Shylock made it clear that his relationship with Christians was strictly and only business, shylock said;
“ ...I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you...”
Act 1 Scene 3 Lines 28-30
This quotation informs us that Shylock was willing to offer his profit making services to Christians but was not prepared to socialise with them.
One person who also depended on Shylock’s loan was Antonio. Shylock agreed to give Antonio the 3000 ducats he required for Bassanio, his close friends who need the money to win Portia’s hand in marriage. Shylock did not charge interest he said if Antonio could not pay him back he would have his bond, which was one pound of Antonio’s flesh. One pound of Antonio’s flesh would virtually kill Antonio. However Antonio was confident about his ships arriving back in time, on the other hand Shylock doubted the ships arriving there was a 50% chance the ships would return and then again there was also 50% that the ships would come back but there was guaranteeing on any side. But the ships were relied on both Bassanio and Antonio, because this was the only way they could pay Shylock back. So Shylock had a chance of fulfilling his revenge against Antonio. Antonio agreed to have the bond. So if he does not pay back the 3000 ducats in three months Shylock could have a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Also by Antonio agreeing to the bond the law could not prosecute Shylock. And Antonio could not break the bond.
Shylock wanted revenge on Antonio because of the ways Antonio had physically and verbally abused Shylock in the past.
“...You call me a misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit on my Jewish gabardine...you called me dog; and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much monies”
Act 1 scene 3 lines 103-104
Shylock explains how Antonio has abused him and his religion. He also hints to Antonio that after all the things you have done to me you expect me to lend u money! You would expect Antonio to apologise to Shylock and feel bad but in this case Antonio replies;
“...I am as like to call thee so again, to spit on thee, to spurn thee too...but lend it rather to thine enemy...”
Act 1 scene 3 lines 122-123
This shows that Antonio does not deny abusing Shylock and also says he will do it again and again if he wants to. It shows that Antonio is not scared of Shylock.
Even though Antonio was dependant on Shylock he still acknowledges the fact that if shylock is willing to lend the money then he should lend it to Antonio like an enemy.
So far we have learnt that shylock has suffered a lot because of Antonio, but reading on it appears it wasn’t just Shylock suffering:
“...For suff’rance is the badge of all our tribe...”
Act 1 scene 3 line 102
This extract out of the play shows us that not only Shylock was suffering but also the whole of Jewish religion was suffering. I think this gives the reader the impression that the Christians in Venice treated all Jews unfairly.
Shylock asked Antonio that if a Jewish person did something wrong to a Christian, would a Christian not seek revenge, therefore if a Christian did something wrong to a Jewish person then should the Jewish person not seek revenge;
“...If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrongs a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why revenge. The villainy you teach me I will execute...”
Act 3 scene 1 lines 53-56
Shylock felt he had been insulted therefore he thought he was entitled to revenge.
Shylock had been waiting for the opportunity of getting revenge on Antonio. Shylock now intended to use the bond as a way of getting revenge on Antonio, Shylock quoted:
“...If I catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him...”
Act 1 scene 3 line 39
There were many reasons why there was hatred between Shylock and Antonio he main reasons was because of the different religious beliefs they both had and this is the only reason Antonio has, as for Shylock had hatred not only for the different views on beliefs, but for the ways Antonio had treated him in the past and not only that but how Christians treated the Jew from the past. Antonio warns Bassanio not to be deceived by the Jew’s use of the Bible;
“...The devil can cite scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness...”
Act 1 scene 3 lines 90-91
By reading this passage where we extracted the quotation above we can tell that Antonio virtually hated Jews. He calls him a devil, which is not a nice way to refer to a human being whatever their religion.
Shylock disliked Antonio because Antonio lends out maney with no interest, this clearly affects Shylock’s business:
“...He lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice...”
Act 1 scene 3 lines 36-37
This extract from the play tells us that Christians did not charge interest, when they lent out money whereas people like Shylock made their profits from interest, this did not please the Christian community. This could have created negative attitudes towards all Jewish people in the 1950’s Christians thought lending money and taking interest as well is a big sin. Antonio had also saved many of Shylock’s customers by defaulting on their loans, this meant Shylock sis not collect any interest therefore he made no profits, which helped increase his hatred for the Christians.
Shylock loathes Antonio for hating the Jewish religion.
“...He hates our sacred nation, and he rails...”
Act 1 scene 3 line 40
This quote from the play tells us readers that the Christians hated the Jewish. There are many things I have mentioned which tell us what led Shylock in wanting to kill the Christian Antonio.
Jessica was ashamed to be the daughter of Shylock the Jew;
“...To be ashamed to be my father’s child! but though I am a daughter to his blood I am not to his manners...”
Act 2 scene 4 lines 16-18
Jessica quotes that she is ashamed to be shylocks daughter because of the way he treats people. She doesn’t like his behaviour, with other people, for example the Christians.
What I think really could have pushed him in taking a Christian’s life was when his daughter Jessica ran away with a Lorenzo the Christian, yet she knew her father’s hatred towards the Christian. And she still betrayed him.
Antonio’s ships did not return which resulted in Antonio having to face the bond, which he agreed with shylock. When Shylock learned about Antonio’s ships, which had not returned he happily declared:
“I’m very glad of it. I’ll plague him, I’ll torture him, I am glad of it.”
