by Ely Tinkler

Created on: February 10, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

"Antonio describes Shylock as a devil' and a villain'. Do you think this is a fair description or is Shylock a victim of the intolerant prejudice of the times?"

In The Merchant of Venice', the character of Shylock can be interpreted in two ways. He is subject to insults and prejudiced behaviour from the Christian community in every aspect of his life. He is called an impenetrable cur' and a cut-throat dog' by the Christians and is still expected to lend them money and show mercy. Here we feel sympathy for him and he can be considered a victim. On the other hand, he seeks the flesh of Antonio and wants revenge for the way he is treated. Sarcastic bitterness is prevalent in his speech and he is adamant about having his bond. These traits are more characteristic of a villain. He is not a straightforward villain but nor is he a deprived victim. It is up to the audience to form their opinion of him and decide what sort of character he is.

There are some themes throughout the play which link directly to Shylock. Prejudice is certainly very important and clearly demonstrated. In 15th century Venice, Jews such as Shylock had no status and were strongly discriminated against. They were tolerated simply because they were needed as money-lenders. Usury was seen as a sinful profession for Christians, despite being required in the city for the successful trade and industry that thrived in towns such as Venice. Jews were exiled from England during Shakespeare's time therefore he would have had no contact with them. However the general hatred of Jews was still very strong. The audience would have disliked Shylock on the basis that he was Jewish.

Two other closely linked themes are revenge and mercy. During the play Shylock, a Jew, is asked to show mercy. Mercy is a Christian concept therefore Shylock is unable to see its value and does not use it. Part of the reason behind this is also that he is seeking revenge. If he were to show mercy towards Antonio then he would not gain the justice and revenge that he had been in search for. At the end of the courtroom scene, the Christians then show their desire for revenge as they punish Shylock for threatening the life of Antonio. These two themes are inextricably linked and intertwine throughout the entire play.

We can begin to analyse characters and form a view of Christians, through which we can judge Shylock, at the beginning of the play In Act 1 Scene 1. Bassanio explains to Antonio his need for money to marry Portia. His benefactor

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