Jewish Prejudice Quotes

Imagine living in barracks, starved, then gassed because of your religion. Getting accused of raping someone because of your skin tone, then getting put in prison. Or getting spat upon because you’re a Jew. All of these things occurred at some point in history, and we are shown what this is like through novels, plays and book such as; “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”, “The Merchant of Venice”, and real world occurrences such as the Holocaust. Today I will be talking to you about the ways that prejudice is portrayed in all four of the novels, plays and historic time marks.

Date: Pg. #: Role: Quote: Response: 1/22/16 7 Bystander The Jews of Sighet “But people not only refused to believe his tales, they refused to listen... Others flatly said he had gone mad.”

As socrates said once “From the deepest desires often come the deepest hate”. The holocaust was a way that the Nazis saying thats revenge.Some people just see racism, prejudge, and antisemitism and don't do anything. Some people try and stand up for people and protect one another. Try and stand up for everyone in your community. The Nazis plotted their revenge for a long period of time. This was one of the most tragic events in all of the world and history

1. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee shows many examples of prejudice behaviors. “Tom [Robinson] was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed’ (Lee, 323). Scout, the narrator, develops the statement by providing information about the trial. Tom Robinson was a black man living in Maycomb, he was convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, although there is no proof. Furthermore, the quote also illustrates prejudice by the automatic assumption that Tom Robinson committed the crime.

In the beginning, one of the earlier rungs of the ladder of prejudice is discrimination. First, Jews from Reich, Germany were first blamed and criticized for the things they did. Then the Jewish became second class citizens, but they were still a loud in Germany. After that they were forced to leave Germany. Finally it was decided that the jews were to be exterminated entirely from europe. (Lace 13) First they were sent to ghettos but that was just until they got the death camps set up but even Jewish men and women worked at setting up the places that would soon become their death place.

Shakespeare criticizes society’s output on Judaism through his play with the characters Shylock and Jessica. Shylock and Jessica are seen as outsiders in Venice and are discriminated by the Christian characters in the play for being Jewish. For instance, Gratiano describes Jessica, a former Jew, as an "infidel "(III.ii.223) despite converting and marrying a Christian. By calling Jessica an “infidel”, Gratiano is implying that she isn’t a true Christian and is still a Jew. Later in the play, Jessica is also told there’s "no mercy in heaven.."(III.v.31) because she was Jewish. This statement evokes the idea all Jews are sinful and can’t enter heaven. The two examples above show how Jews are seen as inferior to Christians in the play. Because of this bigotry, Shylock is vengeful toward Antonio with his bond. When he finds out about Antonio’s lost ships, he exclaims: I'll plague him, I'll torture him. I am glad of it." (III.i.115-116). This line demonstrates the stereotypical image of Jews that Christians see. What Shylock says relates to the 16th century where Christians often believed that Jews used their blood in religious ceremonies. By saying he’ll “torture” and “plague” Antonio, Shylock is conforming with the negative image society has of him. However, Shakespeare also paints Shylock as a human character treated unfairly by the Christians in Venice. After finding out that his daughter Jessica eloped to a Christian man, Shylock delivers a powerful speech about Jews being equals: “Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases [...]as a Christian is?” (III.i.48-54). This speech presents to the audience that Shylock is human

Throughout the play Shylock is presented in different ways: a victim who lives in a prejudice and intolerant society, a villain who deserves scorn and rejection and a tragic figure who has admiral traits worthy of respect but destroys himself by giving in to his flaws and weaknesses. This

He declares, "I'm very glad of it. I'll plague him, I'll torture him, I am glad of it." (3, 1, 115-116) At the end of Act 3, scene 1, Shylock's true motive is revealed. Shylock says, "I will have the heart of him if he forfeit, for were he out of Venice I can make what merchandise I will." (3, 1, 125-127) All these comments clearly attempt to paint Shylock as a money-worshipping murderer and not as a person.

Throughout the history of the world, the Jewish people have been persecuted and oppressed because of their religious beliefs and faith. Many groups of people have made Jews their scapegoat. Jews have suffered from years of intolerance because people have not understood what the religion really means. They do not understand where and why the religion began, nor the customs of it's people. For one to understand the great hardships, triumphs, and history of the Jewish people one must open-mindedly peruse a greater knowledge of the Jewish people and faith.

Shylock is also the victim when Jessica leaves. He loses his only child, that underneath his cold exterior it becomes apparent he loves her and struggles with the depth of his grief. He loses hold on his business and walks through the streets morning the loss of his child to the men he detests. He cries in anguish ‘The curse never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it till now…. My own flesh and blood to rebel! I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood.’ This scene evokes compassion towards Shylock but he is tormented more by Salario and Salanio. This shows him as a repentant father, a man a victim to his child’s will and prejudice surrounding his race.

Shylock finds joy when roles are reversed, causing people to beg for his mercy. Throughout the play, Christian characters were racist to him, they were constantly disrespecting him due to his Jewish background. However, in Act III Scene III, roles are reversed when their racist antics turn into mercy. The characters want to save Antonio from being harmed, and so they beg Shylock to change his mind:

The belief that Shylock is “a devil [that] can cite Scripture for his [own] purpose” (1.3.96) is significant because it seemingly justifies Antonio’s hate towards Shylock to “disgrace [him] and hinder [him] half a million” (3.1.50) ducets is because he is Jewish; that enemies of religion must be enemies in occupation. Like Othello, it is not Shylock’s occupation as a financier that

Discrimination of Jews began long before The Merchant of Venice was written and unfortunately continues today. Jews we’re banished from England and then persecuted for years to come after that. Jewish stereotypes emerged from this era creating anti-Semitic tendency. Jews were accused of causing the Black Plague and began associating them with the Devil. (Aldersey, Laurence) Only a few Jews remained in England, because of the persecution the endured they had limited access to things to freedoms like Christian folk did at the time. The next stereotype for them came

Shakespeare characterised Shylock in such way that he highlights the inequalities of him, them being ungrateful, vengeful, and religious intolerance. As each is explored Shylock is directed towards a harmful act to deem his vengeance upon his greatest rival, Antonio. Shakespeare’s idea in the play tells us mercy is preferable to revenge. In Act 1, Scene 3

“There is no doubt that Shylock is a cunning and vengeful man, but nothing can justify the treatment he receives at the hands of the Christians.”