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Thank you for your attention!

And one more thing...

Now it's your turn to choose....

Victim or Villain?

Why Shylock May Seem Like a Villain

In conclusion, we believe Shylock is more a victim than a villain. Many of his evil traits are attributed to him through prejudice, including anti-semitism. His harsh relationship with his daughter was designed to protect her. Though there was mutual hatred in his relationship with Antonio, Antonio's treatment towards Shylock was much harsher.

  • He shows no mercy to Antonio. "I will feed the ancient grudge I bear him. He hates our sacred nation, and he rails, even there where merchants most do congregate, on me, my bargains and well-won thrift, which he calls "interest". Cursed by my tribe if I forgive him!" (1.3.41-46)

  • He cares more about his money and his jewels than his daughter. "I would my daughter were dead at my foot and the jewels in her ear; would she were hearsed at my foot and the ducats in her coffin" (3.1.87-90)

  • He is cruel to his Christian servant Lancelet . "Well,Well. But for mine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so i will not rest till I have run some ground. My master's a very Jew... I am famished in his service.You may tell every finger I have with my ribs...To him, father, for I am a Jew if I serve the Jew any longer.

The Merchant of Venice

Shylock

Why Shylock is Actually a Victim

Modern English

  • Shylock is discriminated against because of his Jewish religion.
  • He is physically and emotionally tormented by Antonio and other Christians.
  • His daughter betrays him and steals from him.
  • He lost his wife and has no one to turn to.
  • He is forced to choose between dying and giving up his religion.

I’ll use it for fish bait. You can’t eat human flesh, but if it feeds nothing else, it’ll feed my revenge. He’s insulted me and cost me half a million ducats. He’s laughed at my losses, made fun of my earnings, humiliated my race, thwarted my deals, turned my friends against me, riled up my enemies—and why? Because I’m a Jew. Doesn’t a Jew have eyes? Doesn’t a Jew have hands, bodily organs, a human shape, five senses, feelings, and passions? Doesn’t a Jew eat the same food, get hurt with the same weapons, get sick with the same diseases, get healed by the same medicine, and warm up in summer and cool off in winter just like a Christian? If you prick us with a pin, don’t we bleed? If you tickle us, don’t we laugh? If you poison us, don’t we die? And if you treat us badly, won’t we try to get revenge? If we’re like you in everything else, we’ll resemble you in that respect. If a Jew offends a Christian, what’s the Christian’s kind and gentle reaction? Revenge. If a Christian offends a Jew, what punishment will he come up with if he follows the Christian example? Of course, the same thing—revenge! I’ll treat you as badly as you Christians taught me to—and you’ll be lucky if I don’t outdo my teachers. *

*"The Merchant of Venice." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, 2012.

Wed. 18 May 2012.

http://nfs.sparknotes.com/merchant/page_110.html>.

Victim or Villain?

Equality

"To bait fish withal; 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. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a 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 you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? If you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by a Christian example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction." (3.1. 52-72)

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