Shylock is introduced very differently to us by William Shakespeare. He always uses the word “well” at the end of the sentences he used. William Shakespeare wrote “Antonio shall become bound, well” “Three thousand ducats, well” “For three months, well.” The repetition of the word “well” tells us slightly that he is planning to do something. Shylock does not want to make any mistake about lending the money. Shakespeare has made Shylock a extreme stereotype of a Jew meaning that the most bad stereotype of Jews and Christians. Shakespeare wrote “If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.” This means that Shylock hates Antonio because he is a Christian. Line 1,3,5,7 and 9 are going to be delivered in a cunning way by an actor to try show the audience that he doesn’t want to make any mistakes while wanting revenge.
In a certain paragraph. Shylock talks about his tribes pride and hi feeling towards being a Jew in Venice, as William Shakespeare wrote “Yes, to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the Devil into. I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and also following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.” This speech of Shylock is pointing the bad points out of Christianity. Jews don’t eat pork (pig) but the Christians to. Jews have been taught by their prophet that it puts evil spirits in you. That is why Shylock says “I will not eat with you.” This speech of Shylock shows that he would do something wrong to Antonio if he doesn’t pay the money back within three months.
Shylock changes his tone of voice when he first spoke to Antonio. When Antonio enters the area, Shakespeare uses motives as he wrote “(Aside)”. This means that Shylock has two faces in front of the audience. He says good things in front of Antonio’s face, but he has a other expression of Antonio in front of the audience. The word “(Aside)” is meant something to the audience about a character, but is not meant to the character as Shakespeare wrote “(Aside) how like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Christian; But more, for that in low simplicity He lends out money gratis, and brings down the Rate of usance here with us in Venice. If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. He hates our sacred nation and he rails Even there where ~Merchant most do congregate On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift Which he calls interest. Curs’d be my tribe If I forgive him.” This is the first meeting of Antonio and Shylock in Act 1 Scene 3. This has showed us a dramatic scene of how Shylock feels about Antonio. The first thing that Shylock says to Antonio is “I am debating of my present store, And by the near guess of my memory I cannot instantly raise up the gross Of full three thousand ducats. What of that? Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, will furnish me. But soft, how many months Do you desire? (to Antonio) Rest you fair, good signor! Your worship was the last man in our mouths.” Shylock is very angry, showing us that he doesn’t like Antonio in an ironic way. In the lines 56-60 Antonio says “Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow By taking nor by giving of excess, Yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend I’ll break a custom. (To Bassanio) Is he yet possess’d How much ye would?” These lines tell us that Shylock hates Antonio because he neither lends or borrows money but Antonio is still willing to make exception for his friend Bassanio where he says “I’ll break a custom.” Which shows us how nice and caring friend Antonio is. However Antonio is not aware, being naïve of Shylock’s scheme and both are hagoling over the terms and conditions. This causes crisis building between the two characters, and tension for the audience of what Shylock is upto.
Shakespeare makes the audience feel sympathy for Shylock as he wrote “Signor Antonio, many a time and off In the Rialto you have rated me About my monies and my usances still have I borne It with a patient shrug For suff’rance is the badge of all our tribe. You call m a misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gabardine, And all for use of that which is mine own. Well then, it now appears you need my help. Go to, then, you come to me, and you say, “Shylock, we would have monies”- you say so, You that did void your rheum upon my beard. And foot me as you spurn a stranger our Over your threshold: monies is your suit What should I say to you? Is it possible A cur can lend three thousand ducats? Or shall I bend low? And in a bondman’s key, With hated breaths and whip ring humbleness, say this :”Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last, You spurn’d me such a day, another time you call’d me a dog: and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much monies?” Shylock says these lines in a controlled, calculating, cold menacing manner yet controlled. So Shylock can control his calmness, which means he can catch Antonio when Antonio has lost his patience that he is not in anger and that something is going to take place between these two characters, as this creates tension for the audience. After Shylock has said these lines, in a calm manner way, Antonio then replies “I am as like to call thee so again, to spit on thee so again, to spurn thee too. If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not As to my friends, for when did friendship take A breed for barren metal of his friend? But lent it rather to thine enemy, Who if the break, thou mayst with better face Exact the penalty.” So first Shylock recaps whatever Antonio done to him, and Antonio has fallen in Shylock’s trick. So Antonio doesn’t realize what shylock was doing and thought he had changed which causes tension for the audience as to something is going to happen.
Shylock explains the bond to Antonio. Shylock is pretending to be kind to Antonio to trap him in the bond. The bond is that if Antonio can’t pay Shylock the money back on the agreed day, Shylock is going to take a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Antonio agrees to this bond where he says “Yes, Shylock, I will seal into this bond.” But Bassanio knows that Shylock is playing a game of life and death which Shylock understands that Antonio can lose his life in this but Antonio thinks that Shylock is changed into a good Christian because Antonio says “Hii thee, gentle Jew, The Hebrew will turn Christian, he grows kind.” Antonio is confident that his ships won’t be dismayed and will be back before one month where he says “Come on, in this there can be no dismay, My ships come home a month before the day.” So he is happy to agree to the bond as he thinks he can pay Shylock back before 9 months. Shylock uses phrases like “merry sport” “merry bond” to show and make Antonio feel it is a straight forward bond. Bassanio knows that villain’s don’t change easily and knows Antonio has got himself in big trouble as Bassanio says “I like not fair terms and a villain’s mind.” By this Bassanio is trying to suggest Antonio that he shouldn’t agree to it because he knows that Shylock is playing a game which Shylock understands but Antonio doesn’t. So this ironic change of tone of the three men shows or makes the audience feel that something is going to affect eh payback of Antonio as it creates tension for the audience as they are prepared for a dramatic scene later.
Antonio’s ships are on the sea and Antonio thinks his ships are doing well but as the audience was expected, Antonio’s ships are lost on the sea and Antonio’s ships are lost on the sea and Antonio is unable to pay Shylock back. So as the bond was set, Shylock now is allowed to take a pound of Antonio’s flesh. So this creates suspence for the audience near the end. Shylock’s plan worked because he was gentle and friendly to Antonio to try and show him that he has turned into a good Christian but Shylock traps him in the bond first and then he will take a pound of Antonio’s flesh which will cost him his life. So audience is ready for the Christian’s death as Shylock is going to do, mostly taking a pound of flesh.
In Act 1 Scene 3, the relationship between Christians and Jews is much on the hatred side. Jews wasn’t treated as they wanted to by the Christians. In those times, Jews couldn’t do anything physically to the Christians after being publicly insulted by them but all they could do was suffer. That is why they had to find a way to take revenge and Shylock has find a very good way to take revenge by trapping him in this trouble. Jews had no consequence in the society in front of the Christians that is why Christians wasn’t brought to the court. In the modern times, people wouldn’t favour the religions and you will be taken to court for committing a crime and doesn’t matter whether you are Christian or not unlike in the Elizabethan times. So overall William Shakespeare was winding up the relationship between Jews and Christians. So he was successful on what he was aiming for.