The merchant of Venice - Is Shylock a villain or a victim?

GCSE Shakespeare Coursework Essay Is Shylock a villain or a victim? One of the factors that make Shakespeare plays famous is its capability to appeal to wide range of audience. For example in The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare brings up the question of religion, racism and morality for the intellectuals amongst the Elizabethans but for most off the groundlings and ill-educated it was a simply a battle between Christians and Jews in which the Jew (e.g. Shylock) should end up facing the heat of defeat in the climax. England was a Christian country, where Christianity was followed and taught from early ages. At this time Jews were perceived as "villains of society" in fact in the Venetian community towards the centre of Venice, you would find the homes of Christians and towards the outskirts and suburbs you would find the homes of Jews which showed that were hated, unwanted and excluded members of society. They were far inferior and a marginalized community to that of the Christians because of their religion. It was also at the time when the buzz was going around about Jews being the killers of Christ for which they were hated and secluded more. Venice was a very desirable and rich place to live in being the important trade route from the east to the west. Jews were often banned from owning land or to participate in any trade. So effectively the Jews ended up with a lot of

  • Word count: 2795
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How Does Shakespeare Present The Character of Shylock

How Does Shakespeare Present The Character of Shylock The Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy ,set in Venice in the late 15th century. Shylock, who is a Jewish moneylender, is trying to make a living in a country that despises him for being Jewish. Before the plot even starts, Shylock is condemned by the audience for being a Jew, and a moneylender. The Christians by religion were unable to lend money and the Jews could basically do nothing else, this made the Christians hate the Jews even more. In Venice there was a great opposition between Christians and Jews, for example the centre of the Venetian community was Christian and around the perimeter of Venice lived the Jews, who were not included in the rest of Venice. Because of their religion, They were portrayed as inferior. The play was a big risk for Shakespeare to take as it showed the prejudice towards the Jews. If his play portrayed Jews too well so that it offended the queen or if any of the audience took offence it may have cost him his life. But cleverly Shakespeare captured understanding and sympathy from the audience towards Shylock. In act 1, scene 3 where Shylock first appears, his first line in the play is 'Three thousand ducats'. We can look at this sentence in two ways; as a cold, greedy man only interested in his money, or as a man making a living at one of the only jobs available for him. Most of

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Explore the portrayal of Shylock in “The Merchant of Venice.” How far is he a heartless villain of cruel society? You should comment on the social/historical background, the language and the structure of the play.

Explore the portrayal of Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice." How far is he a heartless villain of cruel society? You should comment on the social/historical background, the language and the structure of the play. This play is set in the city of Venice about the year 1596. Venice was the main trade center in all of Europe. They traded all sorts of cargo, like human cargo (slaves.), silks and spices. The law of Venice was extremely strict and if anyone disobeys the law they would be in deep trouble. Venice is full of mixed people, wealthy people, poor people, kind people, loyal people and unloyal people. Venice's main religion is Christianity. The main Christian in this story is Antonio. Antonio is a merchant who loans people money without charging interest. Venice has also got Jews (or the Hebrews). The Jews came from a place called Israel. The powerful Romans ruled Israel. At first the Jews were allowed their religion but then the Romans tried to crush it. The main Jew in this story is a man called Shylock. Shylock also loans money but has to charge interest. Shylock - A villain who deservers his fate? Shylock has a deep obsession with money. Shylock cares more about money than anything else in the world even more than his daughter. When his daughter ran away with a Christian it made him intensively mad. But what was more shocking to him was that she took lots of his

  • Word count: 2440
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does a close study of two speeches reveal the themes and ideas in "The Merchant of Venice"?

