In the play "the merchant of venice" what is the character of SHYLOCK shown?
Answers
Answered by
4
In the play "The merchant of Venice" written by Shakespeare , Shylock is potrayed as a rich Jewish moneylender of Venice , who lends money on high interest. His arch-rival Antonio is christian, who also lends money but takes no interest. Shylock hates Christians especially, Antonio. He hates Antonio because, the latter has insulted him and his nation , called him a dog, spit upon Jewish clothes etc. His daughter, Jessica has eloped with Lorenzo , a Christian. Even his own daughter abhors him and is ashamed to be his daughter. While eloping away with Lorenzo she takes a lot of money and jewels of her father, here his love for money and wealth is shown when she spends them carelessly. Act 2 scene 3 line 14: " As the dog Jew did utter in streets: 'My daughter!O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice ! the !my ducats, and my daughter! A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, stolen from me by my daughter!And jewels! two stones, two rich and precious stones, stolen by my daughter! justice! "
Later Shylock plots against life of Antonio, it shows a villainous mind which is motivated only by hatred and revenge. Later in the play he also tries to take a pound of flesh from Antonio but because of Portia fails to do so. Antonio asks for loan to Shylock of three thousand ducats which if he does not return in three months, Shylock shall have a pound of flesh from any part of his body.
Later Shylock plots against life of Antonio, it shows a villainous mind which is motivated only by hatred and revenge. Later in the play he also tries to take a pound of flesh from Antonio but because of Portia fails to do so. Antonio asks for loan to Shylock of three thousand ducats which if he does not return in three months, Shylock shall have a pound of flesh from any part of his body.
Answered by
4
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 expertise makes him fall in that pit he had dug for Antonio to fall.
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 expertise makes him fall in that pit he had dug for Antonio to fall.
Similar questions