This big part of Shylocks character can be seen throughout the play. To its extreme when Jessica, his daughter runs away taking his money and jewels with her, he says: “I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear.” This shows that he cares more about his money and jewels than his own daughter being found alive, who is also his only family member. In Shylocks first scene it becomes clear that he spends a long time debating with Bassanio whether or not to lend him the money. The main reason for his delayed response is probably because he likes to have control over the situation, which is not usually the case. It seems that he loves the fact that people need him, especially a Christian needing a Jew, so he wants to prolong this conversation as much as possible. Shylock cruelly takes full advantage of the situation and keeps Antonio and Bassanio waiting nervously for his decision. After all the waiting Shylock even pretends to forget the amount of time Antonio had said to repay him: “I had forgot, Three months; you told me so.” This shows he is very devious and deceitful. Finally when Shylock agrees he says he will only lend Bassanio the money if when the three months is up and the money is not repaid in full (with no interest) he shall have a pound of Antonio’s flesh: (enough to kill him) “let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh, to be cut of and taken.” This would be Shylock’s way of taking revenge on Antonio. It is understandable that Shylock wishes to take revenge on Antonio, for the way he has been treated, however it would be the thinking of a sick mind who would come up with an agreement as twisted as this one. The entire plot of the agreement or bond is a clear illustration of how Shylock is a wicked and evil person. In Act 2 Scene 2 Lancelot Gobbo tells us of how he no longer intends to work for Shylock but wishes to seek employment under Bassanio. Lancelot says: “Master Bassanio who indeed gives rare new liveries.” Lancelot is saying that Shylock is not paying what his employees deserve but Bassanio will, this tells us that Shylock is a cruel master who tries to cheat his employees out of what they deserve. When Jessica is speaking to Lancelot she says how Shylock is a bad father and how living with him is hell, ‘Our house is hell.’ She also says how she is: “To be Asham’d to be my fathers child!” This also supports the fact that Shylock is an evil monster, to the extent that his own blood relative is ashamed of him. Shylock repeatedly labels Lancelot as, ‘The Prodigal Christian.’ In general expressing his hatred of Lancelot and Christianity. So after the bond has been made with Antonio, Shylock is left alone with no family. He suddenly turns into a villain when he shouts showing his emotions : “My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats” This again shows his hatred for Christians and that his money has more value than his own daughter’s life. In Act 3, Scene 1 Tubal tells Shylock that his daughter, Jessica, ’In Genoa, one night four score ducats!’ Shylock reacts not out of concern for his daughter’s whereabouts, and health but shows a great amount of evil by shouting, ’I shall never see my gold again.’ Jessica overhears Shylock swearing that: “He would rather have Antonio’s flesh than 20 times the sum.” This tells us that Shylock has not had second thoughts about his evil plan and is insistent on receiving Antonio’s flesh. Stating the point that he is persistent on getting his bond, once again only an evil individual would intend to carry out such an act. Antonio becomes bankrupt; all his wealth, which was invested in his ships, has been lost because the ships have sunk out at sea. When shylock hears the news he demands his rightful pound of flesh under the Venetian law, ’I’ll have my bond.’ In act four, scene one; shylock is again presented as a villain. He walks in the court and places the scales of justice, on the table and takes of his gabardine. This was the only chance for shylock to have some justice, not just for the bond but also for how he has been treated all his life. Shylock wants the justice that is stated in his bond he made with Antonio. During the trial Shylock loses sympathy from the audience by his words and actions. He takes out a blade and begins to sharpen it on his shoes showing no mercy at all. Throughout the court scene Shylock repeatedly has the chance to forfeit his bond and let Antonio go, however Shylock still portrays his evil attitude by refusing to back down: “There is no power in the tongue of man to alter me.” It seems that Antonio has conceded the case so Portia (dressed as dressed as Balthazar the judge) calls for a doctor to be called into the court. Shylock stands and refuses by saying, ‘I cannot find it, tis not in the bond.’ By refusing Antonio the most basic hope of survival it appears that Shylock has strayed into a world where he cannot do the most basic that may be classified as human.
