While commentators of an earlier generation sought to save Shakespeare and the Christian characters from the charge of intolerance and anti-Semitism by turning the play into an allegory, more recent readings often maintain, to the contrary, that Shakespeare in fact lays the groundwork for the racialist anti-Semitism of a later era in the character
of Shylock.
Shakespeare adds depth of meaning and richness of texture to every element of plot and character that he has imitated, but especially in his creation
of Shylock, who is a nameless, dimensionless figure in Il Pecorone.
This fact may well explain the poignancy
of Shylock's forced conversion, troubling the penultimate act of this comedy.
The character contradicts the name, and this is the man who most avidly seconds Portia in her complete humiliation
of Shylock, though the others join in readily enough.
The Merchant of Venice sets a concept of justice tempered with mercy over against unbending legalism and self - righteousness, but it reminds us» in the troubling figure
of Shylock as well as in the failure of the Christian characters to integrate him into the comic conclusion» that even expressions of mercy can be tainted with self - righteousness.
Not exact matches
Although initially dismissed by many reviewers --(here's John Updike, condemning it alongside Hamlet: «an orgy
of argumentation... too many characters, numerous long speeches, and a vacillating, maddening hero»)-- Philip Roth's Operation
Shylock (1993) has undergone something
of a critical renaissance in the new millennium.
Did he command genocide, support slavery, and in demanding his debt
of flesh is he
Shylock's archetype?
Much
of European and US history has had strong anti-Jewish themes (
Shylock reflects society's view for example) in fact it's only recently that the evangelicals have moved to a more tolerant view
of Jews.
As is so often the case in Shakespeare, the irony is doubled:
Shylock gives utterance to an impassioned plea for the common humanity in all men even as he is hardening his heart to exact a terrible vengeance; Portia eloquently extols the virtue
of mercy in the hearts
of kings and seems promptly to forget her own speech when she comes to exercise power herself.
Moreover, the parallel with Malvolio assimilates
Shylock to another category: in Twelfth Night Maria calls Malvolio «a kind
of Puritan.»
Shakespeare's audience, which would have had little chance to associate with Jews, would have found
Shylock's disapproval
of plays and revelry familiar enough: «What, are there masques?
Shylock is persistent in his demand that the legal contract be carried out exactly as it is written, confident in the justice
of his cause: «My deeds upon my head!
Shakespeare, however, has already let us know, in an aside earlier in the scene, that
Shylock hates Antonio because «he is a Christian» and because «He lends out money gratis, and brings down / The rate
of usance here with us in Venice.»
From the outset Shakespeare sets about providing
Shylock with powerful motivation for his hatred
of Antonio.
Such provocation for anti-Semitism as it provides has been there in the culture all along, and the principal effect
of The Merchant
of Venice is to disrupt any ideological complacency deriving from the apparent Jewish stereotype presented by
Shylock.
The character who immediately begins jeering at
Shylock when Portia turns the tables on him, the character who offers
Shylock only «A halter gratis» nothing else for God's sake» (emphasis added), is named Gratiano, which
of course suggests grazia, the Italian word for «grace.»
Antonio's acceptance
of the «merry bond»
of a pound
of his flesh to be granted
Shylock in the unlikely event
of forfeiture allows Antonio to avoid entering an agreement involving interest, to which he was willing to agree «only to supply the ripe wants
of my friend.»
Shylock is enraged at the loss
of his ducats, but he is also heartbroken over his daughter's heartless betrayal
of him.
Shylock, for his part, has indeed become remorseless in his murderous intention toward Antonio, but it is strictly a matter
of personal hatred growing out
of a sense
of wounded pride.
In one
of the play's two most famous speeches,
Shylock berates the Christians for failing to acknowledge his equally human status even as he is bent upon shedding it: «Hath not a Jew eyes?»
The Duke, Bassanio, and Antonio» once the threat is past» are all willing to allow a chagrined
Shylock to walk away with his money; it is the iron - willed Portia who demands that he be held to the strict letter
of the law, just as he himself has insisted.
But
Shylock's studied malice no more justifies Antonio's self - righteous complacency than Antonio's insults justify
Shylock's premeditation
of murder.
The end
of the play would be much more comfortable for us if we could treat the Portia
of the trial scene as an allegory
of the Divine Judge who forces
Shylock (the allegorical sinner) to relinquish all his wealth with the conditional restoration
of a part
of it upon his baptism» that is, he must throw down everything he has and follow Christ.
When the daughter
of a well - known and well - respected base Is
Shylock the true hero
of the play or a bloodthirsty villain?
And Lynn Collins made a lovely Portia opposite Al Pacino's
Shylock in The Merchant
of Venice, but as Wolverine's schoolteacher girlfriend, the quality
of her mercy is a bit strained.
His
Shylock is just a parade
of Pacino acting tics — the angry mumbling thing, the quiet - LOUD thing, the funny accent thing — totally lacking shade or subtlety.
Additionally, Hoffman received a Tony ® Award nomination for his role as
Shylock in «The Merchant
of Venice,» which he reprised from his long run on the London Stage.
This GCSE English study pack contains 20 pages with: Synopsis - overview
of Venice
of the day Shakespearisms - phrases we get from Shakespeare Character list Match the character with the description Plot summary 15 question quiz Character study templates — Antonio,
Shylock, Portia Two notable speeches - analysis and questions to make you think.
Dressed in a maroon and khaki uniform, Portia slammed a law book on the desk
of a petite, blonde judge and demanded that
Shylock — played by a thin boy with glasses and a menacing glare — take his pound
of flesh without shedding a drop
of blood.
In
Shylock on Trial: The Appellate Briefs, the Hon. Richard A. Posner and Charles Fried rule on Shakespeare's classic drama The Merchant
of Venice.
Merchant
of Venice EssayThe Merchant
of Venice is one
of Shakespeare's landmark plays written around such legendary characters as Portia and
Shylock.
Jacobson recently penned a novel based on the play as part
of the Hogarth Shakespeare programme, whilst Goodman has played
Shylock, one
of the main characters in the play, on stage.
Credit cards are a way better option since they give you a bit
of flexibility and their rates aren't as usurious as those
of payday loans
shylocks.
This irreverence surfaced again in the
Shylock - like main character
of Animation, masks (2011).
In The Merchant
of Venice,
Shylock is widely reviled for, like some corporations, belonging to a class widely regarded as exploiting his fellow man.
Just like in the merchant
of Venice
Shylock painted the picture
of money hungry Jews who were money lenders there is now the portrayal
of Chinese as gold farmers...