This simple language is monosyllabic which shows Jessica’s lack of happiness. Another reason why Shylock appears evil is when he is offered six times the original price and still refuses, “You’ll ask me why i rather choose to have a weight of carrion flesh than to receive three thousand ducats”. The Merchant of Venice’s character “Shylock the Jew”. As we are focusing the point on whether Shylock is a victim or a villain, let’s see first why Shylock is a villain. But the way Shylock is portrayed is … Shakespeare uses an oxymoron to portray the contrast between them, which creates images in the audience’s heads which some may find funny an others ironic. The definition of victim is a person who dies or suffers as a result of voluntarily undertaking some enterprise or pursuit. Shylock, with Antonio is the major character in the play, at times referred to as a villain and sometimes a victim. This seems fair because all his life he was being pushed around and then he has this chance to take out all those years of misery out on antonio, the cause, in a court. This play has numerous themes embedded into it and possibly the most important is friendship. In this essay I aim to show the truth about Shylock, if he is a victim or villain of his religious prejudice. Essays are the most common type of academic paper – and Shylock Villain Or Victim Thes sometimes, you are assigned just too many of them. “what wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice”. The fact that the Duke addresses him as “thee”, is quite significant as “thee” is used intimately. In Act 3 Scene 3, Antonio has been arrested. Shakespeare doesn’t give Shylock any lines to tell us how he feels. Salarino says to Shylock how different he is compared to his daughter, ‘Jet and Ivory’. Torture is a powerful word and very horrific, which shows deep desire to get revenge on Antonio. The audience would not enjoy Shylock attaining power especially over Bassanio , who is a Christian. and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? The curse never fell upon our nation till now, I never felt it till now. At this juncture the audience would have commiseration for Shylock because the contrast of how he is treated compared with Antonio, here Shylock is seen as a victim. He could have pardoned Antonio and shown himself to be morally superior – but would this have done him any good in the long run? everybody is treating him unfairly and he feels that to make it fair then he should be aloud to do it too, I feel that this is reasonable . Act 3 Scene 1 was set in Venice, which was the place of business. Is it true, is it true? Shylock is a Jewish moneylender and is initially portrayed as anger filled and bloodthirsty but as the play continues we begin to see him as more human and his emotions become more evident. He comes to do his part of the bond which was agreed by both Shylock and Antonio and approved by … Essay, Use multiple resourses when assembling your essay, Get help form professional writers when not sure you can do it yourself, Use Plagiarism Checker to double check your essay, Do not copy and paste free to download essays. “forfeit”, “sworn”, “cat” and “rat”. Act 4 Scene 1 is the central and most dramatic part of the play where both Shylock and Antonio settle their differences in a courtroom. Shylock, with Antonio is the major character in the play, at times referred to as a villain and sometimes a victim. He is thrilled to hear that another of Antonio’s ships is lost, making Antonio more vulnerable. It brings down the rate of interest in Venice and this means that Shylock is not able to make money because all the people who borrow it, end up going to Antonio instead. Disclaimer: This is an example of a student written essay.Click here for sample essays written by our professional writers. So they are trying to play mind games with Shylock , these tactics would be viewed as unfair by the contemporary audience. This is why Shylock would have been regarded as a villain as well during this era. If it is a long quotation, you miss a line and indent. your own paper. Not only is it filled with comical moments, the whimsical characters involved are also rather … intriguing. The main reason he hates Antonio is financial: “I hate him for he is a Christian; / But more, for that in low simplicity / He lends out money gratis”. Namely, he is vengeful, very materialistic and shrewd. (2016, Nov 11). In Act 2 Scene 3 we see Shylock’s daughter Jessica who does not like her own house, “Our house is hell” “Hell” is a strong word in the play and this image of Shylock recurs throughout the play. Shylock, with Antonio is the major character in the play, at times referred to as a villain and sometimes a victim. The language is monosyllabic but awfully potent. Shakespeare intends this kind of as he gives Shylock emotive speeches about inequality, which will contradicts Shylock as being a villain. The villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. Shakespeare makes Shylock ruthless and cold in this act, which makes us think he truly is the villain of this play. This is a very contentious phrase in the play. “this shows antonio mistreets shylock for no real reason exept his religion. “The Merchant of Venice” is one of Shakespeare’s most well known comedies and was written in the late 1590’s. He thinks this bond will make up for all the evil that antonio has shown towards him, “What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice? How should he react? f you poison us, do we not die? In addition, Jessica is taking all Shylock’s wealth and money is a big theme of the play, which Shakespeare exploits here. As a Jew, in the play Shylock is the victim of racism, at this time, it is the 1500s so Jews were persecuted most of the time. