How is Shylock the most dramatic figure in "The Merchant of Venice"
Answers
Shylock is the villain in ‘The Merchant of Venice’. He qualifies as the most dramatic character in the play, despite other contenders like Bassanio, Portia and Antonio. The main reason behind this is the humiliation that Shylock has faced simply because he is a Jew. He has often been ‘spat’ upon and verbally abused and even called a dog publicly. Though he is mean, it is his circumstances that have forced him to become so. He is neither liked by anyone nor respected. Despite his life long suffering, his daughter Jessica too forsakes her father and elopes with a Christian. Events like these forces the audience to think about his feelings and emotions and how lonely he is.
The trial is Shylock’s only hope to seek revenge from society, through Antonio, in a legal manner. He has the bond and is legally entitled to a pound of Antonio’s flesh. He is full of hope and determination. Yet, Portia’s intelligent defense leaves Shylock defenceless. The situation changes drastically. While Antonio gains freedom from the bond, Shylock becomes a victim yet again. The rise and fall of Shylock’s power and fortune in the play is what makes him the most powerful, yet the most vulnerable figure of all. This ebb and tide of a character contributes to the dramatic quotient and hence Shylock is aptly labelled as the most dramatic of the entire cast.