The Merchant Of Venice
In Act 4 scene 1 Shylock has brought Antonio to court to receive payment of his bond. Antonio’s ships have sunk and been raided by pirates and his wealth along with it. In Antonio’s bond with Shylock it was agreed that if the bond couldn’t be paid, then a pound of Antonio’s flesh was to be forfeit. Shylock is angry about many misfortunes in his life, which include the loss of his daughter to a Christian, this is a real embarrassment and a painful experience because of strong racial prejudice and hatred between the religious groups at the time. Also for losing his daughter, Shylock is enraged as he loved her very much and whilst leaving, Jessica (Shylocks daughter) stole many precious jewels and money from Shylock somewhat ‘ delving the knife further into the wound’ as such. So when Shylock enters the court he knows Antonio will not have his money, for Tubal has told him about the merchants ships, but this is irrelevant as Shylock is not interested in money, but revenge on the ‘Christian’ for all the trouble Christians in general have inflicted in his life. This scenes importance is tremendous as this is really the climax of the play. Antonio is almost certain to die for the loan he bestowed his friend and also it looks set for the Jew Shylock to triumph in the court in terms of revenge rather than money though. Winning this case would also be a triumph for Shylock as it will be his comeback to all the pain and ridicule he has suffered as being a Jew.
So far we have seen Shylock in different lights so to speak. Shylock has been the victim and villain. This is surprising as in Elizabethan times Jews were outcasts, vagrants and generally despised. This was because in a strongly religious society, which boasted the love of Jesus and Mary, one who did not was frowned upon. Shylocks job as a moneylender is typical of many a Jew in his time, as money lending was an unchristian job and so Jews controlled the profession. The Jewish society started many of the first banks. Shakespeare showing a Jew as anything other than evil and terrible, may have been very controversial. Although Shakespeare does depict him as a heartless man towards the end, he does create an air of sympathy around him at different points during the play, for example when Shylock quotes from the bible to Antonio, Antonio snaps back and says ’the devil can cite scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness is like a villain with a smiling cheek, a goodly apple rotten at the heart.’ Shylock had done nothing to deserve this outburst but yet Antonio crucifies him with this statement. This ‘undeservedness’ evokes sympathy towards Shylock. Shylock is also persecuted during the play by Christians which was normal for the time. Although Shakespeare shows Jews in a different light when Shylock says ‘Hath not a Jew eyes?…………Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons’. These are but quotes from a speech Shylocks makes which show Jews as similar to Christians in every way except in faith. This would have been somewhat of a revelation to he Elizabethan public who viewed Jews as ‘aliens’ almost, to hear that they are almost identical may have caused a change of thought in some. This boosts the plays moral and social significance in the way that it had the power to change the opinions of people and challenge the way people thought of Jews. Another way Shylock is shown as a victim and may gain sympathy, is the way that terrible things happen to him during his life in the most tragic way. For instance his daughter whom he loves very much not only runs off and leaves him, but runs off with a Christian and Christians are a group of people Shylock hates for the way they have treated him in the past not only does she (Jessica his daughter) run off with a Christian, but she steals his money and jewels which are also very precious and dear to him. Shylock may be shown as a victim but ultimately in the play he is the villain. This is proven in many cases for example, his daughter isn’t even fond of him and says she is ‘ashamed to be my fathers child’. Antonio quotes from the beginning to Bassanio that Shylock is ‘like a villain with a smiling cheek’ and in the court scene the Duke describes him as ‘a stony adversary, an inhuman wretch, uncapable of pity, void and empty from any dram of mercy’.
