The Merchant of Venice
...rn of Shylock’s hatred for Antonio: “I hate him for he is Christian. But more, for in low simplicity he lends out money gratis” (I,iii,36-38) This seems awfully harsh and we are unsure of how to feel towards Shylock until we are shown how Antonio treats Shylock: “…You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gaberdine, and all for use of that which is mine own…” (I,iii,105-8) We feel sympathy for Shylock and even more so when Antonio speaks: “I am as like to call thee so again, to spit on thee again, to spurn thee again…”(I,iii,24-5) This emphasises the prejudice of Christians towards Jews and we are led into feeling Sympathy for Shylock onwards throughout the play. Shylock agrees that he will lend Antonio the 3000 ducats, Shylock says firstly as a joke that if he isn’t paid by the deadline then Antonio must forfeit a pound of flesh although he agrees that he wont charge any interest a an act of “friendship”: “…let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh…” Shylock first says this as a joke but Antonio quickly agrees to the forfeiture saying that there is no need for him to worry because he will defiantly have the money in time, but was this a mistake on Antonio’s behalf? The play continues with Shylock talking about Antonio behind his back and vice versa. We don’t see them together until scene three where Antonio pleads with Shylock to listen to him, but Shylock ignores Antonio and leaves. We again wonder if Antonio made a mistake in agreeing to the forfeiture because this may be him asking for more time. We don’t know because each time Antonio tries to speak Shylock interrupts and says, “I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond.” basically saying that the bond has been made and it won’t be broken. In this same scene we learn that Shylock want his revenge on Antonio for all the past times that he has been discriminated against: “I am very glad of it, I’ll plague him, I’ll torture him. I am glad of it.” The reader isn’t sure how to feel about Shylock now, as he seems to be in a sort of trance where he needs revenge on Antonio and he’ll do anything for it. Towards the end of the play in Act four the bond is taken to court and Antonio continues to plead with Shylock, but Shylock is having none of it, and even after Antonio offers him 9000 ducats (three times the original loan) he still demands his bond and we are led into hating Shylock: “If every ducat in six thousand ducats were in six parts, and every part a ducat, I would not draw them, I would have my bond” (IV,i,85-7) We feel sorry for Antonio because no matter what he says or offers Shylock he wants his bond and this means a pound of flesh is to be taken off closest to Antonio’s heart. But once again the tables turn and we learn from the lawyer (who is actually Portia dressed as a man) that if Shylock attempts to cut off the flesh from Antonio then he will be threatening a Christian’s life. This makes Bassanio and Antonio happy and now Antonio has to decide on Shylock’s fate. He decides that half of his money is to be taken from him and given to the court and he can keep the other half until he dies and then it is to be given to his daughter, Jessica. But that isn’t all; he must become a Christian. Of course Shylock is a gentleman about it and he agrees that he has lost. I feel the second most important relationship shaped by religion is that of Shylock and Jessica, his daughter. We first learn of Jessica’s hatred for her own father in Act two Scene three where she is talking to Launcelot (Shylock’s servant), who also wants to leave h...