In Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice the antagonist of the play is Shylock. Shylock is a wealthy Jewish moneylender. Shylock is probably the most memorable character in the play because of Shakespeare's excellent characterization of him. Shylock is the antagonist in the play because he stands in the way of love, but this does not necessarily make him the villain of the play. Shylock can be seen as both the villain of the play and as a man who is very human. The villain that we see in Shylock is the greedy moneylender. Shylock charges high interest rates and when he is not repaid he insists on revenge. In the play Shylock loans Antonio money, and out of jest he suggests that should the loan not be repaid in time Shylock may cut off one pound of flesh from Antonio's body. Soon after Shylock's daughter runs away from home with Lorenzo, a Christian, and takes her father's ducats with her. When Antonio's ships do not come in and he is not able to repay the loan Shylock is no longer interested in getting his money back. Shylock want revenge for the loss of his daughter through the fulfillment of the bond. In court Shylock is defeated because of his selfishness. Shakespeare also shows the human qualities of Shylock throughout the play. Shakespeare brings out these human qualities by causing us to feel sympathy for him. After the loss of his daughter Shylock ran through the streets crying "My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!" as children followed him, mocking him. This causes us to feel sympathy for Shylock, even though we may feel him to be a villain. Besides the loss of his daughter and his ducats, after the trial Shylock also looses his property and his religion. The loss of his property was certainly a blow to Shylock but it can hardly compare to his loss of his religion. His forced conversion to Christianity brings out more sympathy for him. Shakespeare's manipulation of our feelings for Shylock show Shakespeare's gift as a writer. He gave Shylock the ability to make us hate him at times, and sympathize with him at others. This makes Shylock one of the most vivid characters of the play. How to Cite this Page
MLA Citation:
"Shylock as Villian in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice." 123HelpMe.com. 11 May 2015 <http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=16657>. |
Showing posts with label SHYLOCK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SHYLOCK. Show all posts
Monday, May 11, 2015
MERCHANT OF VENICE - SHAKESPEARE - SHYLOCK - VERY SIMPLE ESSAY
Monday, May 13, 2013
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE - SHAKESPEARE - PLAY - CHARACTERS - SHYLOCK
IS SHYLOCK A PROBLEM?
Shylock is the most vivid character in The Merchant of Venice. Actually naming the protagonist of this play is difficult - Antonio is too passive, yet his role leads us to believe his is the protagonist. However, critics have named Bassanio as the protagonist. It is a difficult question. Truth be told, Shylock, the antagonist is the most memorable character.
The character of Shylock has undergone critical debate over time. Is he simply a bloodthirsty villain? Or is he a man 'more sinned against than sinning?' That question is difficult to answer. Why? Because there are two Shylocks in the play - the villain who is required for the plot, and the human being who suffers the loss of his daughter, his property and his religion.
Shakespeare crafts a convincing villain. His plays thrive on the villain, his actions, his evil intent, his throwing of his world into chaos. In The Merchant of Venice, a romantic comedy, he is the cruel figure who stands in the way of the love story. Added to his role as the obstacle to the lovers getting what they want, he is a Jew. Shakespeare needed an ursurer, a moneylender for his plot. Usury was forbidden by God for Christians (Antonio) and the moneylending was the realm of the Jews. During the Middle Ages usury was the only occupation allowed to the Jew by law. So we have the stereotypical Jewish moneylender reviled by Christians.
Was Shakespeare anti-Semetic? A racist? Probably not. Shakespeare in his plays was only concerned with making sure his plot was driven, and he used history and historical figures to add realism to his plots - Macbeth's blood lust is not particularly Scottish or Iago's venom against Othello particularly Venetian. Shakespeare wasn't interested in condemning a group through the presentation of an individual.
In the courtroom scene in IV.i., Shylock is stripped of all that he has, which adds a tragic aspect to the play. As Shakespeare has used Shylock to represent all that is selfish and inhuman, he must be defeated for order to be returned from chaos (The Great Chain of Being).
Past representations of Shylock on the stage have been as a figure 'grotesque, sinister and ferocious'. Later versions showed Shylock as dignified, tragic. But Shakespeare wouldn't want us to sentimentalise or make Shylock overly grotesque. In The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare suggests Shylock's power and dignity and more subtly, the way in which his malignity is a defense and not an attack.
Consider the differing opinions regarding Shylock. Further research this pivotal character in the play from the SOCIAL perspective, the GENDER perspective and the CULTURAL/HISTORICAL perspective.
The poet W. H. Auden once penned these words: "Those to whom evil is done, do evil in return." In the case of Shylock, argue your opinion using your paraphrasing of Auden's words as your THESIS.
Some of the text of this post inspired by Merchant of Venice, Complete Study Edition, edited by Sidney Lamb, 1965 edition.
Shylock is the most vivid character in The Merchant of Venice. Actually naming the protagonist of this play is difficult - Antonio is too passive, yet his role leads us to believe his is the protagonist. However, critics have named Bassanio as the protagonist. It is a difficult question. Truth be told, Shylock, the antagonist is the most memorable character.
The character of Shylock has undergone critical debate over time. Is he simply a bloodthirsty villain? Or is he a man 'more sinned against than sinning?' That question is difficult to answer. Why? Because there are two Shylocks in the play - the villain who is required for the plot, and the human being who suffers the loss of his daughter, his property and his religion.
Shakespeare crafts a convincing villain. His plays thrive on the villain, his actions, his evil intent, his throwing of his world into chaos. In The Merchant of Venice, a romantic comedy, he is the cruel figure who stands in the way of the love story. Added to his role as the obstacle to the lovers getting what they want, he is a Jew. Shakespeare needed an ursurer, a moneylender for his plot. Usury was forbidden by God for Christians (Antonio) and the moneylending was the realm of the Jews. During the Middle Ages usury was the only occupation allowed to the Jew by law. So we have the stereotypical Jewish moneylender reviled by Christians.
Was Shakespeare anti-Semetic? A racist? Probably not. Shakespeare in his plays was only concerned with making sure his plot was driven, and he used history and historical figures to add realism to his plots - Macbeth's blood lust is not particularly Scottish or Iago's venom against Othello particularly Venetian. Shakespeare wasn't interested in condemning a group through the presentation of an individual.
In the courtroom scene in IV.i., Shylock is stripped of all that he has, which adds a tragic aspect to the play. As Shakespeare has used Shylock to represent all that is selfish and inhuman, he must be defeated for order to be returned from chaos (The Great Chain of Being).
Past representations of Shylock on the stage have been as a figure 'grotesque, sinister and ferocious'. Later versions showed Shylock as dignified, tragic. But Shakespeare wouldn't want us to sentimentalise or make Shylock overly grotesque. In The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare suggests Shylock's power and dignity and more subtly, the way in which his malignity is a defense and not an attack.
Consider the differing opinions regarding Shylock. Further research this pivotal character in the play from the SOCIAL perspective, the GENDER perspective and the CULTURAL/HISTORICAL perspective.
The poet W. H. Auden once penned these words: "Those to whom evil is done, do evil in return." In the case of Shylock, argue your opinion using your paraphrasing of Auden's words as your THESIS.
Some of the text of this post inspired by Merchant of Venice, Complete Study Edition, edited by Sidney Lamb, 1965 edition.
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