Whitner Grange
English
In Act 4, Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare utilizes a monologue of Shylock's to portray his unadulterated hatred of Antonio showing the pent up anger for Christians that Jews held at the time the play was written due to countless acts of anti-Semitism on behalf of the Christian community. Whether it be forcing them into a Ghetto, Throwing them into canals, spitting on them, or calling them names such as "devil" and "dog", the viewer witnesses numerous occurrences of hateful acts that Christians do unto Jews throughout the entirety of the play. When asked why Shylock would "rather choose to have a weight of carrion flesh than to receive three thousand ducats" Shylock responds by saying, "I'll not answer that, but say it is my humour" (4.1.39-42). Shylock is offered many times the agreed upon three thousand ducats, but he turns the money down, and instead wants Antonio's flesh as payment. At the time of this scene, Shylock is only a shell of the man he once was. His daughter has left him, and has taken his money to run off with a Christian. He has nothing left but his faith, and is alone in a world that despises him because of it. His emasculated and lonely state only adds fuel to his seething fire of hatred for those who have wronged him. Shylock does not provide any reason for his bestial desire for Antonio's flesh because he thinks he need not explain himself. Shylock is tired of trying to show that Jews are not animals, that anti-Semitism is unwarranted. He knows that Christians see him as the incarnation of the devil, so why not give them what they want? He has been holding back his anger for a lifetime and when faced with the perfect opportunity to exact his revenge for the evils Christians do unto Jews, he takes it. However, despite the gruesome, barbaric, malicious nature of Shylock's bond, Shakespeare does not use this monologue to support the preconceived notion of the era that Jews are evil. It may seem as though Shakespeare is using Shylock's brutality as justification for anti-Semitism, but his reasoning is quite the opposite. Shakespeare uses Shylock's display of vengeance in order to show the byproducts of a society riddled with prejudice and false preconceived notions. Shakespeare shows the viewer a broken, vengeful man in an attempt to shed light on the dark and unjust society that has molded him into the man he has become.
This one's mine
ReplyDeleteThis is a really great analysis of the quote used. I definitely agree with your points about the Christian’s hatred of Jews (of the time). Interesting point about how Shylock perpetrates al the stereotypes of Jews—I never thought about that. Your use of big and complicated words adds much value to your paper.
ReplyDeleteShylock goes as far to say, “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.” Shylock emphasizes how much he truly wants the flesh. No matter of money will sate his desire for flesh, for everything bad in Shylock’s life has happened as a cause of Antonio. HIs lust for revenge overpowers his common sense and clouds his judgement.