the mercy nominated by the duke. He thinks he is being fair by showing no mercy to Antonio at all. Portia and Nerrisa enter as dressed lawyers. Even Portia asks Shylock to show mercy but he insists on absolute law. He is again the energising factor of the scene. Bassanio is not happy with the proceedings so far so he pleas to the court to break the law in order to save Antonio. He even offers to give more ducats than the bond states but Shylock is only motivated to carry out his bond.
“ To do a great right, do a little wrong, and curb this cruel devil of his will”
This shows a strong relationship between Bassanio and Antonio, as if the Christians are fighting the one Jew. Shy is very excited to carry out his bond. He is the icon of a villain at the moment for refusing Christians request for mercy and for rejecting more money to be given then his bond states. It shows the determination and passion he has to carry out his bond in front of all. The theme of betrayal, trust and marriage runs throughout the play. However the scene is totally in control of all the audience and their emotion are steered gradually as the scene progresses. As shylock is just about to cut out the pound of flesh. This shows the barbarity of the Jewish religion as Shylock recall the sacrificial rituals of the Jews. The scene takes a fascinating turn. We all know shylock is within the law but his bond has certain weaknesses, which is highlighted by Portia in the court.
“ Portia – If thou shed one drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods are by the laws of Venice, confiscate unto the state the Venice”
T is changed the scene, as the demand Portia makes is impossible for shylock to carry out in his bond. Shylock now realises that he cannot carry out his bond and so he requests for his principal (original sum of money) back. He is not the energising factor anymore. Gratiano and Bassanio are happy to see shylock at the spot of defeat. He loses all his money and is lying on the courts mercy. Duke refuses to take shylock’s life in punishment. This emphasises the merciful and civilised Christians values of Venice. It shows the superiority of the Christian religion to that of the Jew.
“Duke – That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit”
Again this superiority will impress the Elizabethans. Portia asks Antonio to decide what kind of mercy he can show to shylock. Antonio decides the following
“ Antonio – He presently become a Christian ……here in court, of all he dies posse’d, unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter”
Antonio makes two conditions firstly, he becomes a Christian and secondly he must make a will leaving all he posses to Jessica and Lorenzo. This marks the end of shylock. He is no more a rich Jew who has lots of money to lend He is a beggar who had lost all his money, his property and his daughter. He is left ruined and the Christians have won this battle against the Jew. He is utterly defeated. Gratiano make facial expressions of triumph over the Jew and so would all the audience. The play ends with Jessica being welcomed happily into the Christian community and there is music all over. Shakespeare had also been heart broken by Emilia Bassano (a very rich independent Jewish lady). If Shakespeare had been badly treated by a Jewish family then it may explain to us why the play is very pitiless to shylock towards the climax. The play is betrayal in light with faith.
The punishment given to shylock however was fair to 16th century audience because of the racial prejudices between both the religions. To the modern audience it is not the right climax because we know about the bloodthirsty history of the holocaust, the mid-east battle and the rise of political correction. They speak for themselves. Even the Birth right of Shylock to believe in the Jewish religion is snatched away from him which means unfair treatment towards the Jews. Referring back to the question Shylock cannot be just a victim or a villain; he has to be a composition of both. He is victim of abuses some time and other times he is a villain in his actions and thoughts. One thing to notice here is that Shylock is referred in the play more as Jew, Wolf or devil. He is referred to as shylock very few times in the play.