Merchant of venice shylock essay

Merchant of venice shylock essay

Shylock a Victim - Merchant of Venice,The Character of Shylock Plays Essay Example

WebIn early productions of The Merchant of Venice, actors played Shylock as either a monster or an evil clown, enforcing the idea that he is the villain of the play. In many ways he WebAlthough critics tend to agree that Shylock is The Merchant of Venice’s most noteworthy figure, no consensus has been reached on whether to read him as a bloodthirsty WebJun 15,  · Topics: The Merchant of Venice, Shylock, Portia. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. William Shakespeare is likely the world 's most famous playwright. He is WebNov 1,  · “ The Merchant of Venice Shylock ” Get custom paper NEW! smart matching with writer Shylock knows that Antonio will not be able to pay him back, so that is why WebNov 24,  · Shylock lends money almost maliciously; he seeks to have people (at least Antonio) at his mercy. Bassiano asks for money due to friendship, and Antonio stands for ... read more

At this point, the law is turned on Shylock. Portia tells Shylock he may have his bond, but that,. Shylock, realizing his desired pound of flesh will not be his bond, agrees to accept the payment of the ducats. To this, Portia replies,. Shylock is forced to his knees to beg the Duke for Mercy. Shylock, would choose death over the mercy shown to him by the Duke and Antonio, he asks the court to,. n granting him to keep half of his goods, Antonio takes his identity, his religion, his heart, and soul. Antonio seeks that Shylock,.

Life and Christianity have defeated Shylock, they have taken his daughter and given him a Christian son to which he is bound to leave everything he owns. Shylock has been stripped of any power he may have once if fleetingly, had. He is no longer villainous, he is piteous. Shylock evolved and transformed as a character, before us as an audience just as our feelings, perceptions, and sympathies for him. This essay was written by a fellow student. You can use it as an example when writing your own essay or use it as a source, but you need cite it. Did you know that we have over 70, essays on 3, topics in our database? Explore how the human body functions as one unit in harmony in order to life. Merchant of Venice — Shylock. Free Essays - PhDessay.

com, Mar 02, Accessed February 2, com , Mar The Cyclical Nature of Hatred and Vengeance By Darina Gaievska Love and hatred, happiness and misery, excitement and lethargy — all of these emotions are inherited to the human nature.. The Merchant of Venice The play The Merchant of Venice is a comedy about a man named Bassanio who wants to travel to Belmont to try and win the love. All communities run successfully with qualities of fairness and equality. The well-being of the citizens depends on the support and guidance they receive from those with power and influence in. Introduction The play, the merchant of Venice, was written by Shakespeare. He uses techniques, dramatic techniques. Parent-Child Relationship Between Jessica and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice After reading The Merchant of Venice, we should ask ourselves if Shylock, who many people perceive as tragedy stricken.

Questioning Humanity The Merchant Of Venice In the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Shylock is portrayed as a manipulative, greedy, and money hungry man who, throughout the book, is. Ever been in a situation where you do not know whether to be fair or bend the rules a bit? In The Merchant of Venice, mercy and justice are the. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. Home Page Literature Books Merchant of Venice Merchant of Venice - Shylock. I hate him for he is Christian, but more for that in low simplicity Order custom essay Merchant of Venice — Shylock with free plagiarism report. Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade. check my essay hire writer. Order original essay sample specially for your assignment needs.

get custom essay. Themes in the Merchant of Venice. Top-Rated Free Essay. Merchant of Venice - Antonio and Shylock Satisfactory Essays. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. William Shakespeare shows how two tradesmen can have completely different lives when others view them differently in the play The Merchant of Venice. In the play, Bassanio, Antonio's friend, needs money to pursue his love. They seek a loan from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender in Antonio's name. The contract is for three times the value of the bond in three months or else Shylock cuts off a pound of flesh from Antonio. While all this is happening, there are love plots going on. One of which is for Shylock's daughter to elope with Lorenzo, a Christian. Later on, Antonio's source of money, his ship, is reported sunken in the English Channel, dooming him to the loss of one pound of his flesh.

