Shakespeare influences the audiences’ opinion of Shylock by separating him from the rest of the characters. By making Shylock into an outsider the modern audiences may pity him. However the Elizabethan audiences would have considered the separation a good thing, as they despise Jews. Antonio is also a stranger. He is a stranger in a world of young lovers. To overcome it, he is willing to offer his flesh, as proof of his love. Both Shylock and Antonio equate their property with their life. Antonio says “sweet lady, you have given me life and living”. The differences between Shylock and Antonio are shown to be similar when Portia asks “which is the merchant here? And which the Jew?”. This is in contrast to Act 1 scene 3 where Shakespeare introduces Shylock and Bassanio “Enter Bassanio with shylock the Jew”. Shylock and Antonio dislike each other. The hatred they have for each other knows no bounds. Shylock is unable to explain how much he hates Antonio in court. Antonio’s behaviour to shylock is no less hateful.
Although Shakespeare shows many similarities between Shylock and Antonio, to make the audience see that the two of them are quite similar. Equally Shylock and Antonio are very different characters. When Shylock lends money to his Christian enemies, he only does it for profit. This shows how Shylock cares more about his money than anything else. However Antonio lends money to his friends, because he loves them. Shylock doesn’t trust people easily; before he lends his money to Antonio he makes him sign an agreement that if it’s not paid back on time Shylock can take a pound of his flesh. Antonio is the opposite, he is very generous. He is more trusting than Shylock. He would rather risk his life for a loved one when Shylock seeks to take the life of his enemy. Shakespeare makes the audience feel sorry for Shylock when he shows the comparison between Antonio and Shylock. This makes the Elizabethan audience see Shylock in a different way; he isn’t seen as a Jewish outcast. However Shakespeare makes the audience think Shylock is a harsh, selfish and evil person.
In Act 3 scene 1 Shakespeare reveals Shylock’s human priorities at their very worst. Shylock says “O my daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!” Shakespeare implies Shylock is more concerned, worried and upset about his ducats. Shylock’s interest in his money revealed to be greater than the concern for his daughter. Shylock repeatedly talks about his loyalty to Jewish faith but, this is shown to be a lot weaker than his concern for his lost money, “A diamond gone, cost me 2000 ducats in Frankfort! The curse never fell upon our nation until now.” Under pressure of his losses Shylock reveals himself as a contemptible miser, with no human emotions for his daughter. The abduction of Jessica makes the modern audiences emphasise with Shylock, this all changes when Shylock seems to be more upset about his loss of ducats then the loss of his daughter.
In the trial scene Shakespeare continues to show Shylock as an outsider. The Duke calls Antonio by his name but when he talks about Shylock, he refers to him as “go call the Jew”. The modern audience will begin to emphasise with Shylock as he is treated differently to the rest of the characters because he is a Jew. The Duke describes Shylock as an animal, “A stony adversary, and an inhuman wretch, incapable of Pity, void and empty, from any dram of mercy”. The Elizabethan audience won’t sympathise wit Shylock for he is hated for being a money lender and a Jew. Shakespeare makes the division between the ‘The Christians’ and ‘The Jew’ obvious. In the trial scene they are all Christians except for Shylock, who is Jewish. The Duke talks about the unity of the Christians as he talks to them “Let him stand before our face”. Shakespeare uses the word ‘our’ to imply the Christians unity against the Jews.
You see the extremity of Shylock’s hatred. Bassanio asks Shylock a reasonable question, “Do all men kill things they do not love?”. Shylock responds with “hates any man the thing he would not kill”, Shylock has extreme implications.
Shylock seeks justice, he does not see himself as sinful, “what should I fear, doing no wrong”. This shows the contrast between Jews and Christians, but also shows how Christians have moral views but they don’t abide by them. Shylock relies on the Bible to justify his actions, 3:1 Jacob. The law of the Old Testament, Jew states “an eye for an eye”. The law of Christ states, “Mercy and forgiveness”. These allow Shylock to contravene the spirit of the law.
Shylock’s noble instincts are carried too far. Industry and thrift, Shylock is slave driving. His concern for his daughter becomes a morbid possessiveness. Shylock’s love for the law turns into a thirst for murderous revenge. Shakespeare influences the audiences’ opinion of Shylock by trying to suggest he has good intentions to begin with, but he takes them too far. Shakespeare is trying to make the audience emphasise with Shylock, and is trying to portray Shylock as an innocent religious man, who is hated for no other reason than because he is Jewish and a money lender.
Shakespeare uses language to influence the audiences’ opinion of Shylock. In Act 1 Scene 3 when we are first introduced to Shylock, his first words are “Three thousand ducats; well”. He comes across as a cold, materialistic character, through his stubborn repetition and blunt phrases. Shylock only expresses himself in a narrow range of vocabulary. However the Christians use a wide variety of words and images, this shows sensitivity and their open heartedness. They use a poetic language, which is very different to Shylock’s harsh and bitter monosyllables “It’s a no no no”. This implies that Shylock is literal minded.
Shylock tends to repeat himself. His repetitive language shows his obsession for money “Three thousand ducats; well” “Ay sire, for three months” “For three months; well”. Shylock is a miser with words; he highlights his view of money. During the play, Shylock’s language changes and becomes much more emotive and impassioned. It is as if he has now put up a barrier between himself and the Christians, he may feel intimidated by them. “If you poison us, do we not die?” He becomes almost a hero, and certainly a human being-then he suddenly changes back into a monster, “and if you wrong us shall we not revenge?” Shakespeare confuses the audience’s opinion of Shylock. The language used in Act 1 scene 3 shows more power compared to the language at the end of Act 4 scene 1, where the language shows defeat.
Shakespeare uses language to show shylock’s close attachment to his money and the lack of concern for his daughter.
Shakespeare makes an obvious division between Shylock and the Christians. Shylock has tried to overcome it, in more ways than one. He makes an impulsive gesture of generosity. “I would be friends with you”, shows a perhaps more humane Shylock, the man who gave his voice to the brotherhood of men in his “If you cut us, do we not bleed?” speech. Shylock is portrayed as an outcast who longs for social acceptance.
At the end of the play Shylock has been defeated of his bond, robbed of is ducats, and deserted by his daughter; he is even compelled to give up his birthright, his Jewish religion, and become one of the Christians who he hates so much. Shylock is more complex than any of the other characters in the play: we can think of him as a real person, whose words and deeds are motivated by thoughts and feelings that we can discover from the play, and that we can understand when we have discovered them.
Shakespeare influences the audiences’ opinion of Shylock using a range of techniques; through language, through Shylock’s relationships between other characters and through the way Shylock represents himself.