Character of Shylock

 Outlines:

 Introduction

 As a devil or villain:
 Envious merchant who takes great interest and cannot tolerate healthy
competition
 Greedy
 Not a good father
 Full of negativity
 Revengeful
 Signs bond like devil does in Doctor Faustus.

 Justifications
 Shakespeare as an Anti-Semitic
 Abused by Antonio
 Humanism
 Betrayed by his daughter

 Conclusion.

1. Introduction:
Shylock one of the main characters of the play ``The merchant of the Venice`` written by William
Shakespeare. He is portrayed as an Envious, greedy, rich, bad as a father and Jewish merchant
who takes great interest and cannot tolerate healthy competition. He is full of negativity and
hatred due to which many critics consider him as a devil, while on the other hand he gets
sympathy of some critics who justify his devilish actions as he is betrayed by his own daughter,
abused by Antonio and his other Christian friends because of his religious belief. Because of this
treatment he becomes revengeful as he says `` The villainy you teach me I will execute``. Let`s
discuss his character`s all aspects and conclude whether he is a devil or hero or neither he is a
hero nor devil.

2. As a devil/villain:
 Envious merchant who takes great interest and cannot tolerate
healthy competition:
Shylock, indeed exhibits envious tendencies and a strong aversion to healthy
competition. He takes great interest which is morally and ethically wrong because it
further increase the burden of poor people, He sees Antonio as a threat to his
business and takes it personally because he thinks `` he lends out money gratis,
and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice`. He believes that if he
can get Antonio out of the picture, he'll be the only money lender in town and can
charge high interest rates to make more money as he says in the text ``for Were he
out of Venice I can make what merchandise I will``. And in my opinion this is the
main reason of his hatred for Antonio because the conflict between them is not
because he is a Jew. If Antonio is Anti-Semitic then why he does not abuse his
daughter Jessica as she is also a Jew.

 Greedy nature:
He is depicted as a greedy character. He lends money at high interest rates, which
illustrates his avaricious nature. Furthermore, he values his wealth above all else,
even expressing the sentiment, "I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and
the jewels in her ear; would she were hearsed at my foot and the ducats in her
coffin!". This quote demonstrates his extreme greed, as he prioritizes his wealth
over the well-being of his own daughter, wishing for her death as long as he can
keep his riches.

 Not a good father:

He is not portrayed as a good father. His daughter, Jessica, expresses her
unhappiness by saying, "Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil," indicating her
dissatisfaction with her father's demeanor. She further adds, "I am ashamed to be
my father's child! But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his
manners." Shylock's preference for money over his own daughter is evident when
he exclaims, I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear;
would she were hearsed at my foot and the ducats in her coffin!" a sentiment that
doesn't align with typical fatherly care and concern.

 Full of negativity:
Shylock is indeed filled with negativity and hatred. He openly states, "I hate
him (Antonio) for he is a Christian," revealing his strong prejudice. His
demand to cut a pound of Antonio's flesh if the bond isn't fulfilled reflects the
depth of his animosity. The Duke accurately describes him as a "stony
adversary, an inhuman wretch, uncapable of pity, voide and empty from any
mercy." These quotes exemplify Shylock's intense hatred and lack of
compassion towards others in the play.
 Revengeful nature:
Shylock's revengeful nature in "The Merchant of Venice" is evident in his
words: "The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go harder but I
will better the instruction." This quote shows his determination to exact
revenge for the mistreatment he feels he has endured. When he learns that
Antonio hasn't repaid the loan as per the bond, he becomes elated, saying, "I
am very glad of it... I'll plague him... I'll torture him." Here, he expresses his
eagerness to carry out his revenge and inflict suffering on Antonio, revealing
his vengeful character.

 Signs bond like devil does in Dr. Faustus:

Shylock's bond in "The Merchant of Venice" is reminiscent of the pact made
by Faustus with the devil in "Doctor Faustus." While Faustus seeks power and
knowledge in his deal, Antonio approaches Shylock with good intentions,
aiming to help his friend Bassanio. Shylock, on the other hand, takes benefit
from the moment by introducing the bond, lending him money with the
condition that if it's not repaid within three months, he will take a pound of
Antonio's flesh. This parallel highlights Shylock's cunning and ruthless nature
in the play.

3. Justifications:

 Shakespeare as an Anti-Semitic:
Shakespeare's portrayal of Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice" has been
criticized for perpetuating anti-Semitic stereotypes. Some argue that
Shakespeare unfairly depicted Shylock as a villain solely because of his
Jewish identity, reinforcing prejudices of his time. This raises concerns about
the perpetuation of religious bias in literature. It's essential to recognize that
such stereotypes are condemnable, and we should not judge individuals
based on their religion or ethnicity. Shakespeare's work, while a reflection of
his era, highlights the need for critical examination and discussions about
prejudice and discrimination in literature.

 Shakespeare, Anti-semitic or not:

Shakespeare's portrayal of Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice" has long
sparked debates about whether the playwright was anti-Semitic or not. Some
critics argue that Shakespeare assigned negative traits to Shylock solely
because of his Jewish identity, reflecting the prejudice of his era which is
condemnable because no one should be judged because of his religious
belief. However, it's worth considering that Shakespeare may have intended
to elicit sympathy for Shylock. As Harold Bloom, a renowned literary critic,
once noted, "Shakespeare makes Shylock a villain not because he is a Jew,
but because he is human." In this view, Shakespeare's portrayal of Shylock
may have aimed to challenge stereotypes and provoke deeper reflection on
societal biases, rather than promoting anti-Semitism .
 Abused by Antonio and betrayed by his daughter:
Some critics argue that Shylock's seemingly devilish actions can be justified
as a reaction to the abuse he endured from Antonio and betrayal from his
own daughter . Shylock himself articulates the mistreatment he faced from
Antonio, saying, "He hath disgraced me, laughed at my losses, mocked at
my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargain, cooled my friends,
heated my enemies...and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew
eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed
with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same
diseases... If you poison us, do we not die?" In this powerful speech, Shylock
emphasizes his humanity, asserting that Jews share the same emotions,
vulnerabilities, and basic needs as anyone else. Also he, repeatedly insults
Shylock, calling him a "misbeliever," a "cut-throat dog," and spitting upon his
Jewish Gaberdine, which makes him a revengeful. Similarly Shylock's anguish
intensifies when his daughter elopes with Lorenzo, taking his wealth. He
perceives this betrayal as a personal dagger in his heart as he says ``my
own flesh and blood to rebel…Thou stick`st a dagger in me`` and do you
know what is hell? Hell is not a place, it is a feelings, you can feel when you
are betrayed by those people whom you trust the most.

 Conclusion:
In conclusion, we can categorize the aspects of Shylock's character into two
distinct types of behaviors. The first type includes those actions that can be
justified, such as his vengeful nature and animosity towards individuals like
Antonio, Bassanio, and even his own daughter. These individuals mistreated
him, which fuels his hatred and desire for revenge.
Conversely, the second type encompasses behaviors that cannot be morally
justified. For example, Shylock lends money at great interest rates, revealing
an envious disposition that cannot tolerate fair competition. He also
capitalizes on the vulnerabilities of others, exploiting Antonio's desperate
need for money by demanding the signing of a bond when Antonio had no
other option.
The standard for evaluating someone's character often involves a
comparison of both their positive and negative qualities. However, when
negative traits outweigh the positive ones, we tend to label that individual as
morally bad. In Shylock's case, his devilish actions and behavior overshadow
his good qualities and justifications, leading us to conclude that he is a devil.