Merchant of Venice Portfolio A
Through the mockery and religious
stereotypes Antonio and Shylock have for one another’s religion, Shakespeare
reveals that their desire to ridicule the opposing religious group is stronger
than their desire to be fully cooperative business partners. In the beginning
of the scene, Bassanio is looking to lend money from Shylock, a Jew. Because
Bassanio wants to lend the money under Antonio’s credit, Shylock wants to meet
with Antonio first. Bassanio offers a meeting over dinner to Shylock, but
Shylock responds saying, “Yes, to smell pork” (1.3.31). Shylock responds with
sass to Bassanio’s offer, saying that Bassanio and Antonio would serve pork at
dinner, obligating him smell the pork throughout dinner. Not only is Shylock expressing
Bassanio and Antonio as inconsiderate and insensitive, but he is also
stereotyping Christians to all be like this. Shylock is not willing to attend
Antonio’s business dinner, since he believes the Christians would disregard his
religious, dietary customs. Later, Shylock continues by explaining that
“suff’rance is the badge of all our tribe, / You call me misbeliever,
cut-throat, dog / … Well then, it now appears you need my help” (1.3.107-108,
110). Shylock says that the suffering is now an identifying label for “[his]
tribe,” all Jewish people, who have become inured to the disdain from
Christians. When he says “you,” he is not only referring Antonio and his
disparagements but all of the Christians’ as well. Shylock says that although
the Christians cause him and fellow Jews suffering, he knows that in the end
they will come back to him needing financial help, poking fun specifically at
Antonio and Bassanio. After Antonio and Shylock have agreed to the loan,
Antonio says, “Hie thee, gentle Jew / The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grow
kind” (1.3.174-175). Because Shylock was kind enough to loan money to Antonio
and Bassanio, Antonio says Shylock is becoming more Christian. Mocking Jewish
people, Antonio states that by simply being Jewish a person has room to grow
into a better, kinder person by becoming a Christian. Even after the two have
agreed to work together, Antonio cannot resist the chance to jab at Shylock and
Jewish people in general. Shakespeare uses Shylock and Antonio’s insulting
exchange to show that a partnership with mutual respect between is quickly
spoiled by any chance to mock the other person or his religion.
