The stage villain
required for the plot;
the antagonist:he hampers
love stories
Historical and dramatic influences under which Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice.
Shylock as a multi-dimensional character
There are two stage
Shylocks in the play:
Jews as evil villains and as
objects of mockery
The human being
who suffers for the loss of
his daughter, his property
and his religion
Who is Shylock?
- a Jewish moneylender
- persecuted by all the non-Jews
- an intelligent businessman
- Jessica's father
Shylock: a memorable character
Breaking with the theatrical tradition
a complex character:
-an Elizabethan Stereotype
- a man who suffered much
Shakespeare's genius
Shakespeare's manipulation of our emotions regarding Shylock is a proof of his genius.
We sympathize with Shylock at times,
We loathe him at others.
The Merchant of Venice
by Shakespeare