Explore the ways Shakespeare presents Shylock in The Merchant of Venice.

Explore the ways Shakespeare presents Shylock in The Merchant of Venice In The Merchant of Venice Shylock is the plays antagonist, he is the creator of many circumstances that arise during the play. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender who earns his living by charging interest on money he loans (like modern banks). He often speaks prose in the play, which marks him out as an outsider. Shylock is persecuted by all the non-Jews he comes across in the play. He is verbally abused and bullied by most characters in the play and is called cruel names including "villain with a smiling cheek, cut-throat dog, bloody creditor, damned in execrable dog" Later on in the play Shylock tells Antonio, "suff'rance is the badge of all our tribe." We can see that Shylock is clearly an intelligent businessman as he is very astute and is aware of other people's concerns as he knows all about Antonio's business ventures. Shylock seems jovial in this first scene, before the Christians start to heap insults upon him. I believe that this scene may contain the only true indicator of Shylock's true demeanour, i.e. an agreeable businessman. This view is unfortunately shattered by the arrival of Antonio and his good credit rating. Although he hates Antonio for being a Christian the main reason he hates him is financial: "I hate him for he is a Christian, But more, for that in low simplicity, He lends out

  • Word count: 1672
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Is the Merchant of Venice Suitable for a Modern Audience?

Is the Merchant of Venice Suitable for a Modern Audience? William Shakespeare is one of the most famous writers of our time. He has written plays that are known all around the world and are studied as part of our education. What he wrote in the 16th Century is still as relevant today as it was then, which is why many people throughout the world admire and perform his work. The plays he has written have varied from romances (Romeo & Juliet), to tragedies (MacBeth), and comedies (As you like it). The Merchant of Venice is a about a merchant, Antonio, who is asked for a loan by his dearest friend, Bassiano. Bassiano needs the money for a voyage to Belmont, where he hopes to win over the wealthy Portia. Antonio has to borrow money from Shylock. They agree on a bond that there will be no interest, but if it is not paid within three months Shylock is entitled to a pound of Antonio's flesh. The way that the whole plot evolved around money is very clever. It began with Bassiano wanting to borrow money from Antonio because he wanted to use the money to win the hand of Portia. Antonio's friendship for Bassiano leads him into debt with a moneylender. When Jessica eloped with Lorenzo she took Shylocks money and jewels. Shylock is angrier at her stealing his jewels than her running away. "I would my daughter dead at my foot and the jewels in her ear! Would she were hearsed at my

  • Word count: 1144
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shylock Essay

Shylock Essay In the play "The Merchant of Venice" written by William Shakespeare there is a character called Shylock, and he has 2 personalities, a human and an ogre. He shows both of these in the play, but what one is he the most? Right from the start of when Shylock is introduced he could be seen as an "ogre" because he is prepared to do business that will profit himself with Antonio and Bassanio but when asked to talk and eat with them he takes it as an insult to him through his religion. "Yes to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your prophet the nazarite conjured the devil into." Shylock may have his reasons to not want to socialise with Antonio and Bassanio, the two Christians, but they are worthless, as he has still chosen to do business with them and so there're taking advantages of both his religion and the ability to make money. When Shylock first appears with Bassanio he is discussing a loan proposal and the terms of it are repeated so many times, this is done to show the contrast between the two characters, the cautious crafty old business man and the decent young client. A bit later on in the play when Shylock is finalising the deal with Antonio and after he has shown the audience how much of a victim he is by way of the long speech about how Antonio has abused him on the street, he suggests a different approach to the loan in time a pound of flesh

  • Word count: 779
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice - I have chosen to direct Act IV Scene I because it is very much a climatic scene.

Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice I have chosen to direct Act IV Scene I because it is very much a climatic scene. It has lots of potential to produce an excellent piece of theatre due to the emotional pace of the scene, and the extremely passionate language used. May different characters display different views, which can be portrayed to good effect on stage. Shylock should be made to appear like the villain throughout the scene, and I would want my audience to be glad that Shylock loses his bond at the end of the scene. He should come across as an evil, greedy man, who has no emotions, and is not sensitive to the pain of others. Sadistic is a word the audience should think of. Antonio should remain a heroic figure through the scene, with the audience feeling love towards him. He should gain more respect and admiration by accepting death gracefully and should make it clear that he is quite prepared to die. Gratiano should also be another favourite of the audience. His character should come across as a courageous man who is vehement in his defence of Antonia and his detrimental attacks on Shylock towards Shylock. Antonio, Bassanio Gratiano and Solerio (including any other friends of Antonio) should enter in a line from stage right on a diagonal. They should then remove their hats and bow low to the Duke who should be seated in a throne like chair accompanied by an

  • Word count: 1703
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Discuss Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock in ‘The Merchant of Venice’: is he portrayed as victim or villain.

John McGrath Shakespeare Assignment Discuss Shakespeare's portrayal of Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice': is he portrayed as victim or villain. At the time this play was written anti-Semitism was very common in England. Anti-Semitism is essentially anti Jewish feelings and prejudice towards them. It existed because the Jews were originally seen as 'Christ killers' so therefore the hatred between Christians and Jews has existed ever since then. Nowadays it is not as common as it was in the sixteenth century but it is still prevalent in many parts of the world. Of course racism still exists but Anti-Semitism appears to have decreased in society as time has gone by. The last major case of anti-Semitism was during Hitler's reign as the leader of Germany where he ordered millions of innocent Jewish people to be sent to concentration camps to be executed. Hitler believed that, as the Jewish nation had their land taken from them, that they married into and poisoned nations. Shortly before this play was written Dr Roderigo Lopez was found guilty of treason. He was Portuguese and Jewish and was working as a physician for Queen Elizabeth the first. The trial was rigged and Dr Lopez was to be hung, drawn and quartered. On the scaffold before he was hung he swore that he loved the Queen as much as he loved Jesus Christ! By saying this he was saying that he wanted to convert to

  • Word count: 2407
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Merchant of Venice. Act 1 scene 3, act 2 scene 5. Act 1 scene 3, introduces Shylock for the first time in 'The Merchant of Venice' as the plays villainous Jew. Shylock is an arresting presence

Merchant of Venice. Act 1 scene 3, act 2 scene 5. Act 1 scene 3, introduces Shylock for the first time in 'The Merchant of Venice' as the plays villainous Jew. Shylock is an arresting presence and although Antonio may be the character for whom the novel is named, it is Shylock who has come to dominate our focus. The first line we hear depicts a money hungry Jew: ''Three thousand ducats, well.'' As the play progresses we learn that there seems to be two dimensions to this central character. At the beginning of the scene, he and Bassanio talk about a deal. Bassanio would like to borrow money on behalf of a friend, however even though Shylock won't say no, he tantalizes Bassanio in a pretentious act, appearing as if he is actually pondering over the proposed deal. He uses words such as ''well'' to show this. This act reinforces the strong anti Semitic views in the Elizabethan era of sly money driven Jews. When Antonio arrives, Shylock, in an aside confesses his dislike for him and reveals the motive behind this passionate hatred saying: '' I have hate for him for he is a Christian.'' This is an explicit statement but he then goes further and says he hates him even more as '' he lend out money gratis and brings down the rate of useance with us here in Venice.'' Shylocks intends wholeheartedly to use this opportunity to ruin Antonio, saying '' If I can catch him once upon the

  • Word count: 900
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Wo gets justice in the Merchant of Venice?

WHO GETS JUSTICE IN WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S THE MERCHANT OF VENICE? What is justice? Justice is being treated fairly and receiving punishment or reward for your actions. Society expects justice to be enforced through courts and legal proceedings; however, some people believe that justice finds its own way to be done. 'The Merchant of Venice' was written by William Shakespeare probably around 1596; as a result the audience then was very different from today. During that period the play was written and based the treatment of Jews was very different from today, the reason being society often refuses to except immigrants as actual people that believe still exists today, the treatment of Jews was very poor, Jewish people were not allowed to hold employment except for the job of money lender, this made the Jewish people even more despised by the Christians of the time. The basic idea of the Jew and the merchant dates back centuries before Shakespeare's time. The main story is a composed of aspects and ideas from many other stories, the idea of choosing caskets comes from ancient medieval folk tales, shylock is based on the Jew in Marlow's play 'The Jew of Malta', Portia's decision making scene (Act One Scene II), appears in Shakespeare's earlier pay, 'two Gentlemen of Verona' these links to other stories made the play very popular and familiar to Elizabethan audience. By putting

