The Merchant of Venice

In The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, there appears shylock. He is a Jew, that often we are told in the cast of characters list. But, as the play unfolds usurer is inviten to be the villian. He is protrayed as being cold, unbending, and evil. But is he? Is moneylender really the opponent in this play or can he similarly be viewed as persecuted item-by-item who resorts to revenge only aft(prenominal) he has been pushed too far.\n\nTo in affluent belowstand the character of Shylock we must first locution at Elizabeathen attitudes towards Jews. In the 16th century Jews were rarely if perpetually seen in England. In the meat Ages Jews had fled to England to escape persecution in France under the Normans. They were granted charter in England by Henry I in return for a percentage of their profits from vocation and money impart. It is here that the stereotype of Jews lending money was started. Because of the tariffs placed on them by the crown Jews took to ch arging full(prenominal) interest rates to strong profits for themselves. Here we see echos of Shylock with his usury. Finally the Jews were order out of England in 1254 by Edward I. They did not return to England until the later(prenominal) half of the seventeenth century. (Lippman 3-4) Jews were besides viewed as devils by Elizabeathan audiences. sexagenarian stories portrayed them as blood-thirsty murders that poisoned well and killed Christian children for their bizarre Passover ritu! als. (Stirling 2:1) These were the stereotypes which Shakespeares audience held in realize to Jews. Shakespeare himself had never seen a Jew yet he goes to great lengths to modify Shylock even period perpetuating the stereotype.\n\nIn Act 1:3, before Shylock ever says a word to Antonio, he lets the audience know in an aside that he hates Antonio. He hates him for having hindered him in business and for having embarrassed him in public by spitting on him and trade him names such as dog an d cutthroat Jew. Shylock tells the audience he hopes to take revenge on Antonio some(prenominal) for his own humiliation and for the persecution that the Jews brace long suffered at the pass of the Christians. I hate him for he is a Christian;. . . If I can catch him at a time upon the hip, I will commit fat the ancient musical score I bear him.He hates our ineffable nation . . . Curséd be...If you penury to get a full essay, order it on our website:

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