Shylock as a Victim of Villain Essay - 2293 Words

Shylock as a Victim of Villain Throughout the play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ there are constant references to various characters and the way they relate to one another, however there is no character so diverse and so complex as Shylock’s character. Shakespeare tries to portray Shylock in a number of ways however I believe his main focus in the play, is on his villainous side. This may be portraying the time of Shakespeare where ethnic minorities like Jews were hated and condemned for their religion. Jews like Shylock weren’t awarded equal rights during Shakespeare’s times and there was definitely a lot of prejudice against them. They were forced to earn a living in ways not†¦show more content†¦There may be examples where Shylock is portrayed as a victim in this scene, but there are also numerous cases where Shylock is described as a villain. Although Antonio may have been abusing Shylock there are also numerous occurrence s where Shylock is abusing Antonio. â€Å" I hate him for he is a Christian.† Here we can see how Shylock has some racial issues with Antonio, and therefore it can argued that he has a villainous streak. One of the most disturbing and conclusive pieces of evidence that prove he is a villain is the point at which he demands Antonio’s flesh; â€Å" Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken in what part of your body pleaseth me.† This truly shows his villainous side, as he is demanding flesh as a forfeit in his bargain with Antonio. Not just simply some money or some of his possessions but instead he is demanding flesh. In my opinion this clearly shows how Shylock is a villain. I believe this grudge between him and Antonio runs deeper that first may meet the eye. I believe that his villainous side stems from the fight between Christians and Jews. â€Å" I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.† This quote shows how Shylock will make this old grudge between Jews and Christians grow and howShow MoreRelatedShylock: Villain or Victim6154 Words   |  25 PagesShylock: Victim or Villain? He is a Jewish moneylender who earns his living by charging interest on money he loans (like modern banks). He often speaks prose in the play, which marks him out as an outsider. He is persecuted by all the non-Jews he knows: He tells Antonio, suffrance is the badge of all our tribe. He is verbally abused and bullied by most characters in the play and is called cruel names including villain with a smiling cheek, cut-throat dog, bloody creditor, damned inexecrableRead MoreWas Shylock A Victim Or A Villain1719 Words   |  7 Pagesone that is portraying various peoples lives throughout Venice and Belmont. 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