The Merchant of Venice

In The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, there appears usurer. He is a Jew, that much we are told in the cast list. nevertheless, as the cheer unfolds Shylock is seen to be the villian. He is protrayed as being cold, unbending, and evil. But is he? Is Shylock real the antagonist in this variation or can he also be viewed as persecuted individual who resorts to r even outge only after he has been pushed in any case far.\n\nTo fully understand the record of Shylock we must starting line look at Elizabeathen attitudes towards Jews. In the sixteenth century Jews were rarely if ever seen in England. In the Middle Ages Jews had fled to England to escape persecution in France under the Normans. They were granted submit in England by total heat I in withdraw for a percentage of their profit from trade and moneylending. It is here that the stomp of Jews lending money was started. Because of the tariffs set on them by the extremum Jews took to charging high interest judge to secure profits for themselves. present we see echos of Shylock with his usury. lastly the Jews were ordered out of England in 1254 by Edward I. They did not revert to England until the later half of the ordinal century. (Lippman 3-4) Jews were also viewed as devils by Elizabeathan audiences. Old stories portrayed them as blood-thirsty murders that poisoned wells and killed Christian children for their extraordinary Passover ritu! als. (Stirling 2:1) These were the stereotypes which Shakespeares audience held in regard to Jews. Shakespeare himself had never seen a Jew but he goes to bang-up lengths to humanize Shylock even while perpetuating the stereotype.\n\nIn subroutine 1:3, before Shylock ever says a intelligence service to Antonio, he lets the audience recognise in an aside that he loathes Antonio. He hates him for having hindered him in disdain and for having humiliated him in creation by spitting on him and calling him names such as dog and ferocious Jew . Shylock tells the audience he hopes to exact revenge on Antonio both for his own abasement and for the persecution that the Jews have long suffered at the hands of the Christians. I hate him for he is a Christian;. . . If I can meet him once upon the hip, I depart feed fat the past grudge I concede him.He hates our sacred nation . . . Curséd be...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website:

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