Jews
Is it possible to feel any sympathy for Shylock?
Shylock is one of the strong main characters in the play. His part in the play is a moneylender. In the past when Jews were mistreated they could not own their own business. The only way they could make money was to lend, however they would charge interest on top so that they could use that money to support their families.
Shylocks role is important because most people turn to him for money because he is quite wealthy. One of the people who he lends money to is another main character in the play and he is ‘Signior Antonio’. He is the Merchant of Venice. However both Shylock and Antonio have a lot hatred for each other.
In the past when Jews were mistreated they could not own their own business. The only way they could make money was to lend, however they would charge interest on top so that they could use that money to support their families. Jews had been very maltreated and abused. This was because the Christians had put the blame on to the Jews for the death of Christ since they were the ones who had handed the Christ over to the Romans to be crucified. Anti Semitism then was common because of this.
Shylock refers to this because he has been mistreated by Antonio.
‘Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last,
You spurned me such a day, another time
You called me dog; and for these courtesies
I’ll lend you thus much moneys’?’
This is what Antonio had done to Shylock before he came to him for money.
Antonio’s response was:
‘I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.’
This response make the audience feel that Antonio is very insulting since after he has come to lend some money off Shylock. This reply has made the audience feel sympathetic for Shylock since he has not done anything wrong
In Act 2 Shylock has lost both his daughter Jessica...
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