Is Shylock simply the villain of "The Merchant of Venice", or can we find redeeming features in him?
posted October 25, 2009 - 12:50pm
At the beginning of the play, Shylock appears to be a hateful old man. He is desperate to harm Christians in any way possible. However as the play continues, Shakespeare presents Shylock as more human when he speaks from his heart.
We
are first introduced to Shylock in I.iii. Bassanio sets out to “try what [Antonio’s] credit can in Venice do,” because he needs money to impress Portia with fine clothes, slaves and other shows of affluence. All Shylock appears to be interested in is financial; when he says “Antonio is a good man,” Bassanio thinks that he is talking about Antonio’s personality. In fact, Shylock is saying that he believes Antonio to be fiscally responsible i.e. rich enough to pay him back on time. It is sad that Shylock is so financially-oriented.
When Bassanio invites Shylock to dine with him, in order to meet Antonio, Shylock responds vehemently. “Yes, to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into.” His “Yes,” is sarcastic and emphasises his disgust at the thought of having to break bread with Christians; here we begin to learn of his hatred and spiteful nature.
Later in I.iii, we start to understand why Shylock is so condemning of all Christians. Antonio calls him “misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spits upon [his] Jewish gabardine.” This is the first justification presented for Shylock’s impoliteness and anger towards the Christians. We are on the verge of sympathising with him. Then Shylock removes any sentiment of pity that we might have had for him when he announces the terms of the bond to Antonio. He proclaims that the forfeit will be “an equal pound of [Antonio’s] fair flesh.” Now we see just how twisted and cruel Shylock really is; it is difficult to see him as anything else besides the villain.
In III.i Shylock learns that Antonio’s ship the Rialto has been “wrecked on the narrow seas”. Salerio cannot believe that Shylock will take Antonio’s flesh as specified in the bond, he asks “what’s that [the flesh] good for?”
Cruel hearted Shylock replies “To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.” He does not care that it is useless; his only desire is for revenge because he feels that he has been so mistreated. He carries on “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands…?” emphasising that a Jew is just as human as any person of another faith is. Shylock continues the logic:
If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why revenge. The villany you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.
He uses powerful rhetoric which arouses mixed emotions in the audience. We struggle to sympathise but cannot, at this moment, dislike him whole-heartedly because he still has the opportunity to be innocent and forgive Antonio or delay the repayment deadline. His speech is presented methodically and such is its natural progression that his conclusion appears inevitable to us. We both pity him for the abuse he has received already and despise him for the injury to Antonio which he has planned.
Again in III.i Shakespeare demonstrates the uncaring attitude towards Shylock that even his own daughter possesses. Tubal says “One of them showed me a ring he had of your daughter for a monkey.” As if it were not awful enough that Jessica eloped with a Christian and stole from her own flesh and blood, she has then traded a family heirloom for a useless monkey. We start to feel sorry for Shylock and the way he has been treated.
Although he is not a Christian, when he is in court the Duke announces to him that “We [those in court] all expect a gentle answer.” This emphasises to the audience of the play that everyone is against Shylock. The Christians in the court room feel he has to behave in a Christian manner and forgive Antonio because he is now surrounded. They are certain that he will give in at the last minute and take “the principal”.
Our feelings against Shylock are severely worsened by the joy he gleans from the impending forfeiture. When Shylock is offered three times the amount specified in the bond, he responds saying “it is [his] humour;” it is extremely sadistic. His reason for preferring to kill Antonio to the nine thousand ducats is that it is his fancy; it is disgusting. The audience in the courtroom are irate when Shylock remains merciless and unforgiving.
Portia plays a pivotal role when dressed as a man she points out that Shylock cannot “shed one drop of Christian blood” when he takes the forfeit or all his belongings will be seized. Upon hearing this he tries to claim thrice the bond that he was offered, then he attempts to take “the principal,” but he is not allowed that either as he has already turned it down. Now we pity him and the misfortune he has suffered. As if he has not been punished enough, he then finds out his life is forfeit. Fortunately for him, the Duke shows the mercy that Shylock would not show to Antonio and spares his life. Shylock is lucky that the Duke acts in a Christian way. Unfortunately for Shylock one of the conditions of his life being spared is that he has to convert to Christianity, his career as a usurer is finished.
Although at times Shylock is shown to be a human being, when he cries in court or when his daughter elopes, he is presented as a revengeful character. Whether he would have acted in the same fashion if he had not been mocked for years by Christians is debatable, however his cruelty towards Antonio and willingness to hurt or kill others on a whim is horrifying. This is why Shylock is the villain of The Merchant of Venice.
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