Shylock As Evil And Bitter example essay topic

SHYLOCK Shylock was a man more sinned against than sinning. Discuss. The Merchant of Venice was written by William Shakespeare. One of the main plots is the bond between Shylock and Antonio. Shylock is a very important character, he is essential to the play, and without him there wouldn't be one. Shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning; he is at times a bad, bitter and evil man although there are times when you feel sorry for him, as he seems reasonable.

I think that during the play he is a mixture of bad and good but deep down he is a good man that has been hurt is whole life by others. He is pushed to be the way he is because of other people, one of the reasons being his religion. Antonio and his men treat him like a dog, spit on him just because he is a Jew. Others see shylock as evil and bitter. He is introduced to the play when Antonio and Basa nio discuss borrowing money from him. Shylock keeps them guessing, irritating them, delays giving them an answer, plays with their minds, and winds them up about why he should give the money to them.

Act 1, Sc 3, L -116 'what should I say to you? Should I not say? Hath a dog money? Is it possible? A cur can lend three thousand ducats or Should I bend low and in a bondman's key? With bated breath and whispering humbleness, Say this; 'Fair sir, you spat on me Wednesday last; You spurn'd me such a day; another time You called me dog - and for these courtesies I'll lend you this much money?

Here, in this speech, Shylock seems a good man, as he tells it like it is and you can actually feel sorry for him because of the way he is treated although you quickly change your mind back to thinking he is evil and crazy. Shylock cracked what was 'just a wee joke', he told Antonio, if you fail to repay me on time; I will take a pound of your flesh! In the play others see Shylock as a greedy, evil Jew. They don't see him as a person just a Jew. The also think he is greedy businessmen and a bad father. Shylock is a very religious man and wants his daughter to believe in her religion as much as he does.

She doesn't feel as strongly about it though and falls in love with a Christian which her father doesn't know about. She runs away with the Christian and all Shylock is concerned about is the money she took. Tubal told Shylock his daughter had spent fourscore ducats in one night. He is raging mad, he doesn't ask of her health or whereabouts all he is worried about is that he will never see his gold again! Tubal makes him feel even worse by telling him, Act 3, Sc 1 L 112-117, 'One of the divers showed me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey', Shylock then said, ' Out upon her! Thou tortures t me, Tubal: it was My turquoise; I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys.

' This also shows that he is a bad father and a ruthless businessman as he doesn't care about his daughter just the money she took with her and that he will never see the money that he worked so hard for again. I have said what others think of Shylock but I think he is evil and bitter only because he is pushed to be. All his life he has been treated like dirt and he only gives out what he gets. When he was introduced in the play I thought he was insane with his 'wee joke' about the bond but when you sit and study what must have possessed him to want to do this it came down to him wanting revenge against Antonio for the way he has treated him. Shylock adds one of the main plots if not the main plot to the play.

He also adds twists and provides great entertainment for the audience.