One of the most controversial characters in Shakespeares plays, that can either be loved or hated by the reader, is Shylock, a Jewish character in the play The Merchant of Venice. His appearance throughout the book is left to interpretation, therefore depending on the reader; Shylock can be either a villain, a victim or maybe even a villain but a victim of the society.
Shakespeare enjoyed drawing ambiguous characters, Shylock is an example. It is very difficult to determine if Shakespeares characters were in fact victims or villains. Not one of Shakespeares characters is entirely evil, nor entirely good, giving his writing a greater sense of realism. Shakespeare seems to deliberately try to make it hard for the audience to decide if Shylock is indeed a victim or a villain.
A good example of a character that interacts with Shylock throughout the play is Antonio. Antonio appears to be the perfect Christian and is portrayed as one, but his inhuman side can be seen in his treatment of Shylock. When Shakespeare first brings Shylock onto the stage he shows us someone who, at first sight, appears to be a stereotypical Jewish character, vengeful and grasping, but towards the end of the book, he becomes one of the victims. Shylocks view that Antonio is a good man refers not to Antonios moral standing, but rather to his financial one. Later on, Shylock describes Antonio: How like a fawning publican he looks. I hate him for he is a Christian: But more, for that in low simplicity He lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice. This quotation gives the reader an inside of Shylocks feeling and his position within society, as well as distinguishes the two characters apart. As Shylock said, he doesnt only hate Antonio because he is Christian, but because he is bringing Shylocks business down. On the other hand Antonios reason for hating on Shylock is just because he is a Jew. Using these lines we can compare the two characters in order to decide which one is the victim and which is the villain.
Shylock seems to be an unpleasant character who dislikes Antonio just because he is a Christian and has different moral views. Later in the play, Shakespeare indicates to us that Antonios treatment of Shylock is just as bad, for he hates Shylock for exactly the same reason; that he is of a different religion: he hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million, Shylock later says this about Antonio, laughs at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my Nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies, and whats his reason? I am a Jew.
Shylocks most famous speech throughout the entire play is I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. 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 villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. This passage is used to emphasize the fact that Jewish people are no different that Christians and should be treated no different. This also emphasizes the point that Shylock should not be treated as a villain. He is treated unfairly throughout the play and this passage just portrays that point.
When Shylock quotes the Bible, Antonio also says that Shylock is like a devil citing scripture for his own purpose, An evil soul producing holy witness and a villain with a smiling cheek. A goodly apple rotten at the heart. Shylock then reminds Antonio of some of the many names he has called him in the past such as a misbeliever a cut-throat dog and all for use of that which is mine own. In other words Antonio hates Shylock for loaning him and others money. Shakespeare makes the injustice which Shylock feels clear later in the speech: What should I say to you? Should I not say, Hath dog money? Is it possible a cur can lend three thousand ducats? or Shall I bend low, and in a bondmans key With bated breath, and whispering humbleness Say this: Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last; You spurned me such a day; another time You called me dog: and for these courtesies Ill lend you thus much moneys. This speech shows that Shylock feels, rightly so, that Antonios treatment of him is unjust; Antonio treats him very badly, but then expects him to lend him money.
Another factor which induces sympathy towards Shylock, is that in which Shylock talks about the ring his partner Leah gave him, it was my turkis, I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. However, Bassanio the Christian gives away the ring Portia gave him without too much regret, and this shows that Shylock is definitely not lacking in emotion or love, and in comparison shows Bassanio in a poor light. In the courtroom Bassanio also says to Antonio: life itself, my wife, and the entire world, Are not with me esteemed above thy life. Shylock finds the Christian view on marriage shocking, as he feels that husbands should give all to their wives, and love them more than anybody else: These be the Christian husbands: I have a daughter, Would any of the stock of Barrabas Had been her husband, rather than a Christian. This tells us that perhaps Shylock has higher morals than Bassanio, and indeed though the lead casket stated that Bassanio should give and hazard all he hath, Bassanio is putting his friend in front of his wife which is challenging the vows he as recently made.
One of the most important scenes in The Merchant of Venice is the court scene, as this reveals a lot about Shylock and the other key characters. The overwhelming feeling is that Shylock wants justice. He lives in a community of Christians, who shun him at every opportunity and treat him like a dog. Maybe Shylock does act villainously and inhumanely by demanding a pound of flesh, but that could be because hes been victimized for so many years. Shylock wants justice for justice sake, even though he knows all he will ever gain is his moral victory: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge There seems to be great bitterness in this speech, as is understandable; Bassanio might say that Antonio is the best of men, but although Antonio treats Bassanio with kindness and friendship, he treats Shylock quite the opposite. Shylock goes on to say: The pound of flesh which I demand of him is dearly bought, tis mine, and I will have it. If you deny me: fie upon your Law there is no force in the decrees of Venice; I stand for judgment, answer. Shall I have it? This portrays that Shylock is after justice, justice which has been denied him and his kind for a long time.
When Portia enters the court disguised as Balthazar, one of the first things she says is, Which is the Merchant here? And which is the Jew? Shakespeare has put that comment in for a reason; he might be saying that neither is better than the other, and in the laws of equality they are both the same. During the court scene Portia makes an important speech: The quality of mercy is not strained It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes, Tis mightiest in the mightiest It is an attribute to God himself Portia is saying that Shylock should be merciful towards Antonio, and release him from the bond, but Shakespeare is also trying to put across a message, that all mankind should be merciful and accept mercy as well as emphasizing the fact that no man is entirely good, nor evil.
In conclusion I feel that Shylock was confronted with more circumstances showing him to be a victim than a villain, even though he does have a lot of unpleasant qualities. However, he seems to be emotional and has a strong sense of morality, as is shown when he talks about Leah and his views on marriage. The audience feels sympathy for Shylock because it appears everybody is against him, even his own daughter. Nothing seems to go right for him. In Shylock, Shakespeare has created a character who is a villain in appearance but a victim at heart.
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