The Merchant of Venice. Consider the complexities of Shylock's character with detailed reference to and evaluations of different interpretations.
The Merchant of Venice.
Consider the complexities of Shylock's character with detailed reference to and evaluations of different interpretations.
The Merchant of Venice was written in 1599 and set in Italy; However as Shakespeare lived in England, it is more likely that he wrote the play depicting London. At the time it was classed as a comedy this is because Shakespeare wrote for the common people, and they would have the same prejudices and attitudes of ancient Christian Jewish hatred and seen Shylock as an outsider. The Christians looked down upon the Jews; they saw them as 'scum', this could be because the Jews were better businessmen than the Christians. Shakespeare shows this in The Merchant of Venice, as he has portrayed Shylock as a moneylender who is successful at his business and is very wealthy. Then we have Antonio who is a Christian merchant, who has been spreading lies about Shylock being a liar and cannot be trusted. This leads on to whether Shylock is really evil or has he been made this way by the Christians?
We are first introduced to Shylock in Act One, Scene Three. We learn of the abuse he has suffered at the hands of the Christians, which shows him as a victim. "You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog and spit upon my Jewish gabardine" Shakespeare has included Shylock's hard past to create a more sympathetic slant and more of a victim's status. Shylock is telling us what Antonio has said about him, we also see an evil trait as he says he hates Antonio "I hate him for he is a Christian" Shylocks tone is angry and bitter as he remembers that Antonio has cursed him "ho, no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a good man is to have you understand me that he is sufficient."
We can see that different actors can play Shylock's character as a villain or a victim. But it is how we interpret his character that we decide whether he is a villain or a victim or if Shylock has elements of both. In the 1970's film version directed by Jack Gold, Warren Mitchell played Shylock as a comical character at the start but became a villain, as the actor plays Shylock as vengeful and seems to hate Christians more, also in the court room he is very threatening towards Antonio with the knife. In the 2000 film version directed by Trevor Nunn, Henry Goodman played Shylock as a victim because when he says the forfeit for the penalty of the bond is a pound of flesh he acts this as if he doesn't mean it, and in the courtroom he cries when he thinks he has to kill Antonio because I don't think he really wants to kill him. The director has emphasised the way Shylock is isolated from the other characters and is more of a protective loving father who is heartbroken by his daughter. However I think in both film versions both actors play shylock to have elements of being a victim and villain because in each film the two actors want revenge and hate Christians but also they are both teased and receive abuse from Christians.
Shylock is a Jewish moneylender of his time. Venetians didn't trust him because all he cares about is money and he is out to make as much money as he can. He would cause much distress to people if they could not pay back the money they borrowed; Shylock also charged interest so he could make money, unlike Antonio who followed the Christian ethos.
When Antonio borrows money for Bassanio from Shylock, Shylock says "if you repay me not on such a day.... let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of you fair flesh, to ...
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Shylock is a Jewish moneylender of his time. Venetians didn't trust him because all he cares about is money and he is out to make as much money as he can. He would cause much distress to people if they could not pay back the money they borrowed; Shylock also charged interest so he could make money, unlike Antonio who followed the Christian ethos.
When Antonio borrows money for Bassanio from Shylock, Shylock says "if you repay me not on such a day.... let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of you fair flesh, to be cut off and taken in what of you body pleaseth me." This means if Antonio could not repay the bond, Shylock could take a pound of his flesh from his body. Only an evil man could do this, but he may have meant it as a joke at the time. It is just how we interpret it that we decide whether he is a villain or a victim at this point.
Another way in which Shylock is shown to be the villain or victim of this play is through his treatment of Jessica. It is in this act that the first conversation occurs between Shylock and Jessica. During this he orders her about as if she was a servant and mentions nothing about her well being, only instructs her to look after his house. The following quotations show examples of Shylock treating his daughter with no respect, as he is overprotective, etc, 'Hear you me, Jessica', 'Lock up my doors and when you hear the drum... Nor thrust your head into the public street... But stop my house's ears...let not the sound of shallow foppery enter'- (When the Christian parade is running outside). On the other hand this could be his way of protecting her and when Jessica leaves Shylock, he appears to be heartbroken "I say my daughter is my flesh and my blood", however many believe he is only interested in his money and jewels that she took with her "I would rather my daughter were dead at my foot and the jewels in her ear." This is true but I feel he is more concerned about losing his only child and last relative, to a Christian, which is the last straw for him "My own flesh and blood to rebel." He shows a human side to him by how he reacts when he realises that his daughter has taken his wife's ring. "I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor, I would not of given it for a wilderness of monkeys" The actor Laurence Olivier cries over a photograph of his wife when he realises the loss of his wife's ring, this portrays Shylock as a victim.