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. He describes his ill-treatement at the hands of Antonio in Act 3, Scene 1, when he says, ‘he hath disgraced me’. cut throat dog”. When Salerio asks Shylock what good would Antonio’s flesh do Shylock if Antonio forfeits the bond, he replies, “If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. I think this shows that Shylock is very evil and is driven by revenge. Shylock repeats himself for revenge again and has many horrific ideas such as the “pound of flesh”. Shylock takes the image of a dog and turns it around to the Christians. Shylock quotes that he would “have his daughter dead at his feet” if he could. We use the most reliable Shylock Villain Or Victim Essay plagiarism detecting software to check your papers! Our attitudes to Shylock change throughout the play, and he is one of Shakespeare most complicated characters. The word “devil” adds to the running motif in the play as Shylock is always referred to as devil-like. When Shylock first enters the room he is being questioned. When Antonio is free to go, he makes the request for Shylock to give up his faith as a Jew. Looking for a flexible role? At this point, Shylock is basically defined as a villain, but because he is constantly ridiculed and humiliated by Antonio his revenge could be understood somewhat. He describes his ill-treatement at the hands of Antonio in Act 3, Scene 1, when he says: He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what’s his reason? The contemporary audience, who are mainly Christian, would be happy but telling Shylock to change his faith would seem unfair to some. The dictionary defines a villain as “a cruelly malicious person” and a victim as “a person who is deceived or cheated”. Sorry, but copying text is forbidden on this website. Truthfully, Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is a brilliant play. This is why in the end he seems to be portrayed as a villain. This throws Shylock into a state of rage. The way this phrase is constructed is very interesting and typical of Shakespeare. Pre-Holocaust Interpretation of Shylock How do these different interpretations affect the way you viewed Shylock character? Portia pleads powerfully in her speech and uses two types of images to persuade him religious and monarchy. I am a Jew. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? I also think though,that Shylock is a villain as he explains in the play that he will not take any form of money,he just wants to kill Antonio which is a very evil thing to say. “, If he had been treated better by them he may not have wanted to cut of a pound of Antonios flesh of after being offered six times the amount he wanted, “If every ducat in 6 thousand ducats were in 6 parts,and every part a ducat,I would not draw them. “He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies. … At this time, Jews were treated very badly and were frequently excluded by their community. The Merchant of Venice June 8th, 2011 In the play The Merchant of Venice Shylock is supposed to be the protagonist, the definition of protagonist is; the leading character or a major character in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text. This adds to Shylock’s vulnerability as he is alone with no friends and friendship is a vital theme of the play. Shylock does not appear at the start of the play for one key reason I believe, which is Shakespeare wanted the audience to see Shylock enter by himself for dramatic effect. The way this phrase is constructed is very interesting and typical of Shakespeare. The real turning point of Shylocks evil doings is when his daughter Jessica runs away and takes all his wealth with her. Registered office: Venture House, Cross Street, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 7PJ. ” overall i think Shylock is both a villain and a victim. This would have an inducing effect on the audience because this phrase would leave them to answer this question in their own mind. In Act 2 Scene 6 we see a different side of Jessica. In conclusion, through analysing the play, in my opinion I believe Shylock is a villain for various reasons. "You must agree to out terms of services and privacy policy", Don't use plagiarized sources. All you need to do is fill out a short form and submit an order. Is Shylock a Villain or Victim? They flatter me. VAT Registration No: 842417633. “forfeit”, “sworn”, “cat” and “rat”. But yet I’ll go in hate to feed upon The prodigal Christian. deadline. Thou torturest me, Tubal: it was my turquoise; / I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor: / I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys”. so in someways he is a victim but sometimes a villian I think Shylock is a villain because of his actions and emotions. Shylock admittedly says he hates Christians, which is very racist: Clearly this language shows that Shylock is prejudiced and this quotation would shock the contemporary audience, as they would be predominantly Christian. This stresses the Christian part of the sentence so it will remain in the audience’s minds who they will be not pleased at Shylock. