Why Did Shylock Attempt To Murder Antonio?

Based on Act 3 Scene 1, Shylock’s portrayal as a villain is soon changed to be one of a pitiful victim. Shylock is portrayed as a villain because of his sinister intentions to harm others, especially Antonio. His malicious desire to catch hold of Antonio’s weaknesses and use it against him - makes him an avenging and resentful villain. However, Shylock is a victim due to the discrimination and oppression that he had to face because of the hatred from the Christians. Some examples of his mistreatment by the Christian community include mocking his Jewish religion, being spat upon and called crude names. Hence the mistreatment towards Shylock because of his Jewish heritage triggers the need for him to satisfy his revenge by redirecting the hatred

Antonio’s response was astonishing. It revealed him to be an arrogant, cruel and heartless creature, who has no regard for other peoples’ feelings. When Antonio says; “I am as like to call thee so again, to spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.” This evidently shows the reader that Christians thought of themselves as superior to Jews. They thought that they were above Jews and could treat them however they wanted. The reader’s opinion of Antonio changes so suddenly, from the protagonist everyone loves, to a mean, arrogant and racist Christian.

The third couldn’t be matched unless the Devil himself turned Jew.” As a Christian this is worst insult there is as being called worse the Devil. The insult is saying the all Jews are worse than the Devil! The writer has used Shylock in this scene so well as he has made us think about why we treat Jew

Shylock is punished by the Venetian court for seeking to end Antonio’s life. He is charged under a Venetian law (of Shakespeare’s creation) and he is forced to give up his wealth and to beg the Duke to spare him his life. Viewed like this it seems simple enough; Shylock broke a Venetian law and, as a consequence, is punished. However, Shylock’s case is far from simple. Antonio’s demand that Shylock should renounce his Judaism and become a Christian and his insistence that Shylock should will his money to the Christian

These characters withstood poor treatment in society, lacked rights and went through unfair trials. Shylock was mistreated throughout The Merchant of Venice, since the play took place in the 16th century many people looked down on him for being Jewish. Shylock’s job was to be a moneylender. He would give loans to others and they would pay him back the money they owed. This job was disliked by many citizens because money lenders typically wanted to steal your money.

The first event that demonstrates that Shylock is a victim would be that he is ridiculed by his community and his family. Antonio and Shylock were never friends. They always fought because Antonio was a Christian and Shylock was a Jew. They also have different money lending practices which cause a lot of discrepancies. Antonio always mocked Shylock. He calls him a misbeliever and a cutthroat dog. Shylock tells us that Antonio “…call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog,/ and spet upon my Jewish gabardine,” (1.3.108-109). Here Shylock demonstrates that Antonio on a day to day basis mocked Shylock. Later on, Antonio mentions that he will call Shylock that again if he wants to. Another example would be Antonio’s friends. They teas Shylock for his faith and his misfortunes. When Jessica runs away with Shylock’s money and jewelry, he asked the Duke to go help him search Bassanio’s ship for them. Solanio heard

I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes?” (III.i.53-58). He is making it clear that Antonio has committed multiple acts of cruelty against Shylock merely because of his religion. Shylock goes on to portray that Jews are exactly like Christians except in their beliefs, and that there is no justified reason for their contempt for Jewish people. Although he is a usurer, which is considered an undignified position for anyone to be in, as a Jew, Shylock is the target of a great amount of derision. In Wheeler’s truthful depiction of the play, he states, “Above all, [Shylock] is a Jew. In his most famous speech he asserts the fundamental humanity of his nation, but the Christians persist in calling him ‘the Jew’ and the laws of Venice make him an alien.” Conversely, Portia is a well respected Christian woman living in the nearby city of Belmont. As a Christian, she is not discriminated against because of her religion and she enjoys many rights and privileges that Shylock and the Jewish people do not. Merely the fact that she is Christian allows her more freedom than Shylock could ever dream to achieve. She, not unlike the rest of the Christian people, believe that they have the right to judge Jews and others that they deem are beneath them. For instance, when Morocco, a player in Portia’s “marriage lottery”, leaves after picking the wrong casket, Portia says, “A gentle riddance! Draw

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.

As Shylock is wealthy enough to “lend [out] thus much money” (MV 1.3.126), this makes him reviled by the Venetians “about [his] moneys and [his] usances” (1.3.105). However, as the Christians believe that Shylock — being a Jew — is “a stony adversary, an inhuman wretch / Uncapable of pity, void, and empty” (4.1.4-5), this situates the Venetian elite and Shylock in an endless cycle of hate over his position as a Jewish financier. Unlike Shylock, Antonio is known as “[a] royal merchant” (3.2.239) and a good “Christian” (1.3.39), this is significant because it suggests that the hatred that Shylock receives as a financier stems not from his occupation itself, but the source that denotes him as an outsider: the Jewish religion. As the position of financier is a powerful one, it indicates that the Venetians hate Shylock because they view him — not his profession — as “a creature that [does] bear the shape of man / [But] keen and greedy to confound a man” (3.2.275-276).

The Duke wants Shylock to forgive Antonio with any ounce of humanity he has in him. The Duke wants Shylock to take pity on Antonio and to act “gently.” Shylock feels no remorse: “I have possessed your grace of what I purpose, And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn To have the due and forfeit of my bond.” (4.1.35-37) Shylock holds no mercy for Antonio or his friends. Revenge is all Shylock cares about and he doesn’t take other’s feelings into consideration (just like they never did for him.) Shylock

Throughout The Merchant, Shylock is a character with whom we both sympathise and despise. As a moneylender, he is already considered a sinner, both within the play, and as the spectators in Elizabethan times would have seen him. In the play, Shylock is the final option when Antonio needs to borrow money to fund Bassanio's trip to visit Portia in Belmont. Even though he is a Jew and is despised by everyone, Antonio still borrows money from him.

His hatred for Antonio is also obvious and it is so strong that he refuses all offers of money so that he can cut off a pound of his flesh. In Act 3 Scene 1 Shylock makes his famous “Hath not a Jew eyes?” speech, and it is probably at this point that the audience

Another factor in Shylocks character that leads to him being perceived as the villain is that he is parsimonious. He will not give or

Being so, shylock does not want to miss a chance at treating everyone the same way he was treated. “To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.” This shows Shylock 's personality as cowardly, in the ways that he has to get revenge to be happy. It is very easily noticed that Shylock loves nothing but his money unfortunately Shylock shows more affection for his money for his own daughter "My daughter, O my ducats, O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter," Shylock is very selfish and only worries about himself and his money. Shylock only knows one way of life and he does not plan on changing it for the well being of others. With the examples brought forward it demonstrates that shylock can only find happiness in putting others down and hurting others.

Shylock’s revenge against years of ridicule is what brought about his downfall. In the end, his refusal to accept anything but the bond that was agreed upon caused him to lose his home, his daughter, his fortune and his religion. This is a tragedy indeed.