Why did Shylock wanted to kill Antonio
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Shylock charges interest on his loans to people. Antonio lends people money with no interest to pay back Shylock. That is why Antonio thinks Shylock is angry.
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Because the process of getting it will have the effect of killing Antonio, which Shylock wants to gain revenge for the mistreatment he has suffered from Antonio and all the other anti-Semitic Venetians. The flesh itself is of no use to Shylock--when he is asked what good it would be, Shylock replies tersely "To bait fish withal."
In an earlier time, and even now in many Muslim communities, it was thought to be wrong to ask for interest on a loan. Interest is, however, one of the incentives to pay loans back on time. Without it, other incentives had to be found. In Shakespeare's time, and up into the nineteenth century, failure to repay a loan would likely result in the borrower going to jail. Interest-free loans demanded higher penalties. Shylock, although he normally lent money on interest, in this case took a different approach: "I would . . . supply your present wants, and take no doit of usance for my moneys." This is an interest-free loan and so a stiffer penalty clause is within reason. (Of course Shylock is giving up his interest on the off-chance that he might be able to legally kill Antonio, who is very nasty to him) Even so, a penalty of death for default on a loan was so extreme there is no record of such a contract being enforced in court. Such contracts are made , of course, as someone who borrows money from a mobster and can't pay it back must know. But they would not bother to go to a court--they are their own court. The key point is that if Shylock thought the clause was unenforceable he would not have entered into the contract, and the famous courtroom scene would have gone something like this: Shylock: I demand my loan and the interest on it, or throw this man in jail. Antonio: I haven't got the money. Bassanio: I have. Here, Shylock. Shylock: Thanks. Duke: Ah, young Balthazar. We won't be needing your services after all. It's much less dramatic, I think you'll agree.
In an earlier time, and even now in many Muslim communities, it was thought to be wrong to ask for interest on a loan. Interest is, however, one of the incentives to pay loans back on time. Without it, other incentives had to be found. In Shakespeare's time, and up into the nineteenth century, failure to repay a loan would likely result in the borrower going to jail. Interest-free loans demanded higher penalties. Shylock, although he normally lent money on interest, in this case took a different approach: "I would . . . supply your present wants, and take no doit of usance for my moneys." This is an interest-free loan and so a stiffer penalty clause is within reason. (Of course Shylock is giving up his interest on the off-chance that he might be able to legally kill Antonio, who is very nasty to him) Even so, a penalty of death for default on a loan was so extreme there is no record of such a contract being enforced in court. Such contracts are made , of course, as someone who borrows money from a mobster and can't pay it back must know. But they would not bother to go to a court--they are their own court. The key point is that if Shylock thought the clause was unenforceable he would not have entered into the contract, and the famous courtroom scene would have gone something like this: Shylock: I demand my loan and the interest on it, or throw this man in jail. Antonio: I haven't got the money. Bassanio: I have. Here, Shylock. Shylock: Thanks. Duke: Ah, young Balthazar. We won't be needing your services after all. It's much less dramatic, I think you'll agree.
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