In Act 1, Scene 3, Shylock is equated with the name devil. “The devil can cite scripture for his purpose” and “An evil soul producing holy witness is like a villain with a smiling cheek. Antonio, who is trying to persuade Shylock to lend the money to him for Bassanio, gives Shylock the name ‘devil’. Antonio is comparing Shylock with the devil, by saying that even the devil that is evil is prepared to use scripture, which is holy for his own purposes. Shylock, being a Jew, would have been insulted by Antonio’s comment. The devil is the king of hell; he is the personification of evil. And this is what Antonio has named Shylock, for what reason? Because Shylock is a Jew. This would have been an extreme insult for Shylock. By saying directly to him that Shylock is like a ‘villain with a smiling cheek’ he is noting that on the outside Shylock may look like he is a decent man who is trustworthy and friendly, but on the inside, behind the smiling face, he is ‘a villain’, but is this statement true. The Elizabethan audience would have most definitely agreed with this. Shylock is being victimized, as he has been the subject of Antonio’s obscene name-calling. An Elizabethan audience would have seen Shylock as ‘the devil’ and would have agreed with it.
Therefore, we can see Shylock also has string religious hatred “I hate him for he is a Christian” Although Antonio and the other Christians hate Shylock because of his faith, Shylock has brought himself down to their low level, by admitting that the same prejudice affects his view of Antonio. Shylock remarks this phrase “I hate him for he is a Christian” aside meaning Shylock is not actually speaking to anyone in the play, but to the audience showing dramatic irony because the audience know that he is like a villain with a smiling cheek because they have heard him. Antonio has not heard that because Shylock speaks it aside.
Shylock also explains that his hatred for Antonio comes from the fact that he lends out money without interest, which reflects badly on Shylock. Shylock’s desire for revenge comes to the fore. Here he is showing his villainous character.
Shakespeare shows irony in Shylock’s “kindness” and “merrysport” the words that Shylock doesn’t really mean, but grudges because if Antonio cannot repay the loan, he must forfeit a pound of his flesh showing tension in the audience because of the thought of Antonio not being able to pay the loan in three months.
Shakespeare3 makes Shylock explain to Antonio and the audience how Shylock has to victimized because of his faith “You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine, And all for use of that which is own.”
“You spurned me such a day, another time you called me dog; and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much moneys?” Calling Shylock a ‘dog’ strips him of his humanity likening him to an animal.
Shylock, having been shown to be a victim, is then shown to be a true villain when he says “let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your flesh to be cut off and taken in what part of your body pleaseth me.” This is obviously an evil bond, and Shylock is doing it solely to seek revenge. Shylock longs to see Antonio harmed, perhaps similar to the ways in which he has been hurt. He wants Antonio to feel the same grief and pain he has suffered. Nonetheless Antonio goes along with the bond and announces that he has sent out all his money in ships to different countries and is expecting them all to return in two months time, it is not likely that they will all sink.
In conclusion Shylock shows both villainous and victimized actions, but we can see the reasons for his villainous actions because of the humiliation he went through because of all Christian hating him for he is a Jew.