There is a trial on the bond, and when it seems sure that Antonio will die, Portia, disguised as a doctor of laws legally gets Antonio out of the situation and Shylock receives harsh penalties. Antonio and Shylock, two similar businessmen of Venice, are viewed differently and are treated oppositely to heighten the drama of the play and mold a more interesting plot. When Antonio is asking Shylock for the loan he says, "Within these two months – that's a month before this bond expires – I do expect, return of thrice times the value of this bond. Antonio and Shylock both are well off and successful businessmen. Antonio, being a man who is treats everyone nicely, lends his good name to Bassanio to woo Portia. Shylock on the other hand, could never do that and is a very greedy man who asks for three times the value of the loan.

Also, Antonio is a risk taker and thinks things will always go the right way for him and his success will continue, which is shown when he accepts the high interest rate and the bizarre payment if the money isn't received. Shylock handles his business straightforward and charges interest because it is his job, although being a very high amount and if it isn't carried out, Shylock gets his payment of one pound of flesh. Shylock is depicted as the greedy businessman while Antonio is the nice man who tries his luck. When Antonio walks into the room, Shylock greets him with, "I hate him for he is a Christian.

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. Shylock is placed in a constant Christian hating mood just because he is Jewish and it whenever something bad happens, its due to a Christian, from his daughter running away or all his assets being taken away. This is justified by the way Christians act toward him but he still shouldn't stereotype everyone in the city he is in. Antonio is a Christian, which means he will automatically fit in with the city and have everything go his way. Shakespeare uses the contrast between the religions of the two to show how much it can change a life in Venice.

When Antonio wins the trail, he wants to change the sentence so that his assets will go to Jessica and Lorenzo in his will and that "He [Shylock] presently becomes a Christian. Everyone hates Shylock just for his religion, making him a bitter man who always is out of luck. Shakespeare makes Shylock's situation worse because he has no friends in the play. The closest thing Shylock has to a friend is his daughter Jessica, who betrays him for a Christian and even his servant leaves him. Antonio has all the friends and good relationships in the play who come out and help him just like he would help them. It is so unfair for Shylock that he actually loses his own trail even though he is the prosecution.

Naturally, the Jew gets social short straw in the story. Although the anti-Semitism seems wrong to a 21st century audience, it is perfectly fine for the Elizabethan audience who views Shylock's bad luck somewhat as comic relief. While it seems like Shylock might come out the victor in the story, he just loses even more and more in the end. You May Also Find These Documents Helpful. Good Essays. Merchant of Venice Words 3 Pages. Merchant of Venice. Read More. Better Essays. Merchant of Venice: Shylock More Sinned Against Than Sinning Words 7 Pages. Merchant of Venice: Shylock More Sinned Against Than Sinning. Satisfactory Essays. The Crucible Comparative Analysis Words 2 Pages. The Crucible Comparative Analysis. Merchant of Venice Essay and Outline Words 2 Pages.

Merchant of Venice Essay and Outline. Explore the Three Portrayals of Shylock You Have Seen in Act 4 Scene 1. in What Ways Are Each Effective and Why? scylock in the merchant of Venice antagonist Words 3 Pages. scylock in the merchant of Venice antagonist. Deceptive Intentions - Analysis on "The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare Words 3 Pages. Deceptive Intentions - Analysis on "The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare. Final Essay for Merchant of Venice Words 3 Pages. Final Essay for Merchant of Venice. Powerful Essays. Homoscocial and Homoerotiscism in Shakespeare Words 11 Pages. Homoscocial and Homoerotiscism in Shakespeare. To What Extent Does Shakespeare Present Shylock As A Victim? The Merchant of Venice - Trial Scene Words 6 Pages.

Although when taking into account the many trials and tribulations that Shylock had to endure, it is forthcoming to say that Shylock was more sinned against than sinning. There are key and defining moments in this play when it becomes more apparent as to why Shylock is acting out against Antonio. From early on when Antonio goes to Shylock, the audience is notified of the distaste Antonio has for Shylock. On top of this, the treatment of him after he loses his daughter to the one thing he hates more than Antonio, his beliefs, coupled with the manner in which he was forced to become a Christian and join those who continually oppressed him is enough evidence to suggest he was more sinned against.

Through the development of Shylock and Portia, Shakespeare has been able to address the main issues of The Merchant Of Venice such as mercy, law and revenge but he also questions their principles of trust. Also through Shylock, there are other issues such as racism and money that have been portrayed considerably and the role of women has also been developed by Portia. Shylock is made to be the villain in the Merchant of Venice because of some of the things he does. But even though he may not have been the only one in the wrong, he is still guilty of the deadly sins of, avarice, envy, and wrath.

