Shylock is inhuman because he is inhumanly abused.

The play, “ The Merchant of Venice”, is a tragic-comedy written by William Shakespeare during the years 1596 and 1597. The play transpires in Venice, Italy and Belmont. Shylock, a stereotypical Jew is one of the play’s central characters. He is viewed by the audience as a cruel, merciless, and inhuman individual. He is a moneylender by profession. Shylock, who lives in Venice, a city comprised predominantly of Christians, is treated unfairly and inhumanly because he belongs to the Jewish religion. . Throughout his five scenes in the play he is looked down upon, betrayed, deserted, punished and humiliated by Christian society, his daughter and all those that will eventually need his money. Therefore, I agree that Shylock is inhumane because he is inhumanly abused.

Shylock has grown to become such an inhumane individual because of the predjudice he faces daily as a Jew living amongst the Christian community. At this time in England, there was a great opposition between Christians and Jews in Venice. The Christians lived at the centre of the Venetian community and around the perimeter of Venice lived the Jews, who were excluded from the rest of Venice. They were portrayed as inferior, and marginalized because of their religion. Jews were often forbidden to own land or engage in trade in England, so the only occupation open to them was money lending, which they exploited to the fullest. The Christians hated the Jews because of conditions under which they lent money. They charged usance or interest whenever they lent money. This was seen as a cardinal sin by the Christian faith. By being apart of a minority that is scorned and treated as exiles, Shylock has been inhumanly abused.

Shylock later shows his inhumanness towards Antonio, a Christian, in the third scene of the first act. He uses the word ‘hate’ so freely when describing his feelings regarding Antonio. Shylock says,

“I hate him for he is a Christian; but more, for in low simplicity he lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice.”

Shylock hates Antonio because he does not charge interest upon lending money. Shylock is so merciless in his bond with Antonio because in the past, Antonio has ill-treated him severely. Shylock quotes,

“…you ...

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“I hate him for he is a Christian; but more, for in low simplicity he lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice.”

“…you have rated me about my money and my usances. Still I have borne it with a patient shrug, for sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.”

Shylock is simply stating that Antonio has scolded him in the past for his views on money lending and interest. Also, his entire race has been the victims of insults and maltreatment yet, they have suffered without complaint.

“You call me ‘misbeliever’, ‘cut-throat dog’, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine…”

Shylock continues to illustrate how Antonio has inhumanly abused him. Antonio has called Shylock a dog, spat upon his Jewish garments, and accused him of being a misbeliever. He has brought greater shame to Shylock by indulging in these ridicules towards him while in the eyes of the public.

Now, it is to Shylock to whom Antonio comes to burrow money. By demanding a pound of Antonio’s flesh if he fails to repay the three thousand ducats burrowed within three months, Shylock again shows the inhumanity he has developed towards Antonio. This is a result of Antonio’s harsh, inhumane treatment towards Shylock in the past.

Shylock again shows his inhumanness Act 2 Scene 3. His bitter, gloomy, and life-denying spirit forces his own daughter, Jessica, to turn away from him and run away. Shylock’s first line in the play is:

“Three thousand ducats!”

This can be seen in two ways: as a man making a living at one of the very few occupations open to him, or a greedy cold materialistic man. It fits the cold, greedy, inhuman character more. This is because he makes such a big point about locking up the house before leaving to attend Bassanio’s home. He stresses the point repeatedly, for he has had a vision of theft. This shows Shylock’s inhumanness, as his primary concern is to keep his possessions protected. He does not tell his daughter to be safe, but focuses solely on the safety of his assets. Shylock is portrayed as an ill-attentive, restrictive father. This however, is a result of the inhuman abuse that Shylock receives outside his household’s walls. He is so afraid of the outside world and mistreated so much that he feels it is necessary to for him to take such precautions when handling his assets, and in doing so, overlooks the safety of his daughter.

Shylock is left alone with no family, as Jessica, his daughter, elopes with Lorenzo, a friend of Bassanio. In doing so, she inhumanly abuses her father. She steals fourscore ducats and a ring that was a gift to Shylock from his dead wife, Leah. The audience can sense Shylock’s pain as he tells Bassanio:

“I say my daughter is my flesh and my blood!”

He tries to explain that with her gone, it is as if a part of him has been taken too. He screams in rage showing his emotions and strong views:

“My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! Only Christian ducats!”

Here, his inhumanness is again shown. The quote shows his hatred for Christians and that his property has more value to him than his own daughter’s life. Not only has his daughter, his only remaining family member departed from him, but she has also betrayed her father in the process by stealing from him. To make matters worse, she trades the ring, given to him by his wife who has died, for a monkey. This further insults her father.

Shylock gives his famous speech in Act 3, Scene 1 that questions his humanity. Throughout the play, Shylock has not been treated fairly and given the respect that a human being deserves. He himself realizes that he has been inhumanly abused and asks:

“Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?”

Here Shylock is asking why the Christians treat him as less than human even though he is the same as them. Following this, Shylock continues to question the difference between him and the Christian and also, him and any other human being. At Shylock’s plea for equality, the Christians, Solario and Solanio, laugh as they consider that even entertaining such a thought would be below them. This again shows the inhuman abuse towards Shylock.

The maltreatment of Shylock continues into the end of the play with the final courtroom scene where Shylock demands the payment of his bond. It is believed that the only reason the sentence is not carried out immediately is because those involved are Antonio, pillar of the community, and Shylock, hated moneylender. Shylock is made aware that his bond does not request any blood. Therefore, he cannot take the pound of Antonio’s flesh owed to him because blood would be spilt. After this occurs, the inhumanly abuse begins again.

The Venetian law states that a penalty must be paid by an alien attempting to murder a Venetian. Still Shylock is classified as an alien in his home. His possessions are confiscated because of the attempted murder of Antonio. Antonio now makes two conditions for his life. Firstly, Shylock must become Christian, and, secondly, he must make a will leaving all of his possessions to Jessica and Lorenzo.

Not only has Shylock been converted to a Christian and humiliated in court, but also his friend Tubal, another Jew, walks out on him as he is about to carve a pound of flesh from Antonio. His only friend has left him. He is betrayed by yet another person. So without his revenge, wealth, and his daughter, now he is alienated from his fellow Jews.

Shylock in inhuman because he is inhumanly abused. He is a member of the scorned, minority, Jewish race. Antonio, to whom Shylock still lends his money, has publicly ridiculed Shylock. His daughter and his best friend have also betrayed him. He is forced to give up his religion and is therefore humiliated by the Christian society. Shylock is inhumanly abused because he is has had everything taken away from him, and has become an outcast. If Shylock were treated like a human being, his humanity might have been present in the play, “The Merchant of Venice”.

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