Christian And Shylock essay topics
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Hatred Of Antonio By Shylock
1,575 wordsAnti-Semitism and The Merchant Of Venice The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, depicts the strong anti-Semitic views of the Elizabethan era, through Shakespeare's choice of plot, characters' personalities, and even his words. His play makes the attitudes, and actions of Jews seem foreign to those of a good Christian. These stereotypes are most evident in the character, Shylock, a greedy Jewish money lender. Shylock's antagonistic relationship with Antonio, a generous Christian merchant...
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Their Christian Values Shylock The World
940 wordsThe idea of mercy is important in The Merchant of Venice because it provides a focus for the contrast between Venetian Christian society and the alien invader, represented by Shylock. Mercy occupies a "central" position in the trial scene (IV. i. ), where the power struggle between aristocratic Venetian society and the threatening force Shylock comes to a climax. My thesis is that the contrast between (and equation of) mercy and revenge in the trial scene reveals the true nature of Venetian soci...
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Shylock And The Jews
846 wordsI think that the role of Shylock remains a popular one with modern actors because Shylocks character can be open to interpretation. He can be played as a greedy, merciless old miser or a persecuted, bitter old loner. The actor playing Shylock can add his own style and personality to the role. He could dress Shylock in different ways to change his image or he could change the way Shylock speaks to change the audiences view of him. For example, when Shylock demands his bond from Antonio, "Ill have...
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Antonio's Prejudice Against Shylock
328 wordsThe Merchant of Venice does portray a prejudiced message. This is first evident in Act one when Shylock openly says to himself, "I hate him because he is a Christian... May my people be cursed if I forgive him!" All throughout the book the Christians are battling with the Jews and neither of them will listen to the other because their hearts are filled with intense prejudice. Antonio proves that he is unwilling to change his feelings toward Shylock when he says, "I'm likely to call you names aga...
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Evil Shylock
1,517 wordsFew characters in Shakespeare embody pure evil like The Merchant of Venice's Shylock. Shylock is a usurer and a malevolent, blood-thirsty old man consumed with plotting the downfall of his enemies. He is a malignant, vengeful character, consumed with venomous malice 1; a picture of callous, unmitigated villainy, deaf to every appeal of humanity 2. Shylock is the antagonist opposite the naive, essentially good Antonio, the protagonist; who must defend himself against the "devil" Shylock. The evil...
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Shylock's Loathing Of Antonio
2,388 wordsThe Role of Prejudice In The Merchant of Venice This paper discusses the subject of prejudice in the William Shakespeare play, The Merchant of Venice. I. Introduction William Shakespeare's satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, believed to have been written in 1596 was an examination of hatred and greed. The premise deals with the antagonistic relationship between Shylock, a Jewish money-lender and Antonio, the Christian merchant, who is as generous as Shylock is greedy, particularly with his...
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References To A Christian God And Mercy
1,407 wordsMercy vs. Justice - Old Testament vs. New Testament While the conflict between justice and mercy plays a key role in determining the outcome of The Merchant of Venice, this conflict is even more important because it provides a setting for the contrast between the rigid law and rules of the Old Testament and the concepts of mercy and forgiveness as taught by Christ in the New Testament. It is in the climactic trial scene that The Duke, hoping Shylock will excuse Antonio's penalty, asks him, "How ...
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Powerful Antonio In Debt To Shylock
1,817 wordsThe Trial Scene From Shakespeare's Play The Merchant Of Venice According to many people Shakespeare was the greatest playwright who ever lived. And I am inclined to agree. Even today his plays are still performed all over the world and have been translated into many languages. It is said that Shakespeare's genius is universal and ever fresh. He wrote a great many plays but only thirty-seven were ever published. During Elizabethan times the audience would have come to watch one of Shakespeare's p...
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Shylock's Speech About Antonio's Abuses Towards Shylock
1,417 wordsThe Merchant of Venice: Hath not a Jew Mercy? Kevin Jacoby Many of William Shakespeare's plays have sparked controversy. Probably the one that has sparked the most controversy is The Merchant of Venice, which many intellectuals have dubbed an anti-Semitic play. The character that this discussion centers around is Shylock, the rich moneylender Jew. The problem with most of these anti-Semitic arguments is that they lack the perspective of the sixteenth century audience. Throughout Shakespeare's Th...
