Question

Describe how Shylock becomes an instrument of fate in act 2scene5 in the play merchant of venice

Answer 1

Shylock is a rich Jewish money lender of Venice who lends money on interest. One needs to keep in mind here that being a Jew living in an alien Christian world he was ostracized, victimized in that society.
Moreover, the medieval Christian tradition does not allow the Christians to do money lending & as the Jews cannot participate in any profession apart from money-lending therefore Shylock is left with no other profession to pursue.
His hatred from the Christian society & his love for money and wealth ( as that is the only security he has in an alien society) is therefore justified.
But when he plots against the life of Antonio, it shows his villainous mind which is motivated only by hatred & revenge. Therefore, his daughter, Jessica abhors him & elopes with Christian Lorenzo. At the trial scene, her villainy becomes evident when he whets the knife to take his due – a pound of Antonio’s flesh, though Portia’s eloquence & legal expertize makes him fall in that pit he had dug for Antonio to fall.

Answer 2

Answer:

In this scene, Shylock becomes an instrument of fate to further the action in the plot. On the one hand, his desire for revenge upon Antonio is revealed because he goes to the supper to help to consume Bassanio’s borrowed money. He overlooks his religious principles which forbade him dining with Christians. He even ignores the premonitions of impending evil because of his revengeful nature. This provided Jessica an occasion to flee from home with money and jewellery and to elope with Lorenzo, a Christian. Thus, fate has used Shylock to further its plans.