With close reference to the characters of Shylock and Antonio make a critical study on "Victory Of Love Over Vengeance".
Answers
Shylock is a Jewish money lender, who is notorious for his arrogant attitude. His money and religion are two most important things for him. Whereas, Antonio is a trader in Venice, who is helpful, loving and caring.
The trial scene shows that Antonio wins the trial even though he was ready to let the Jew "sliver off a pound of flesh" from his body. Shylock loses both; his wealth and religion. This shows that the vengeance the Jew seeked resulted in his own loss.
From the start of the play, Shylock had been revengeful of Antonio due his ridiculing attitude towards the Jews. He asked him to sign a bond which said that Shylock would cut off a pound of flesh from Antonio's body if he fails to pay the amount. However, Antonio signs the bond for the love of his best friend Bassanio.
Antonio is suspicious that a financial ruin might come to him, but he still signs the bond while knowing the intentions of the Jew. This shows the love and gratitude of Antonio.
As a whole, Shylock who seeked revenge lost, while Antonio who was ready to give his life, won. This proved that there is always "victory of love over vengeance"
The characters of Shylock and Antonio in the play “Merchant of Venice” clearly an example of "Victory Of Love Over Vengeance".
Antonio and Shylock are the two characters in William Shakespeare's play “Merchant of Venice.” Antonio and Shylock are the very known person in the city of Venice. Both the characters are merchants who lend money to the one who needs it but in a different way altogether. Antonio lends money not for gaining huge profits rather help whereas Shylock is a cunning Jew who lends money and extracts a huge amount of interests from it. He can move to any extent to take his interest out from the people.
In the play, they both get apart from the thing to which they are most attached to. Antonio has to depart from his dearest friend Bassanio while Shylock's daughter Jessica elopes with all her father's money with her. For Antonio, its the relation of friendship which is of greatest value but Shylock cries over his money and for his daughter. Though he is disgusted over her elopement because she had eloped with a Christian boy.
Antonio's friendship and love for Bassanio are remarkable as he puts all his wealth and power so that Bassanio could gain his love. On the other hand, Shylock cries over his wealth and for his daughter. At the end of the play, Antonio gets all his ships and money back while Shylock losses all his remaining properties too.