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Shylock And Jessica
1,913 wordsIs 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 e...
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Money From Shylock
1,405 wordsIn the play The Merchant of Venice, the character of Shylock is really the inhuman monster that the audience may believe that he can be, although he is somewhat forced into his actions by the way that the Christians in the play treated him. Shakespeare compels the character to follow through on the debt owed to him because the Christians in the play have pushed him too far in the past. The debt then becomes a form of revenge for Shylock and thus his motivation to become a villain in The Merchant...
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Jews And Shylock
1,671 wordsDiscuss Shylock as either victim or villain, with reference to his performance in the Merchant of Venice The Merchant of Venice was written by William Shakespeare in the Elizabethan period. The play is a tragi-comedy written in his second period. It is set in Venice in the late 15th century. Venice is situated in the north-east of Italy and is known as Queen of the Adriatic for its strong naval power. The play is about Shylock a Jewish money lender trying to make a living and survive in a countr...
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Mercy In Their Vengeful Acts Against Shylock
940 wordsTrue Christian Kindenss The word kind can be defined as sympathetic and generous or natural, following one's nature. The term mercy combines these ideas into a fitting idea in the play. Mercy can be defined as kind and considerate treatment that you show someone, especially when you forgive them or do not punish them. The idea of mercy in the Merchant of Venice is used to develop the ideas of Christian society versus the invader to this society, Shylock. Mercy is clearly of greatest importance t...
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Shakespeare's Othello And The Merchant Of Venice
2,975 wordsThe captivating effect of the mysterious and the strange upon the human imagination is a quality that has been exploited by storytellers since the advent of storytelling itself. As such, master dramatist William Shakespeare, in the stories he brought to life upon the stage, has crafted entire worlds, and many famous characters therein, around this enticing notion of "otherness". Thus, theatre patrons who had never been to Venice, and in all likelihood would never get the chance, could be transpo...
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Jews And Christians
881 wordsIn your opinion, is 'The Merchant of Venice' an anti-Semitic play? In the course of your answer, explain clearly how Shakespeare presents Christians and Jews and comment on what the play suggests about prejudice and religious values. The Merchant of Venice focuses a great deal on religion because it is at the centre of the whole story. Shylock (a Jew) lends money to Antonio (a Christian) and this is from where the whole problem arises and where the story begins. Neither Jew or Christian really w...
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Shylock The Money
1,066 wordsThe Merchant of Venice In the play The Merchant of Venice, Shylock, a money lender, has the right to take a pound of flesh from Antonio, a Merchant. Shylock was abused and not given the same rights as Christians, who thought themselves as far superior to the Jews, Shylock's religion. Antonio had agreed to the bond which he and Shylock made, which entitled that if Antonio was not able to repay the 3 000 ducats by a certain day, then Shylock would cut off the pound of flesh. Antonio could not repa...
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Merchant Of Venice Theme Of Mercy Vs Justice
789 wordsIn Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice", the theme of mercy vs. justice was used effectively to clearly display the different attitudes amongst the central characters. Shylock "stands for the law", for justice at all costs. The Christian characters balance this; they seem to value love and mercy above material wealth, although they have no conscience when it comes to the treatment of Jews and their families. Prejudice is a core theme in this play and is present in many aspects of Venetian society ...
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Shylock On The Virtues Of Mercy
617 wordsIn this exciting scene at the court, Antonio came to the trial in preparation for his punishment. The Duke made a long speech in which he urged Shylock on the virtues of mercy. However Shylock was unmoved and was determined than ever to get his bond. Portia amongst all the others at the trial knew that justice was on Shylock's side. But she made a powerful addition to the divine quality of mercy, which brought the play to its climax. Portia was first presented as a young woman still under the co...
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Evaluations Show Shylock
766 wordsMany disputes arise over the interpretation of Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice. Set in Italy, Shylock is a Jewish moneylender despised because of his practice of usury and his religious affiliation. Bassanio is a dear friend of Antonio that wishes to borrow a sum of 3,000 ducats. In order to give Bassanio the money he needs, Antonio commits to a contract with Shylock that will forfeit one pound of his flesh should he not be able to pay the loan. He eventually admits bankruptcy and plea...
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