There is also a considerable quantity of evidence rooted in the text that depicts Shylock as a victim. This evidence is:
When Shylock is making the bond with Antonio he says: “You call me misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit on my Jewish gabardine.” This seems like a rather extravagant length to got to. This is a hint that shows that Shylock is being victimised, for he is a Jew. Shylock is also victimised due to his Jewish beliefs by Antonio holding him and all Jews responsible for the death of Jesus Christ, ‘Theo-side,’ Shylock says: ”Forget the shames you have stain’d me with.” At this point Shylock is getting sympathy from the audience because all of the audience can relate to the fact that the death of Jesus Christ was not directly the fault of Shylock. He is being victimised because he is Jewish.
So after the bond has been made with Antonio, Shylock is left alone with no family, as Jessica his daughter has eloped with Lorenzo, a friend of Bassanio’s. Shylock earns pity from the audience when he tells Bassanio that: “My daughter is my flesh and blood.” Meaning that with her gone it is as if a part of him has been taken too. The audience feels a amount of pity with Shylock.
Shylock’s famous plea in act three, scene five shows him as a victim: “And what’s his reasons? I am a Jew, hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, with the same hurt with the same weapons?” Shylock tries to say that everyone is the same as one another, but just have different religions. He is pleading to be treated fairly and not to be discriminated against because he is Jewish. This is a reflection of how society treats not just him but all Jews in general.
In the trial scene the court is very one sided as soon as the judge opens by saying: “Go one and call the Jew to the court.” This shows the judge is biased because he calls Shylock be the name of his religion. The judge is blatantly influencing the court, with his own prejudice views. Shylock is in an unfair trial, he is a victim in the court because if his beliefs. He is being judged at a court, which has a Christian influence, not a court of law
Shylock is ready to cut into Antonio’s flesh when Portia stops him and says: “This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood. The word expressed are a ‘pound of flesh.” Portia is saying that if Shylock cuts Antonio and blood is seen, Shylock is breaking the law! The bond Shylock had created has ruined his plan for revenge. The tables are now turned, with Venetian law saying that a penalty must be paid by a murderer attempting to kill a Venetian. Still Shylock is classed as an alien in his own home. Shylock’s possessions are confiscated because of the attempted murder of Antonio. Antonio humiliates Shylock by making two conditions for his life firstly he must become a Christian, and, secondly he must leave all his possessions to Lorenzo his enemy and Antonio, after he dies. He has been cheated out of his bond, possessions and religion. He is surely now a victim. Shylock is a victim, whose mind is clouded with grief and frustration at the Christians relentless persecution of him, and their as he sees ‘Theft,’ of his only daughter. However, because he is overcome with this anger clouding his mind and judgement, he loses himself in his hatred, and it appears to everyone that he has gone too far. Until then the only Christian to address Shylock directly by his name was Portia, but after he passes the point of no return, she reverts to calling him Jew like the others. The fact that he passes this point shows that he has some villain in him, but no more than Portia. It is ironic that Portia passes judgement on Shylock, and criticises him for not showing Antonio mercy, yet she acts with the same lack of mercy towards Bassanio regarding the ring as Shylock did to Antonio. Shylock is dishonoured and disgraced in the court scene, his only friend Tubal (also a Jew) walked out on him, as he ruthlessly cut into Antonio’s flesh. Everything and every one has left Shylock, he is destroyed by his own doings, and he is even isolated by his fellow Jews. Shylock can be seen as both comic and tragic because of his quick, inconsiderate responses.
In conclusion, I believe that Shakespeare deliberately isolates Shylock, which then makes the play more effective. Putting all Christians in the play wouldn’t t give the play such a strong plot, as it has with a minority of people who follow different religions. In the play the only Jewish characters are Shylock and his employee Tubal. They are seen as outcasts for their religious beliefs. There would be no verbally abusive things said to both the Christians and the Jew and no remarks or stage directions used to show Shylock as the outsider, because the Christians would have treated him like one of their own. Shylock shows some of the characteristics of a villain, but these are simply products of his victimisation; Shylock is a victim of the self-absorbed, racist community that Venice had become. His anger and frustration that lead to him making poor judgements are products of having to endure the torment of this cruel, harsh and discriminative environment.