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on UKEssays.com then please: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! This is significant because he knows that the end is approaching, so the audience would feel for Antonio because they know that Shylock is eager to kill him. They describe him as “dog Jew,” automatically we see him as the bad man of the play. Therefore when he calls Shylock a devil the audience knows that Lancelot does not have any respect for him. This is why Shylock is regarded as a villain. In case you can’t find a sample example, our professional writers are ready to help you with writing In the courtroom when Shylock replies he uses quite vengeful and powerful language and he uses a lot of language associated with animals. This would have an inducing effect on the audience because this phrase would leave them to answer this question in their own mind. Shylock’s victimization is also contrary to the fact that Shylock can also be seen ass a villain. The contemporary audience would sympathise with Shylock as he is being mocked behind his back. What do you think? Shakespeare has cleverly included Lancelot in this scene so the audience can get a perspective of what Shylock the man is really like. these two quotes show us that he is a villain in many people’s eyes. While Antonio speaks from his personal opinion, readers become aware that many others feel this way about Shylock. To integrate quotations properly, you need to introduce them and use the correct punctuation. The fact that Antonio is nearing death makes the audience feel for him as his life is on the line. Copyright © 2003 - 2021 - UKEssays is a trading name of All Answers Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales. I would be friends with you and have your love, forget the names that you have stained me with, supply your present needs and take no doit of usance for my moneys, and you’ll not hear me! This shows that he has a strong hatred towards Shylock. Shylock is a very controversial character as he in cases is a villain in some cases a victim and even in some cases both. I will now look at the reasons as to why Shylock is the victim of this play. This is kind I offer. Shylock is rather teasing as he makes Bassanio sweat for a simple one-word answer: “Three thousand ducats for three months, and Antonio bound” “Three thousand ducats: I think I may take this bond” Evidently, Shylock is repetitive and he is controlling the dialogue. Shylock: Villain or Victim. These are the characteristics of a stereotypical villain. We NEVER reveal your identity or personal information to any 3rd parties. Hath not a Jew eyes? Examples: Shylock is persecuted by the Christians in Venice, because he is a Jew. He is arguing for common humanity as he feels alienated and vulnerable. After his daughter ran away, she was, for all intents and purposes, disowned. Shylock: villain or victim. So, why does he make such a strange agreement with Antonio, asking for a pound of Antonio’s flesh instead of interest if the loan is not repaid within the arranged time? Shylock is malevolent to his servant Lancelot and extremely commanding: “I do not bid thee call” “Do as I bid” The way that Shylock said this was in a mean manner and is harsh towards Lancelot. Here is evidence of how bitter Shylock has become and the tone in which he would say it would be sarcastic. In the following paragraphs, it will be shown that Shylock is a villain in every sense of the word. Throughout the play, Shylock is portrayed as many things, both victim and villain, therefore making him an extremely ambiguous character. Education. Had Jessica not left he may have stayed within reason of right and wrong. He clearly seeks to kill Antonio by taking a pound of his flesh. Is Shylock a villain or victim? “Curs’d”, has unpleasant connotations which show the audience that Shylock does not have any respect. ” . What makes this more convincing is the fact that Jessica is saying this because she has known Shylock her whole life and she still hates him. Shylock endured much of Antonio’s abuse, overt a long period of time. “. Firstly it contains law jargon which is a recurring habit of Shylock. This would make the audience laugh as Shylock previously was in a happy mood and said a similar phrase. In the play Merchant of Venice, there is always a lot of controversy about whether Shylock is a victim or a villain. Then it contains 