Discrimination and hatred across religions can be often become a normal part of everyday life, and can be difficult to eradicate and extinguish. Shylock is clearly a villain in the sense that he repeatedly takes advantage of people in vulnerable economic situations and makes a handsome living in this way. Not only can lines in the play be interpreted by the audience in multiple ways, they are meant to have multiple meanings. This duality can be seen in the characters as well. Jessica, Shylock's daughter plans to elope with Lorenzo against her father's wishes, were he to know. Jessica reveals her shame for her father Although many parts of the play could be interpreted as offensive in modern times, Elizabethan audiences found them comical.

The majority of London's population at the time was anti-Semitic because there were very few Jews living there. Antonio and Shylock, two similar businessmen of Venice, are viewed differently and are treated oppositely because Shylock is not a Christian but a Jew. One example of this is the way Launcelot treats Shylock in Act 2. In the play The Merchant of Venice Shylock is supposed to be the protagonist, the definition of protagonist is; the leading character or a major character in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text. But the way Shylock is portrayed is more along the lines of being both victim and villain.

And farther on into the play Shylock is betrayed by his own daughter who stole from her father and became a Christian. But as victimised as Shylock is, he is also out for revenge on all Christians and is willing to kill to get what he thinks everyone deserves. This makes him appear to be a villain. Good evening Ladies and Gentleman. I expect some of you will have recognised the quote I just presented as Shylock in Act 4 Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice. I am very honoured to have been asked to be here at this gathering of the most eminent literary minds in the English speaking world and even more excited to be presenting to you in the home of English literature, Stratford-upon-Avon.

This victim of Elizabethan anti-Semitism has come to represent the vilification of Judaism in the Christian world. Robert F. and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. He lashed out against the prejudice that was thrust upon him and is considered evil for doing so. The Merchant of Venice brought together different characters of different religions. Shakespeare used characters in this play to reflect sixteenth century views on Christianity and Judaism.

The character Shylock wass used to embody the religious conflicts of the Elizabethan era. Religious discrimination has been present for centuries. It was present at the time of Shakespeare, just as it is present today, centuries later. In Shakespeare's time, Jews were a typical target of discrimination by Christians. As a result of constant Christian torment and humiliation, many Jews spurned the Christians. If given the opportunity, many Jews would retaliate against Christians with the same treatment Christians submitted them to.

In William Shakespeare's play, "The Merchant of Venice," this opportunity arises for one particular Jew, Shylock. Shylock stirs up a range of emotions in the audience, when giving a speech to support his claim that he is entitled to regard the Christians with the same ill-treatment they have shown him. the hero of the play. The play is about when good and evil clash. HOME ESSAYS Shylock a Victim - Merchant of Venice. Top-Rated Free Essay. Shylock a Victim - Merchant of Venice Good Essays. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. William Shakespeare is likely the world 's most famous playwright. He is considered a genius for his skill with words, his understanding of people and of human nature, and his sense of what really pleases an audience.

In Shakespeare 's play, The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare uses his great skill in writing to make a character appear as if he is both a villain and a victim. A victim can be defined as an unfortunate person who suffers from a destructive action or through the dishonesty of others. Although Shylock is viewed by Christians in the play as a cruel man, Shylock is a victim because he is mistreated, betrayed and his possessions, culture and dignity are taken away from him, all because he is a Jew. Shylock is a victim of the play because he is mistreated. Shylock is being abused by Christians but mostly Antonio. Shylock shows through these lines that Antonio abuses him verbally and physically, as Antonio calls him names and spat on him, all because he lends money with interest.

Another example of Shylock 's mistreatment is Christians insulting his faith. Lorenzo believes that Christianity is the religion that is powerful enough to make anyone go to heaven. In these lines Shylock is viewed by Lorenzo as a faithless Jew, he is implying that Shylock 's Jewish faith is not strong enough to get him to heaven. Therefore, Lorenzo is biased against anyone that is not a Christian, such as Shylock being a Jew. Also, Shylock is humiliated in court. He is looked down on by Christians during the trial. Before the Duke begin the proceedings he says, I am sorry for thee: thou art come to answer A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch Uncapable of pity, void and empty From any dram of mercy.

