Question?
In your opinion does Shakespeare present Shylock as a villain or victim in the society in which he lives?
During the play of the Merchant of Venice there are several examples of Shylock appearing as a villain or a victim. One can demonstrate these by looking at and analysing Shylock's behaviour in different scenes in the play.
In Act 1, Scene 3, Shylock was shown as a both a villain and a victim. When Antonio entered stage Shylock immediately was criticising him to the audience. He said lines like
“How like a fawning publican he looks!… I hate him for he is a Christian.”
He was shown as villainous at this point as he gives Antonio no time to speak and was already thinking up ways of getting his money sooner or getting more money back than he had lent.
But then later in the scene Shylock was shown by Shakespeare as a victim when he repeated the things Antonio had said or done to him in the past. Antonio had “rated” him, called him “misbeliever”, “cut-throat dog”, and spat “upon” his “jewish gabardine”. He had verbally and physically abused Shylock and didn't actually deny his version of events. Antonio admitted to the things he had heaped upon Shylock but answered his complaints with more threats of violence;
“I am as like to call thee so again… to spit on thee, to spurn thee too.”
Antonio saw the differences between himself and Shylock but turned the tables. Antonio argued with Shylock about how Shylock resented him because he also lent money but without charging interest. In this part of the scene, Antonio was seen as a charitable Christian who lent money freely compared to Shylock who charged high interest causing others to be poor so that he could be wealthy.
Later in the scene Shylock said to Antonio
“If you repay me not on such a day… expressed in the condition, let the forfeit, be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken, in what ever part of your body pleaseth me.”
These words showed Shylock as a villain as to take a pound of flesh from Antonio would mean he might die.
During Act 2, Scene 3, Jessica told the audience how she was “ashamed” to be her “fathers child.” She feels that “though” she was “a daughter, to his blood,” she was “not to his manners.” Jessica had noticed that people that knew she was related to Shylock seemed to think that she would act the same way as him. This showed Shylock as a villain because Jessica knew him best and lived with him.
Act 2, Scene 5 ended with Lorenzo telling Gratiano his view of Jessica's father Shylock. He felt that “if ev'r the Jew her father” came “to heaven,” it would be for
“his gentle daughter's sake;” as “never misfortune cross her foot.”
It showed Shylock as someone not deserving to go to heaven except for Jessica's sake. This showed him as a villain because he deserved only hell and had caused his daughter Jessica to have an awful childhood for having to live with him and be forced to work for her keep.
The time came in Act 2, Scene 6 for Jessica to leave her father. Jessica stole Shylock's money and jewels and left with Lorenzo, who she loved. Shylock was more of a victim in this scene as his own daughter had stolen his possessions and eloped with Lorenzo, a Christian who Shylock disliked.
Solanio tells the audience and Salarino of Shylocks reaction to Jessica's elopement in Act 2 Scene 8. Solanio said that Shylock was shouting
“My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! The law! My ducats and my daughter!…Justice! Find the girl!”
Shylock was very angry at the loss of his daughter, though seemed more unhappy about losing his money and jewels.
Shylock was still angry during Act 3 Scene 1 when Solanio and Salarino taunted him about Jessica's elopement. Shylock said “You knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my daughter's flight.” He was suspecting that Solanio and Salarino were part of the conspiracy. Later in the conversation Shylock raged of the money and jewels-
“A diamond gone cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfurt!”… 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.”
Shylock now wished she was dead.
Later in the scene Tubal reported the loss of another of Antonio's ships to which Shylock seemed very happy. This was because he could now take Antonio to court for not paying up or take a pound of his flesh. Shylock then told Tubal to hire an officer to arrest Antonio. This showed him as a villain throughout as he wanted his daughter and Antonio both dead.
In the court scene Act 4, Scene 1 Shylock was asked to show mercy to Antonio but showed none. Shylock refused to give reasons for wishing to harm Antonio, except that he hated him and
“but of force must yield to such inevitable shame as to offend, himself being offended.”
He later demanded his pound of flesh claiming it
“tis mine, and I will have it.”
Shylock also refused offers of double and triple money from Gratiano and Portia dressed up as Balthazar. This showed Shylock as a villain as he did not care for the money, instead he wanted to kill Antonio or cause his life to be miserable. After, Portia dressed as Balthazar defeated Shylock, Antonio requested, and was granted, partial mercy for Shylock. Shylock was allowed to keep half of his own wealth and Antonio kept the rest. Although Shylock was horrible and cruel towards Antonio, Antonio was a very charitable person by letting Shylock keep some his money.
Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice shows Shylock as both a villain and a victim and there is still controversy about it today. In my opinion, Shylock is a villain as in many situations in the play his attitude to others is very resentful. This maybe because of the harsh treatment he has received from others mainly due to his differing religion.