How does a close study of two speeches reveal the themes and ideas in "The Merchant of Venice"? By Dave Lacey The themes and ideas in the Merchant of Venice are very controversial nowadays and in Shakespeare's time were very much a 'hot topic'. The play is about mainly justice and mercy as they are the main themes that run throughout the play. At the time this play was written there were two main religions in Venice, Christianity and Judaism, with Christianity being the superior religion. If anyone was a Jew they were treated by Christians as dirt. The Jews were kept in their own part of Venice and once dark the gates were locked so they could not get out. The two speeches which will be compared are Portia's and Shylock's speeches. Shylock's speech is about revenge whilst Portia's is about mercy. Shylock and Portia are from two very different backgrounds. Shylock is a money lender and a Jew (Jews believed that interest should be charged whereas this was against what Christian law). Portia is a daughter of a rich and wise Lord, but he is dead and Portia is not allowed to marry anyone without his permission. So her father has set up a task to prove if the man is the right man for Portia and by picking the right casket he gains access to all of Portia's money and gold. Shylock's speech is given right after he comes home from a Christian banquet he was invited to. When he

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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'The Merchant of Venice' by William Shakespeare - This is a play with contrasting characters one of these is Shylock - to what extent did Shylock deserve the treatment given to him in the end.

We have recently finished reading in class 'The Merchant of Venice' by William Shakespeare. This is a play with contrasting characters one of these is Shylock. I will be investigating to what extent did Shylock deserves the treatment given to him in the end. Shylock is sometimes a victim and sometimes a villain although his punishment, in my opinion, was not completely deserved. He first appears in Act 1, Scene 3, when Bassanio and Antonio ask him for the loan of 3,000 ducats. Shylock is plotting his revenge on Antonio, he clearly hates Antonio "for he is a Christian" and because he lends money without charging interest and so, brings down the rate of interest in the money lending business. Shylock is reluctant to lend the money to Antonio as he despises the way in which he is treated by Antonio: "...Should I not say, 'Hath a dog money? Is it possible a cur can lend three thousand ducats?'" Antonio asks Shylock to "...lend it to thine enemy", in other words to lend the money to him as an enemy and not as a friend which he evidently is not. Shylock decides that the forfeit, if the bond is not paid, should be "...an equal pound" of Antonio's "fair flesh" to be cut off and taken "In what part on the body pleaseth me". Shylock pretends that he has only thought of this term recently - he is deadly serious. Bassanio tells him not to agree. Antonio is deceived by Shylock, he

  • Word count: 1214
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Some critics claim that the casket scenes are 'boring and predicable', Others say that 'Shakespeare has cleverly contrived the casket scenes so that each is different - Consider these opinions then give your own views.

Some critics claim that the casket scenes are 'boring and predicable' Others say that 'Shakespeare has cleverly contrived the casket scenes so that each is different in its variations of form and structure, presentation, exploration of characters and moral values. Consider these opinions then give your own views on the way the casket scenes are presented The casket scene is a set up for Portia to pick her husband to be. This was the way that her father wanted her husband to be picked. The one who chooses the casket with a portrait of Portia in it is the suitor that will marry her. These scenes can be looked at on two different levels. One being boring and predictable and the other that Shakespeare has clever contrived these scenes so that they are all different. It can be seen as boring and predicable firstly because of the order in which the caskets are chosen and who chooses them. The three caskets are gold, silver and lead. The first suitor is the Prince of Morocco and he picks the gold casket because he is very materialistic and he thinks that it is obvious that Portia is worth as much as gold as he says "never so rich a gem was set in worse than gold" in other words he feels that Portia's portrait is worthy of being in the gold casket. He feels that he deserves Portia because he is a Prince. The inscription on this casket also attracts him to it, "who chooseth

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"The Merchant of Venice" was offered to Shakespeare's audience as a comedy. What problems does presenting the play to a modern audience present in portraying the character of Shylock?

English Coursework Gerhard Ruspi 7098 The Merchant of Venice "The Merchant of Venice" was offered to Shakespeare's audience as a comedy. What problems does presenting the play to a modern audience present in portraying the character of Shylock? "The Merchant of Venice" is a story of love and hate, power, control and inequality. It evolves around Shylock, a rich Jew moneylender who lives in Venice and Venetian Christians, which have constantly abused and humiliated Shylock. The moneylender tricks Antonio, one of his abusers, to sign a bond that will entitle him to one pound of his flesh if he doesn't pay back the money he borrowed in three months. Antonio borrowed this money to lend it to his friend Bassanio who needs it to try for the hand of Portia, a rich and beautiful heiress. After Shylocks daughter, Jessica runs away with a Christian and Bassanio wins Portia's hand, news come that Antonio's ships have been destroyed and he isn't able to pay Shylock in time. The spiritually wounded Shylock wants revenge and demands a pound of Antonio's flesh but Portia turns the tables on him during the court hearing. He not only doesn't get a pound of Antonio's flesh but half his wealth is confiscated by the venetian state and he's forced to become a Christian, the very thing that humiliated and reduced him. The reason Shakespeare's work is so popular today is that he