Through these lines it shows that the Duke feels pity for Antonio because of Shylock and describes Shylock as a non-human. It appears that the Duke feels more sympathy for Antonio. One reason is because Antonio is a fellow Christian. Shylock is being betrayed throughout the entire play. When Jessica elopes with Lorenzo, a Christian, taking all of Shylock 's ducats and jewels with them, Shylock feels really deserted. Shylock says, "My own flesh and blood to rebel! Even though Shylock seems to value his ducats more than his daughter, Shylock shows through this line that he also feels deceived by knowing that her one and only daughter turned against him. Another example of Shylock being betrayed is when Shylock is betrayed by his own bond.

Shylock can take his pound of flesh but reminds him that if a drop of Christian blood is been spilled, he will be considered guilty for taking the life of a Venetian and by law he will be punished. Shylock expects to get his revenge on Antonio, but it turns out to be that his bond has been turned against him. Near the end of the play, Shylock is also betrayed by the laws of Venice. When Shylock realizes that his bonds is useless, he changed his mind and agrees in taking three times the sum of what Antonio owes him instead. Shylock becomes even more of a victim when the government of Venice takes Shylock 's possessions, culture and dignity away from him. Antonio says, So please my lord the duke, and all the court, To quit the fine for one half of his goods, I am content so he will let me have The other half in use, to render it, Upon his death, unto the gentleman That lately stole his daughter.

Two things provided more, that, for this favour, He presently become a Christian; The other, that he do record gift, Here in the court, of all he dies possess 'd, Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter. Antonio shows through these lines that he is willing to give mercy to Shylock and allows him to keep half of his fortune, provided that Antonio keeps the other half in trust for Jessica and Lorenzo after his death. Another example of Shylock being a victim is his culture taken away from him. Antonio states that Shylock must immediately convert to Christianity as a part of his sentence.

During the trial, Portia says, "Down therefore and beg mercy of the duke. He was advised to practice mercy but insisted on the law. Now, through this words by Portia, Shylock must beg for mercy rather than a strict interpretation of the law. All the people who are present during the trial have seen that Shylock is shamed. In the play The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is a victim. He is simply rejected by the people in his society. They treated Shylock as if he is not a human being because he is a Jew. Shylock is harmed by the hurtful words and actions of the people around him towards him and his faith, he is also betrayed by his own daughter, bond, and by the laws of the city in which he lives, and Shylock was shamed in court, as a part of his sentence he must surrender half of his riches and the other half will go to his daughter after his death, and he must convert to Christianity immediately.

References Shakespeare, W. The Merchant of Venice, I. Maitman, Eds. Toronto: Harcourt Canada. You May Also Find These Documents Helpful. Better Essays. Merchant of Venice: Shylock More Sinned Against Than Sinning Words 7 Pages. Merchant of Venice: Shylock More Sinned Against Than Sinning. Read More. Good Essays. Merchant of Venice Words 3 Pages. Merchant of Venice.

The Merchant of Venice,Shylock Essay

WebSep 2,  · Categories: Merchant of Venice. Download. Essay, Pages 11 ( words) Views. J. R Brown writes in his introduction to “The Merchant of Venice” that as WebEssay On The Character Of Shylock In The Merchant Of Venice. In the Middle Ages usury was banned to Christians by the church and for that reason usury or the illegal act of WebNov 1,  · “ The Merchant of Venice Shylock ” Get custom paper NEW! smart matching with writer Shylock knows that Antonio will not be able to pay him back, so that is why WebAlthough critics tend to agree that Shylock is The Merchant of Venice’s most noteworthy figure, no consensus has been reached on whether to read him as a bloodthirsty WebJun 15,  · Topics: The Merchant of Venice, Shylock, Portia. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. William Shakespeare is likely the world 's most famous playwright. He is WebNov 24,  · Shylock lends money almost maliciously; he seeks to have people (at least Antonio) at his mercy. Bassiano asks for money due to friendship, and Antonio stands for ... read more

The Merchant of Venice. Another example of Shylock 's mistreatment is Christians insulting his faith. Free trial is available to new customers only. I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. Lawyer 1A shows us that in The Merchant of Venice and Shylock Offering other way around. Powerful Essays. The Merchant of Venice Shylock Villain or Victim Words 4 Pages.

Your Plan. Billing Address. scylock in the merchant of Venice antagonist. Shylock handles his business straightforward and charges interest because it is his job, although being a very high amount and if it isn't carried out, Merchant of venice shylock essay gets his payment of one pound of flesh. The pound of flesh is worth more to him than ten times the amount of ducats owed.