Shylock's Daughter example essay topic

Shylock Victim or villain? William Shakespeare wrote the merchant of Venice in the Elizabethan period. The play is a tragic-comedy. It is set in a place called Venice in the late 15th century. Venice is situated in the north east of Italy and is known as the 'Queen of Adriatic' for its strong naval power.

The play is about Shylock a Jewish moneylender, who is trying to make a living in a community and a Country that despises him and alienates him! At the time when the Merchant of Venice was written England was a Christian country, all children would be baptised soon after they were born and were taught the basics at a very early age. Also at this time Christians hated Jews because of the profession of lending money and charging interests. Jews were isolated in England for being sinful to a great extent because Christians by religion were unable to lend money. Jews had become a money lending society because they were often forbidden to own land or work in businesses.

So the only real job left to them were they could make a lot of money, was to lend money and charge interests. There was a great hatred between Christians and Jews in Venice; the Christians made the Jews live around the outskirts of Venice while they lived in the centre. The Christians pictured the Jews as inferior because of their religion. Shakespeare made shylock as a very interesting and an entertaining character, because he was able to capture sympathy and understanding from the audience towards Shylock. If Shakespeare had written Shylocks character showing that he was backing up Jews he could have lost his head for that! Shakespeare has made Shylock a very avaricious character this aspect of him can be seen in the very first line he says 'Three Thousand Ducats.

Well'. This big part of Shylocks character can be seen throughout the play. To its extreme when Jessica, his daughter runs away taking his money and jewels with her, he says ' I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear'. This shows that he cares more about his money and jewels than his own daughter being found alive, who is also his only family member! In Shylocks first scene it becomes clear that he spends a long time debating with Bassanio whether or not to lend him the money. The main reason for his delayed response is properly because he likes to have control over the situation, which is not usually the case.

It seems that he loves the fact that people need him, especially a Christian needing a Jew. Shylock cruelly takes full advantage of the situation and keeps Antonio and Bassanio waiting nervously for his decision. After all the waiting Shylock even pretends to forget the amount of time Antonio had said to repay him 'I had forgot, Three months; you told me so'. This shows he is very devious. Shakespeare also creates Shylock as a two-faced character, he tells Bassanio how much he hates Antonio ' I hate him for he is a Christian', but to Antonio's face he acts pleasant ' Rest you fair signor'. Finally when Shylock agrees he says he will only lend Bassanio the money if when the three months is up and the money is not repaid in full (with no interest) he shall have a pound of Antonio's flesh (enough to kill him) ' let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh, to be cut of and taken'.

This would be Shylock's way of taking revenge on Antonio. Shylock says to Antonio 'You call me misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit on my Jewish gabardine' this seems like a rather extravagant length to got to. This is a hint that shows that Shylock is being victimized, but I don't blame Antonio for saying this to him because up to now Shylock has been an evil, greedy, merciless old miser! So, after the bond has been made with Antonio, Shylock is left alone wit from student central. co. uk h no family, as Jessica his daughter elopes with Lorenzo, a friend of Bassanio's. Shylock earns pity from the audience when he tells Bassanio that 'My daughter is my flesh and blood', meaning that with her gone it is as if a part of him has been taken too. He suddenly turns into a villain when he shouts showing his emotions ' my daughter!

O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! Only Christian ducats!' This again shows his hatred for Christians and that his money has more value than his own daughter's life.

Shylock famous plea in act three, scene five shows him as a victim, 'and what's his reasons? I am a Jew, hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, with the same hurt with the same weapons?' Shylock tries to say that everyone is the same as one another, but just have different religions.

Antonio becomes bankrupt; all his wealth, which was invested in his ships, has been lost because the ships have sunk out at sea. When shylock hears the news he demands his rightful pound of flesh under the Venetian law. In act four, scene one; shylock is again presented as a villain. He walks in the court and places the scales of justice, on the table and takes of his gabardine.

This was the only chance for shylock to have some justice, not just for the bond but also for how he has been treated all his life. The court is very one sided as soon as the judge says ' Go one and call the Jew to the court' this shows the judge is biased because he calls Shylock be the name of his religion. The judge is blatantly influencing the court, with his own prejudice views. Shylock is in an unfair trial, he is a victim in the court because if his beliefs. He is being judged at a Christian court, not a court of law! Shylock wants his form of justice in his bond he made with Antonio.

During the trial Shylock loses sympathy from the audience by his words and actions. He takes out a blade and starts sharpening it on his shoes showing no mercy at all! He is ready to cut into Antonio's flesh when Portia (dressed as dressed as Balthazar the judge) stops him and says ' this bond doth give thee here no jot of blood. The word expressed are a 'pound of flesh'. ' Portia reveals that if Shylock cuts Antonio and blood is seen shylock is breaking the law! The bond Shylock had created has ruined his plan for revenge.

The tables are now turned, with Venetian law saying that a penalty must be paid by a murderer attempting to kill a Venetian. Still Shylock is classed as an alien in his own home. Shylock's possessions are confiscated because of the attempted murder of Antonio. Antonio humiliates Shylock by making two conditions for his life firstly he must become a Christian, and, secondly he must leave all his possessions to Lorenzo his enemy and Antonio, after he dies. Shylock is dishonoured and disgraced in the court scene, his only friend Tubal (also a Jew) walked out on him, as he ruthlessly cut into Antonio's flesh. Everything and every one have left Shylock, he is destroyed by his own doings, he is even isolated by his fellow Jews.

Shylock can be seen as both comic and tragic because of his quick, inconsiderate responses. After all Shylock has done, I would class him as a villain. At the end of the play, Jessica, Shylock's daughter created a sort of harmony when she sings, as she is welcomed into the Christian community, She sings a Jewish song and is happy and content. This shows that the fact that Shylock is a Jew was not all his downfall, it was his evil villainous rage and while Jessica a Jew has found peace.