Salerio and Solanio are constant tormentors of Shylock and mock him at every opportunity with these words, 'as the dog Jew did utter in the streets in the streets: "My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!"' They mock him for speaking aloud in such shock in the streets when Shylock was repeating 'my daughter! O my ducats!' This is quite important because here Shylock is weighing out each loss- his daughter, and his wealth. The repetition of daughter and ducats seems to be equal but then his words sway as Shylock repeats O my ducats further. This suggests that Shylock would prefer to have his ducats back to his daughter, suggesting that Shylock is a villain. Salerio and Solanio are mocking him though which makes Shylock seem the victim here, because Salerio and Solanio are laughing at him, basically making fun of him by over exaggerating what Shylock says.
He now looks for a way to get revenge on the Christian. He hears that Antonio's ships have sunk and his ships were what Antonio had invested all his money in, so now he isn't able to pay off the bond. Shylock is driven to revenge through the bond by his treatment at the hands of the Christians. He remembers the bond with Antonio, so he tries to seize the opportunity to have revenge on the Christians "if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge". He should be able to do it because he has the law on his side because both men signed the bond so legally Shylock can take a pound of Antonio's flesh. However due to Portia this does not happen. Antonio gets out of paying Shylock the money. This is unfair on Shylock because he had the legal bond and should have a pound of Antonio's flesh but instead he has the tables turned on him making him the victim of a prejudiced and Christian court and he ends up paying the price of justice.
This image does make him a victim but this is because of his greed as Shylock could have taken the money offered to him, but he did not take it meaning that he could have brought this fate upon himself. His own hatred of Antonio and greed of what he wants gets him converted to the people that he hates, Christians. This could be an act of justice to Antonio because Shylock seemed to be threatening him so Shylock is the villain if you look at it from a Christians view.
We acted the courtroom scene, with one group playing Shylock as a villain and another group playing him as a victim. The group that played Shylock as a victim depicted Antonio to be the strongest character by making him higher then Shylock. Shylock was portrayed to be very nervous because he was shaking when he has the knife in his hand, talking very slowly and quietly and looking upset by the whole thing, and when Portia says he can't take the pound of flesh Shylock looks relieved. The group that played Shylock as a villain showed Shylock to be very threatening and the strongest character, and Antonio was the weakest character, because for most of the performance, Antonio was tied up to a chair and blind folded. Shylock was portrayed, as he wished to kill Antonio and was very eager to get it over with quickly. His voice was loud and we could tell there was revenge and anger in him.
The critic John Palmer sees Shylock as a comical figure that has been created purely for humour and is humanised only to make his character more realistic. I disagree with Palmer. I do not see Shylock as a comic figure. I think that he is meant to be seen as the villain of the play. In spite of the mistreatment of Shylock, Palmer does not feel any sympathy for Shylock. He believes that everything in Shylock is written to portray the humour in him. Other critics such as Graham Midgeley, sees him more as "lonely" and an "alien", having interpreted Shylock as a tragic figure. He suggests that those other critics are wrong to feel sympathy for Shylock because sympathy will take away from the comedy Shakespeare intended to show in Shylock. Palmer believes that if you take what Shylock says out of the context of the comical play you will see Shylock to be a tragic character. Palmer expresses how he sees Shylock as the stock character of the play. His religion separates him from the rest making him an intense character, but a very funny one at that.
I do not think that the comedy lies in Shylock's character alone. Neither do I believe that we are supposed to see Shylock through sympathetic eyes. I agree that Shylock has been made apart from the others, but I do not think that it is for comical purposes. Shakespeare deliberately sets Shylock apart to emphasise his villainous characteristics. "But I will not eat with you...nor will I pray with you..." Here he clearly separates himself and rejects any ideas of socialising with his fellow man.
In conclusion, I feel that ultimately Shylock is a villain. He is a complex character of both humour and tragedy. He wants to be liked (the humorous side) but at a price (the tragic side) his greed to retain what is his, often overtakes the more human side of his nature. The way he treats those he is close to, for example his daughter Jessica exposes his vindictive and evil character. He lets his lust for vengeance take over, and throughout the play Shylock shows no mercy towards Antonio. I also think he does have elements of being a victim, as is shown in a prejudiced and Christian court. Shylock is naive in believing he can take on the Christians and win, knowing that at the time Venetian law was designed to serve the best interests of the Christians. Shylock is made to convert to Christianity making his punishment harsh. It could be argued that Portia had taken Shylock's punishment too far. Shylock's life is spared but he may be better off dead because he has nothing to live for, remembering that all his wealth has been taken from him, and his daughter has left. He can no longer be the rich moneylender that he has been in the past. Although Shylock had attempted to pursue his revenge he still has the audience's sympathy because of the unfair and harsh punishment he has been given. It is unjust that Shylock's punishment is formed from his crime, but made on the basis of his religion ultimately. However it is not impossible that a victim cannot have villainous qualities as well
By Carly Crow
2050 words
Bibliography
Shylock (1946) by John Palmer
The Merchant Of Venice: A Reconsideration (1960) by Graham Midgeley.
Handouts about different actors.
Films: 1970's version by Jack Gold and 2000 version by Trevor Nunn.