10 syllables in the pattern of weak, strong, weak and it is extraordinary, how the strong stresses are on the key words of the phrase. What is quite ironic is that the two main characters of Antonio and Shylock do not have a partner at the end of the play! They describe Shylock as “the dog Jew,” an example of how Bassanio and Antonio believe Shylock to be beneath them and how Christians thought themselves better than Jews. At the start of this scene, Shylock is walking into the court scene as a villain because he is getting revenge on Shylock whereas at the end of the court scene, he is a beaten man and the audience would empathize with him. In these sets of examples, Shakespeare uses language and scenarios to suggest Shylock is a victimized character. This is obviously not the first evil thing he’s done as other characters make comments on how evil he is including “A stone adversary, an inhuman wrench, uncapable of pity, void and empty, from any dream of mercy. ’ This quote clearly shows his desire for wealth rather than love or family. While no consensus has been reached on whether Shylock is a tyrannical villain or a tragic victim, evidence indicates he is a bloodthirsty villain. The imagery created is extremely efficacious because Shylock has an extremely valid point and has divulged this with a rhetorical question. No consensus has been reached on whether Shylock is a tyrannical villain or a tragic victim. We can see here how there is a contrast in the language used when referring to Jessica and Shylock. These words are significant because they show his passion for revenge. When Shylock first enters the room he is being questioned. Although he may have deserved a chance to get revenge he refused an offer of six times the original amount of ducats saying “If every ducat in six thousand ducats were in six parts and every part a ducat, I would not draw them, I would have my bond. Take Antonio and Shylock for example. They treat him like he is an outcast as we can tell when Gratiano says to Shylock ” O thou be damned, inexecrable dog “. Discusses whether he was subjected to problems at the time, or if he caused problems for other people. We never find out what happens to him. Shakespeare’s language here is purposeful as he has used rhyming couplets for dramatic effect and also to stress the importance of these words. Through disassembling each scene in the play he does not show any morsel of mercy ,whereas other characters have tried and I have taken this into consideration. Shakespeare uses alliteration to make the point “fair flesh” stand out. Pete, USA. “. O my daughter! The choice that the viewer makes by deciding if Shylock is a victim or a villain depends on the background and the time the play is being shown. Shylock, Villain or victim? Loyalty is a major theme of the play and there is none between these two characters. ” Overall, I believe Shylock is a hero and a villain because of the thing he’s said,and the deeds he’s done. Later on in this Act we see Shylock with his knife: “To cut the forfeiture” The diction here suggests death immediately and these images are quite violent and would alarm the audience. A good example is in Act 3 Scene 1, beginning with line 52: “He hath disgraced me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies… ” -Shylock Shylock had such a magnanimous spirit, that he even offered Antonio, who had abused him terribly, a loan, free of interest. if every ducat in six thousand ducats, were in six parts and every part a ducat, i would not draw them”. From simple essay plans, through to full dissertations, you can guarantee we have a service perfectly matched to your needs. Whereas Antonio’s language is noticeably simple and the audience would look at this, “I do”. In the Merchant of Venice, Shylock speaks of how he is offended by Christians and the names he is called by them. ” I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. Weighing up all you know about Shylock, do you consider him to be more avillain or a victim? Retrieved from https://graduateway.com/shylock-villain-or-victim/, This is just a sample. Nevertheless, the power has moved from Shylock so he is not in a good mood anymore so Gratiano’s tone would be sarcastic. Here is evidence of how bitter Shylock has become and the tone in which he would say it would be sarcastic. Lancelot wants to run away from Shylock, his master: “I will run as far as God has any ground” which shows deep hatred for Shylock, and leaves him believing that Lancelot is running away because Shylock is treating him badly. So they are trying to play mind games with Shylock , these tactics would be viewed as unfair by the contemporary audience. The imagery is revolting. In Act 2 Scene 6 we see a different side of Jessica. In many ways he certainly seems to be the antagonist of the story: one of his primary functions is as the obstacle standing between Portia and Bassanio’s wedded bliss. The other characters think he is evil. The word “bond” is a key word used consistently through the play especially by Shylock.
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