Does Shylock deserve his punishment - 2423 Words

â€Å"There is no doubt that Shylock is a cunning and vengeful man, but nothing can justify the treatment he receives at the hands of the Christians.† How far do you agree with this statement? Does Shylock deserve his punishment? Shylock is punished by the Venetian court for seeking to end Antonio’s life. He is charged under a Venetian law (of Shakespeare’s creation) and he is forced to give up his wealth and to beg the Duke to spare him his life. Viewed like this it seems simple enough; Shylock broke a Venetian law and, as a consequence, is punished. However, Shylock’s case is far from simple. Antonio’s demand that Shylock should renounce his Judaism and become a Christian and his insistence that Shylock should will his money to the Christian†¦show more content†¦It is ironic that Jessica’s actions should prove to be the catalyst that hardens Shylock’s attitude towards Antonio; she has turned Christian just as Antonio believed that Shylock’s bond turned him Christian. Despite the characteristics that we cannot admire, in Act Three Shylock is at his most passionate and eloquent in a piece of unrehearsed prose prompted by yet more goading from Salerino and Solanio. The fundamental questions he poses are rhetorical – they require no answers. He sets out, forcefully and incontrovertibly, facts so basic about human existence that they would make even the most hardened racist think twice. 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?9 It is a universal message, as relevant today as it was 406 years ago, when the play was first performed. However, as mentioned before, Shylock is not a two dimensional character, he is no more simply a champion of civil rights than he is simply a barbarous parasite. One of his next lines confirms his nastier side: and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?10 Shylock’s grief, anger and hatred are more powerful than his compassion and he resolves to have his revenge. A word ofShow MoreRelatedDescribing Shylock of William Shakespeares Merchant of Venice819 Words   |  4 PagesDescribing Shylock of William Shakespeares Merchant of Venice When then Merchant of Venice was written, the religion in this country was Christianity. Anybody who was not of that religion was looked down upon, especially those who were Jews. They were treated despicably, so as the play starts and as Shylock is introduced as a Jew it is certain that he is going to be depicted as the lowest of the low, as being mercenary and sadistic. However, as the play progresses we seeRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1315 Words   |  6 Pagesthe hierarchy between Christian men and Jewish men. A character by the name of Bassanio borrows money from his friend Antonio, and Antonio borrows the money from Shylock to give to Bassanio. Eventually, Antonio cannot pay the money back because his ships have supposedly sunk. Therefore, he comes close to death because he signed a bond with Shylock stating that Shylock would get a pound of his flesh if the bond was not repaid. In the end, the conflicts between the characters are resolved, and the mastermindRead MoreMerchant of Venice and the Crucible Comparison Essay1691 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible the reader sees examples of injustice inflicted on the victims within the plays through the people with power within the community. The Christians in The Merchant of Veni ce mock Shylock the Jew countless times while the high court in The Crucible believe citizens are practicing witchcraft without a proper testimony. In both situations, the Christians and the court see themselves doing the right thing and believe they are contributingRead MoreAct IV, Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice1662 Words   |  7 Pagesstage the Elizabethan audience were quite used to seeing Jews prosecuted like Shylock was after seeing other theatre productions such as ’The Jew of Malta.’ by Christopher Marlowe. However the modern audience, being a post holocaust audience, is not so enthralled by such persecution of the Jews and feels pity for Shylock at times. The main character is a Jewish loan shark of a Usurer named Shylock. He is hated by the Christians in the play because he is a successful JewishRead MoreDetermining Whether there is a Presence of Anti-Semitism in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice893 Words   |  4 PagesMerchant of Venice that there is a large focus on Shylock being a Jew. This is very prominent in his I am a Jew speech he, the Jewish moneylender, angry and betrayed, rails against the non-Jewish world which torments him. Antonio 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 whats his reason? I am a Jew, he exclaims. Then comes the famousRead MoreShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1694 Words   |  7 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Introduction One of the most interesting and dramatic characters in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is the rich, despised money-lending Jew Shylock. It is impossible to judge Shylock’s character by our own modern Standards, simple because Shakespeare wrote this play for play goers in Elizabethan times. This was very different to modern times for two reasons. Firstly, people watching the play would not find itRead MoreThe Merchant of Venice- Critical Evaluation2293 Words   |  10 PagesHow effectively does Shakespeare explore the themes of love and hate through character in the play â€Å"The Merchant of Venice†? William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice contains many themes and elements that could be considered timeless. Shakespeare effectively explores the themes of love and hate through character in the play which is a play of two parts. One part follows the fortunes of Bassanio, a friend of the Merchant, Antonio, in his attempts to win the hand of Portia, the rich and beautifulRead More How The Character Of Shylock From â€Å"The Merchant Of Venice† Is2264 Words   |  10 PagesHow The Character Of Shylock From â€Å"The Merchant Of Venice† Is Presented To The Audience In Scenes 1.3, 3.1 and 4.1 Over the years, Shylock has been portrayed in many ways, for instance, in the Elizabethan time, Jews were seen as the cause of Christ’s death and were known moneylenders so they were persecuted, so Shylock normally came on stage wearing a bright red wig and portrayed as a comic villain due to this he was always mocked. However, after the holocaust was brought to light, JewsRead MoreHi Im Cool2335 Words   |  10 Pagesand hate Jews like the entire Venetians do. 2.) It is such a crisis for Shylock that his daughter converted and married a Christian because when Jessica left she stole a lot of his precious jewels and money. Tubal claims that she is spending it and it hurts him because he does not want to lose money. 3.) Shylock channels his grief over Jessica’s leaving into anger over Antonio because Antonio has a debt with Shylock that he has yet finished to pay off. 4.) Salerio and Solanio’s report aboutRead MoreThe Character of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice Essay3186 Words   |  13 PagesThe Character of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice Victim or villain. These two words are the total opposites of each other. A victim is someone that we in general should, or may, feel sorry for and attempt to sympathise or empathise with. But a villain is the one person that people love to hate. The best example of this I feel is pantomime. The victims or heroes are clear-cut and the audience willingly cheers them. But as soon as the villain walks on stage he is