  • Word count: 1677
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Merchant of Venice - A General Overview

Shakespeare wrote the Merchant of Venice, it is one of Shakespeare's less known plays because the original manuscripts were lost but the play did re-surface in the 1600s. In Shakespeare's time there was only one Jew in England, he name was Rodrigo Lopez. He was the Queen's Physician and was only half Jew. He was tried and executed. Shakespeare probably never met a Jew so he may have got his attitudes towards Jews from his experiences of them; he may also have got ideas and inspiration from the one other play about Jews at the time called `The Jew of Malta'. Christopher Marlowe who was a contempary of Shakespeare wrote it. Marlowe was stabbed to death in a pub. This play was a controversial play when it was written and it still is now. It was controversial in Shakespeare's time because Jew's were not well liked and this is supported by the fact that the only Jew in England was executed. This play is arguably even more controversial now because we live in a post-holocaust world. The holocaust changed people's views towards Jews because they were treated like sub-humans and they were massacred by the millions. The genre of this play is hard to decide because in Shakespeare's time it would have been a comedy because people would have wanted to see Shylock lose everything because he was a Jew but now it is more of a tragedy because our attitudes towards to Jews have changed.

  • Word count: 2106
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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In this essay I will be considering the meeting between Antonio and Shylock, and show how the language and delivery is combined to indicate the relationship between these two characters.

In this essay I will be considering the meeting between Antonio and Shylock, and show how the language and delivery is combined to indicate the relationship between these two characters. The Merchant of Venice was written in 1596-97 by William Shakespeare. It is a play about a young person named Bassanio. He wishes to marry Portia, a very wealthy Heiness but hasn't got enough money to woo her. Bassanio asks his best friend Antonio for 3000 Ducats. He already owes him enough money but Antonio is ready to lend him the money. All of Antonio's ships are busy, therefore he hasn't got the money. So he goes to another Jewish money lender/unsurer Shylock for a loan. Shylock, who hates Antonio because he is a Christian who publicly insulted Shylock, he spat on him for being a Jew. Shylock agrees to pay Antonio the money but if Antonio doesn't return the money in three months to Shylock, he will be allowed to take 1 pound of Antonio's flesh from any part of his body. Antonio agrees to it even though Bassanio says he shouldn't. Bassanio and two other guys are asked to choose from 3 boxes, lead, gold and silver. Bassanio chooses the lead box, so he is able to marry Portia. But Antonio isn't able to pay Shylock back in three months, so Shylock takes him to the court and he wants to take a pound of Antonio's flesh. He is stopped by Portia dressed up as a lawyer. She says that Shylock can

  • Word count: 2105
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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In the play the merchant of Venice Shakespeare deliberately crafts Shylock into a villainous character that is justly punished by the end of the play. To what extent would you agree with this statement?

In the play the merchant of Venice Shakespeare deliberately crafts Shylock into a villainous character that is justly punished by the end of the play. To what extent would you agree with this statement? In the play 'The Merchant of Venice', I think Shylock is portrayed as both a victim and a villain. Mainly though we can certainly say that Shakespeare portrays Shylock in bad light - he is shown as both a stereotypical Jew of that time; vicious and cunning. His role can be seen in two different ways. At the beginning of the play, we find out that Shylock has suffered lots of abuse from the nasty Christians. Antonio publicly humiliates Shylock and criticises him about the way he lends money, which suggests he is a victim. In Act 1 Scene 3, Shylock says to Antonio: 'In the Rialto you have rated me About my moneys and usances: Still I have borne it with a patient shrug, For sufferance is the badge of our tribe.' This makes the audience give sympathy for Shylock because of the way he is humiliated, but does nothing. He doesn't stand up for himself, and this suggests he is a victim not a villain. Shylock is frequently a victim of racism from all the Christians in the play. In Act 1 Scene 3, it says that Antonio has spat at his beard. This is a symbols of Shylock's religion, and it must be very hurtful for him. Solerio and Solanio constantly make fun of and torment

  • Word count: 1596
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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