Shylock And Jessica example essay topic

Is Shakespeare Prejudiced In Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice, the one character that is truly hard to figure out is Shylock. Shylock is an old, greedy, villainous man, but he is also a Jew who loses everything. It's hard as a reader or audience to know whether you are suppose to feel sorry for this man or greatly dislike him. It's also hard to figure out if Shylock is playing the villain role in the play or if Shakespeare could be showing discrimination. Int his paper, I am going to explore the character of Shylock and try and decide just exactly what kind of character he is. Act I, Scene 3 is the first introduction to the character of Shylock.

Bassano needs money and because all of Antonio's ships are out to sea, he goes to Shylock for a loan. Shylock says to himself: "I hate him for he is a Christian; But more, for that in low simplicity He lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice. If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him" (Barnet 16). Because of this statement, my first impression of Shylock is Shakespeare is trying to portray him as a stereotypical Jewish man. During this time, it was against the irreligion for Christians to charge interest, but it was not for Jewish people. Shylock obviously hates Antonio because he is Christian, but also for the fact that he doesn " t charge interest.

Usually, people think of Jews as being greedy. Some feel that Shakespeare is definitely portraying that through Shylock. He is an angry, prejudiced, greedy man, which at that time was not atypical for Christians to think of as Jews. However, a person could also look at this scene and feel that this is Shakespeare " sway of setting up who is going to be the villain in the play. When Shylock says he hates Antonio because he is Christian, some people automatically feel as if that is just ludicrous, and Shylock is just an old, greedy man Jewish or not. Shylock obviously is well-off as far as money goes, and it seems he just wants to take revenge on any Christian because of the persecution he's been through.

Also, Antonio and Shylock were never friends to begin with, so Shylock has no reason to be nice or like Antonio. After the introduction to Shylock, we also get introduced to Shylock's daughter, Jessica, in Act II, Scene 3. Some people believe this scene also seems as if Shakespeare is showing his discrimination towards Jewish people. Jessica's first words are spoken to Launcelot after he tells her he's leaving: "I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so; Our house is hell, and thou a merry devil Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness.

But farewell to thee; there is a ducat for thee" (Barnet 30). Jessica also goes on to say to herself after Launcelot leaves: "Alack, what heinous sin is it in me To be ashamed to be my father's child! But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners. Lorenzo, If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife, Become a Christian and thy loving wife!" (Barnet 31). So, it is quite obvious that Jessica is very unhappy living with her father, and it seems as if the only way she can be happy is if she converts to Christianity. Shakespeare very well could be saying through Jessica that the only way a Jewish person can ever be happy is by leaving the Jewish religion and becoming a Christian.

If their " house is hell" than once again Shylock is portrayed as an evil, Jewish man who has created an atmosphere that no one would want to live in, whether it be Launcelot or Jessica. On the other hand, this scene may have nothing to do with the fact that Shylock and Jessica are Jewish. Shakespeare could just have Jessica being unhappy because Shylock is the villain character who is not a thoughtful, loving father. Jessica could before ashamed to be of her father's blood because of the man he is, and not because of his religion.

She also could be wanting to change religions strictly because she is in love and will do anything to be with the man she wants to marry. In the very next scene, Shylock is leaving his house to Jessica, and Shakespeare seems to be presenting the stereotypical Jew once again. Shylock says to Jessica, "Lockup my doors; and when you hear the drum And the vile squealing of the wry-necked fife, Clamber not you up to the casements then, Nor thrust your head into the public street To gaze on Christian fools with varnished faces; But stop my house's ears-I mean my casements; Let not the sound of shallow fop p " ry enter My sober house" (Barnet 34). This passage shows that Shylock is very concerned with his belongings, so much that he " shaving a hard time leaving them.

Stereotypically, Jewish people are very obsessed with money and their possessions, and have a hard time trusting people. Shylock is definitely concerned with his house, and he doesn't seem to trust Jessica all that much. In contrast, Shylock did have a bad dream and that is the reason he could be worried about leaving. He has worked hard for his money, and he may feel as if he can " trust anyone because he is one of the only Jews in this Christian country. Shakespeare may also be setting up the fact that Jessica can not be trusted because she does end up taking a lot of her father's money and betraying him. In Act II, Scene 8, Shylock learns that Jessica has run off with Lorenzo, christian, and has taken a lot of his money.

I believe this is the only scene where it can only be argued that Shakespeare is definitely being prejudiced. Solanio is telling Saleriowhat happened when Shylock found about his daughter and his money. Solanio says, "Ast he dog Jew did utter in the streets: 'My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian!

O my Christian ducats! Justice! The law! My ducats and my daughter! A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats... Stol'n by my daughter!

Justice! Find the girl! She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats!" (Barnet 41). First of all, Solanio refers to Shylock as a "dog Jew".

There is really no way of defending that name-calling. Second of all, it is very apparent that Shylock is just as worried, if not more worried about his money being taken and him getting it back. Shakespeare is saying that Shylock thinks of Jessica as a possession, and also that as far as possessions go, his money is more important thanh is daughter. To me, Shakespeare wrote this scene purely with the negative stereotypes of Jewish people in mind. This scene is very discriminatory against Jews. To counteract the previous mentioned scene, in Act, Scene 1, Shakespeare presents Shylock as an actual human being again.

He says, "I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions-fed withthe 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 If you prick us, do we not bleed If you tickle us, do we not laugh If you poison us, do we not die" (Barnet 49). The only way I can look at this statement is that Shylock is just a lonely, desperate man who is angry and revengeful. However, this mean man is still human and does not like being ostracized because he is Jewish. He wants people to see that he is human and normal like them. He wants them to see that he is not different because of his religion.

Shakespeare makes up for his previous discrimination in this scene. In the end of the play, Shylock wants Antonio to pay his debt which is a pound of his flesh. Shylock has him arrested, and they go to court. Everyone is trying to convince Shylock to just take the money he is owed but Shylock answers with: "You " ll ask me why rather choose to have A weight of carrion flesh than to receive Three thousand ducats. I'll not answer that, But say it is my humor. Is it answered...

So can I give no reason, norI will not, More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing I bear Antonio, that I follow thus A losing suit against him. Are you answered" (Barnet 72, 73). It is hard to understand why Shylock won't take the money, especially because stereotypically a Jew would want the money; however, Shylock wants revenge and feels he is entitled to it. Inthe end though, Shylock should have taken the money because he ends up losingeverything instead. Could Shakespeare have been setting up Shylock so the Jew would lose everything It is possible. Especially because the punishment ends up being up to Antonio, and Antonio states this: "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 favor he presently become a Christian; The other, that he do record a gift Here in the court of all he dies possessed Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter" (Barnet 84, 85). Shylock ended up losing everything: his money, his daughter, and his religion. Did he deserve this You can argue it either way. Shylock was very greedy and mean; he was the villain. The villain always loses in the story, therefore Shylock had to lose. However, you can also look at Shakespeare writing a play about why you should not be Jewish.

The only Jewish person in the play ended up losingeverything and being forced to convert to Christianity, and his Jewish daughter was only happy because she married a Christian man and converted. Shylock is truly a controversial character in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. It's hard to know if Shakespeare is prejudiced or if he was just trying to write a good play with a believable villain. In my eyes, it is hard to overlook the fact that Shylock really didn't do anything wrong, but still got everything taken away from him. And, the fact that Antonio made him give up his religion and switch to Christianity makes me believe that deep down Shakespeare was prejudice and was portraying that throughShylock's character.