Act 3 scene 1 lines 91-92
Shylock now knew that Antonio had lost his wealth and would not be able to repay him. Shylock was now looking to have his bond, one pound of Antonio’s flesh.
Shylock was not going to let this opportunity of revenge on Antonio slip he said:
“...Curses be my tribe if I forgive him...”
Act 1 scene 3 lines 43-44
There was no way that shylock would forgive Antonio for his doings.
In court Portia asked Shylock to forfeit the bond and accept three times the amount of money borrowed by Antonio. Shylock refused:
“...By my soul I swear there is no power in the tongue of man to alter me. I stay here on my bond”
Act 4 scene 1 lines 236-238
Shylock refused and nothing was going to make him change his mind. So he stuck by his bond.
Earlier Jessica also mentioned to Portia before leaving:
“ ...That he would rather have Antonio’s flesh than twenty times the value of the sum that he did owe him...”
Act 3 scene 2 lines 285-287
The above quotation shows that Shylock wanted to take the Christian’s life no matter what. Clearly Shylock seeked revenge and only revenge, he states:
“...If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies- and what’s his reason? I am a Jew...”
Act 3 scene 1 lines 42-46
This extract shows us Shylock felt he had been wronged and treated unfairly because he was a Jew. Shylock seemed upset when having this conversation. This passage that Christian treated Jews badly because of their differences in religions.
Shylock also wasn’t going to give up the bond because he said:
“...And by our holy Sabaoth have I sworn to have the due and forfeit of my bond. If you deny it, let the danger light upon your charter and your city’s freedom...”
Act 4 scene 1 lines 36-39
Shylock mentions in this extract from the play that, the cities freedom would be affected if his bond was not met. It will affect the city because people will think there are two different rules, one for the people living there and the other for the people from other places. The extract shows us Shylock’s eagerness of revenge on Antonio. Shylock believed Antonio had treated him unfairly.
Antonio knew that there was no way that Shylock would turn away from the bond, as Antonio knew this he told the court and witnesses:
“...You may as well do anything most hard as seek to soften that – than which what’s harder? - His Jewish heart. Therefore I do beseech you make no moe offers, use no farther means...”
Act 4 scene 1 lines 78-81
This quotation clearly shows that Antonio thinks that Jewish are hard hearted therefore the court will not change the Jews mind. Shylock has been waiting for revenge for a long frustrating time, and now he has it he will not let it slip away.
Shylock said:
“If every ducat in six thousand ducats were in six parts, and every part a ducat. I would not draw then. I would have my bond.”
Act 4 scene 1 lines 85-87
Shylock clearly says that the money is worthless compared to the bond, and also shows us his eagerness of revenge upon Antonio.
Shylock wants the pound of Antonio’s flesh:
“...The pound of flesh which I demand of him is dearly bought; ‘tis mine, and I will have it...”
Act 4 scene 1 lines 99-100
Shylock noticeably says he owns the pound of flesh and it is his property therefore he shall have it. He says he has bought it dearly, and is not willing to give it up.
In the court the duke’s behaviour was rather surprising considering the fact he was supposed to be impartial but he was clearly supporting Antonio, he began by sympathising with Antonio:
“I am sorry for thee. Thou art come to answer a stony adversary, an inhuman wretch uncapable of pity, void and empty from any dram of mercy.”
Act 4 scene 1 lines 3-6
The dukes actions are clearly biased therefore it was impossible for the duke to give a fair hearing. The duke also did not show respect for Shylock, as he did not call him by his name;
“Go one and call the Jew into the court”
Act 4 scene 1 line 14
The duke called Shylock ‘the Jew’ which is not a nice way to referrer to a person even if the name is not known. It also gives impressions to us that he also had hatred for the Jewish community. This clearly shows us that many people did not give Jewish people respect.
The duke also said to Shylock:
“...Shylock the world thinks, and I think so too, that thou but lead’st this fashion of thy malice...”
Act 4 scene 1 lines 17-18
This shows us that the duke has two faces in front of Shylock he calls him by his name and when Shylock was not in the courtroom the duke called him ‘the Jew’. And also the duke makes us think he is warning Shylock in this speech.
Throughout the play, in many cases Shylock was not referred as ‘Shylock’ instead he was referred to as:
“...The very devil incarnation...”
Act 2 scene 2 line 20
Lancelot who is a servant said the quote above. This shows us that even the lowest of the lowest disliked the Jewish people.
He was also referred to as:
“...Currish Jew...”
Act 4 scene 1 lines 288
“...Inexecrable dog...”
Act 4 scenes 1 line 128
“...In human wretch...”
Act 4 scenes 1 line 4
I think William Shakespeare gave these titles to shylock because in the 1590’s this is how the Jewish people were named. This made Shylock appear something other than human; I think this was because he was a Jew. I think William Shakespeare was not racist against the Jewish people. I think the way he wrote the play is very interesting in many ways because it leads to a lot of different ideas from a lot of different people, which is a good thing. In the 1590’s the people never thought they were being racist it was a normal thing to not treat the Jewish community in a correct manner. The following quote give me a reason why I think William Shakespeare was not racist:
“...I am a Jew. Hath not Jew eyes? Hath not Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If u tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die?...”
Act 3 scene 1 lines 46-52
In my opinion William Shakespeare wanted Christians to realise that Jews were also human and should be treated like one too.