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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In detail explain how Shakespeare creates and draws out the character of Shylock as ‘The Merchant of Venice’ progresses.

In detail explain how Shakespeare creates and draws out the character of Shylock as 'The Merchant of Venice' progresses. By Kate Graham It is a sad fact that people are scared of anything that seems 'abnormal', anything that they can't or refuse to comprehend. In Elizabethan times this was especially true, different skin colour, language, habits and religious beliefs were disliked by the majority of people. In fact, anything seen as different at all raised suspicion among the people. Jewish people, for having a different religion, were also persecuted. The Jewish were stereotyped as caring only for money, and as they were not allowed to do many different types of work by the establishment, one of the few routes that remained for them to choose was 'usury' or money lending. This the Christians particularly despised because they believed it was a sin to lend money for profit. They also hated the Jews for the belief that it was a Jew who was responsible for Jesus' death. Jews were banned from many countries, and were only readmitted into England if they renounced their faith and joined Christianity. The Jews in Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice' are no exception. They are also hated, despised and persecuted. For this reason, you have to ask the question, is Shakespeare anti-Semitic? Or does he simply pity Shylock? Why, if he is anti-Semitic, did he make Shylock such a

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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The Trial Scene in "The Merchant of Venice".

The Trial Scene in "The Merchant of Venice" "The Merchant of Venice" was written by William Shakespeare almost certainly between 1596 and 1598 and was first performed at the Rose Theatre, London, in 1597. The play is classed as one of the sixteen comedy plays but it is also a "problem" play due to the tragic elements woven throughout the intricate plot. It was performed in front of a xenophobic, Elizabethan audience who were not particularly well educated or literate but they understood the complexities of the issues being raised in the play and would have been less sympathetic towards Shylock than a modern audience. The play is set in Venice, an ancient civic republic and not a nation ruled by a King or Queen. Venice fascinated the Elizabethans, as it was commercially hospitable to people from all parts of the world such as Greeks, Jews and Protestants. The city was also a trading centre of great importance; Venice itself was a Catholic city and was politically independent. A place of great beauty, luxury and extremely artistic, it is the perfect setting for "The Merchant of Venice". The play centres on two main characters, Antonio, an extremely wealthy merchant and Shylock, a very wealthy Jew. In Venice, at this time a character's word was his bond. A promise made by word of mouth was the same as having an agreement in writing, you had to keep your word or pay the

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shakespeare’s three women characters – Portia, Nerissa and Jessica – are portrayed as typical women of their time. Discuss

Shakespeare's three women characters - Portia, Nerissa and Jessica - are portrayed as typical women of their time. Discuss The story of The Merchant Of Venice looks at very typical attitudes of the day on many subjects such as the treatment of Jews and the way women should have acted towards men (mainly their fathers and husbands). After studying the Merchant Of Venice I have decided to discuss weather Shakespeare's three women characters are portrayed as typical women of their time. In The Merchant Of Venice Shakespeare's three women characters - Portia, Nerissa and Jessica - are portrayed in very different ways but all have certain similarities, which link the characters. There are certain key scenes in the play where we get a really good look at the characters of the three women and I am going to look at these and see if their attitudes match to the typical attitudes of the day. From this I should be able to tell whether Shakespeare meant them to be typical of the era or rebels without a cause. All three of the characters are portrayed completely differently but have certain similarities like short courtships, they all marry friends of Antonio at about the same time and are all involved in making a mockery of Shylock. Firstly all three had very short courtships; I think this is because in Shakespeare's era women only had status through their fathers or husbands.

  • Word count: 1686
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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