Shylock: Villain or Victim?

The Merchant of Venice Shylock: Villain or Victim? 'The Merchant of Venice' is a play written by William Shakespeare. In this play I will be analysing whether the character of Shylock is classed as a villain or victim. His character is unclear, as he can be seen as an orthodox Jew, where he is vicious and cunning, or he can be seen as a nice and caring person. I will begin by explaining the ways in which he can be seen as a villain. Shylock is seen as a villain because of the way he acts towards other people. Shylock is a very selfish man, and he will often only talk to people if he knows it will affect him in a financial way. Shylock resents Antonio because he lends out money without interest, this is the reason why Shylock does not like him because it is bad for Shylock's money lending business. This is showed when Shylock says, 'Gaoler...tell me not of mercy, This is the fool that lends out money gratis.' In Act 1 Scene 3, Antonio and Bassanio go to Shylock and ask him for a loan. Shylock accepts because he sees this as a chance to make money to help his business, this is why Shylock acts towards Antonio as a friend saying, 'I would be friends with you, and have your love, Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with.' Shylock then goes alone and speaks to the audience and tells them how he really feels towards Antonio, ' I hate him for he is a

  • Word count: 1605
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shylock: Villain or Victim

Shylock: Villain or Victim In the play 'The Merchant of Venice' by William Shakespeare, Shylock dosn't have the biggest role, but is the character that everyone remembers. Our attitudes to Shylock change throughout the play, and he is one of Shakespeare most complicated characters. During the play Shylock is seen as both a villain and a victim, but which is the true Shylock? (In the middle of Act One) We are introduced to Shylock Straight away we have clues as to his personality and his motives within his first speech (1: 3: 1 ) As his first line refers to money " Tree thousand ducats, well." (His role is a money lender). Another example of Shylock's personality showing is when he comments on Antonio as "good" (1:3:11), but in this he does not mean 'good', am a good friend, but 'good' meaning worthy of credit for the loan Bassanio and Antonio want. He appears to have different moral values. Shylock is also shown to be ungrateful when he refuses the dinner invitation from Bassanio. He refuses because of his hatred of Christians (1:3:27-28). This point is made by him saying that he will not eat with Christians and will not be friends with them. Shylock suggests that Jews should be selective in their dealings with Christians. Shylock bears an ancient grudge against Antonio, not just because he is a Christian but because he lends money without charging interest (1:3:33-44).

  • Word count: 1745
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shylock - Villain or Victim.

Shylock - Villain or Victim Mark Butcher 10JDB In the day of Shakespeare's plays going to the theatre to see a play was often a very popular source of entertainment. People would squash into the globe to see the performance, and feel part of the action; cheering and clapping away. Also when they felt anger, it was seen as ok, to throw mouldy fruit or vegetables at the stage in disgust at the action taking place. The Merchant of Venice was 1st performed at the globe all those years ago and is still being performed today. The Merchant of Venice is set in Venice/Belmont, Italy. It would have been set there as not to offend the audience because I don't think any of the spectators at the time would be from Venice. There for it isn't possible for some of the actions in the play to upset or offend the culture of Italy at the time. Also being in Venice it cannot offend the legal system close to home. There are many themes and issues to the play such as friendship, marriage and relations (especially ones between father and daughter. I.e.-Jessica and Shylock). Also religion, law, discrimination and prejudice, control and power and the position of women are key themes in the play. While the play was 1st being performed the women were not allowed to act, so men had to wear women's clothes, and pretend to be women. This sort of shows how women

  • Word count: 3484
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Analysis of the Poem

Analysis of the Poem "Babi Yar" In the poem, Babi Yar, Yevgeny Yevtushenko does a wonderful job of paying tribute to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. He does this by portraying the history of the Jewish people. Yevtushenko also uses various literary devices to heighten the sentiment of the poem. The poem is told in the first person, by the author of the poem. In the poem it is also apparent that he is addressing all Russian citizens when he writes "O Russian people". In this manner Yevtushenko is able to eulogize the Jewish victims of the Holocaust in front of a wide audience. This technique also allows him to speak directly to the Russian people and tell them of their wrongs at the end of the poem. Through usage of the first person he is able to place himself in the various situations of anti-Semitism in history. He takes us from Egypt, to the cross; from the Dryfus affair to the pogroms; from Anne Frank's dark room to the massacre of Babi Yar. Through all this Yevtushenko proclaims that "I" was there. This gives the reader a sense of being trapped in the middle of these horrifying events. The first person gives an eerie description that a third person description could not give. After he finishes his recitation of past events he begins addressing the Russian people of the present. He tells them that in general the Russians are a good

  • Word count: 731
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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