The Merchant of Venice - the character of Shylock

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The Merchant of Venice

"The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare features, Shylock a very controversial character due to his religion, profession and personal traits. Professionally Shylock lends money to people in debt, in order to gain interest and profit. Although, this is very much central to our modern way of life, in the Elizabethan period, money lending was not accepted as an acceptable profession. Throughout "The Merchant of Venice" Shylock is portrayed as menacing, inhumane and slightly eccentric, yet at times misunderstood and induces sympathy from the reader. His personal traits and beliefs evoke complex emotions. We cannot decide whether Shylock is an unforgiving, menacing character or is in actual fact in the right and extremely hard done by. Consequently, I propose to discuss the view that Shylock is as much sinned as sinning.

When his daughter lies and steals from him Shylock is seen as a poor and sinned against character. His daughter, Jessica, falls in love with a Christian and plans to elope. Strong religious prejudices are established at this point in the play. In order to elope, Jessica steals from her father by conning him. Dramatic irony is used in this scene. The audience and Jessica are aware, that as soon as Shylock leaves Jessica alone in his house she will steal from him. However, Shylock is not aware of this. Shylock is deeply grieved at his loss of money and his daughter. Shylock's own daughter running away and stealing from him contributes to the mockery that Shylock suffers from the other characters in the play.

"Solanio: As the dog Jew did utter in the street:

My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!"

In this scene Solanio and Solario are mocking Shylocks extreme misfortune by telling the rest of the town in an unsympathetic and insensitive manner.

Sympathy is created, as it is apparent that Shylock cannot trust, nor befriend anyone in the play, not even his own daughter. This is clear evidence of one way in which Shylock is more sinned than sinning.
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Shylock places profit above love. When Jessica, his daughter, steals from him and leaves him, it is clear that Shylock is very distraught. However, it is difficult to ignore what appears to be Shylock's priority -the loss of money. As, money lending is Shylock's profession; it is obvious money is very important to him. When discussing the loss of his daughter and ducats, Shylock describes how he would rather his money returned to him than his daughter and would infact like to have revenge against her.

"Shylock: I would my daughter were dead at my feat, and ...

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