why did shylock hate antonio
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The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
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Why does Shylock hate Antonio?
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MWESTWOOD eNotes educator | CERTIFIED EDUCATOR
Shylock is a usurer who mercilessly exploits his victims. His relationship with Antonio is a contentious one because Antonio has denounced Shylock in public, and he has rescued many from their debts to Shylock.
In act 1 when Shylock talks to Bassanio, he agrees to lend him three thousand ducats because Bassanio promises that “Antonio shall be bound” for the debt if Bassanio cannot repay it. When Antonio enters the scene, Shylock speaks in an aside, which is always a true revelation of a character's feelings. First, Shylock observes that Antonio is "like a fawning publican" (1.3.33). (A publican is a Roman tax-gatherer. Shylock may be using this term as an inexact but bitter term of reproach.) Secondly, Shylock hates Antonio for being a Christian because the Christians have imposed restrictions upon him. In accordance with the Venetian Republic, Jewish lenders, doctors, and clothing merchants—who had fled the Spanish Inquisition and come to Venice—were permitted to engage in Venice's commercial interests during the day. But at night and on Christian holidays, they were locked into the gated island of the Ghetto Nuovo (New Foundry).
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Explanation:
Shylock held an old grudge against Antonio because he was a christian , he would lend money without taking any intrest reducing the usance in Venice and would accuse him on his hard earnt trift .