Merchant of Venace
People in Shakespeare's time based their hatred for Jews on religious reasons. The Elizabethans believed a story made up by the Church. The story states that the Jews murdered Jesus and were therefore working with the devil and were actively trying to stop Christianity. The religious reasons for this hatred also pushed them to believe that if a Jew converted to Christianity, as Shylock is forced to do in The Merchant of Venice, then all will be forgiven as the repentant Jew is now pure of heart. “...some Christians believed that the coming of the Kingdom of God was aided by converting the Jews to Christianity” (Hughes 5). As the play unfolds, Shylock appears to be the villain, but Shakespeare ultimately shows that he is as much a victim of Christian hatred as he is a villain, thus demonstrating that all humans are equally flawed. Through his machinations to exact revenge against Antonio, Shylock is shown as devious and vengeful. In Act one, scene 3, before Shylock’s interaction with Antonio, he admits that he hates Antonio for hurting him in his business and for insulting him in public through acts such as spitting on him and calling him "cutthroat Jew". Shylock states that he hopes to have revenge on Antonio both for h
is own humiliation and for the persecution that all Jews have faced from the Christians “I hate him for he is a Christian;. . . If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. He hates our sacred nation . . . Cursed be my tribe if I forgive him“(1. 3. 15-18). However, Shylock then tells Antonio that he wants to be friends with him and will firm the contract for a pound of flesh as a "merry sport." Shylock uses friendliness only to disguise his true intent: Antonio’s destruction (Johnson 4). Shylock’s hatred of Antonio grows after Jessica’s marriage because he suspects that Antonio had encouraged her escape; this suspicion increases Shylock's hatred toward Antonio (Lippman 1). Moreover, Shylock harbors resentment toward Antonio because Antonio has personally rescued a number of debtors from Shylock's bonds. The reader learns this when Antonio says, "I oft delivered from his forfeitures; Many that have made moan to me" (3. 3. 23-4). Shylock sums up the basis for his hatred of Antonio in the line before the famous "hath not a Jew eyes": "He hath disgraced me, and hind'red me half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies and what's his reason? I am a Jew" (3. 1. 49-54 qtd. in Lippman 2). eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed will execute, and it shall go hard, but i will better
Some topics in this essay:
Jew Shylock,
Antonio Antonio,
Salerio Solanio,
Hath Jew,
Portia Lozovy,
Jew Christian,
Shylock Jessica,
Christianity Christen,
Merchant Venice,
People Shakespeare's,
hatred antonio,
hath jew,
hath jew eyes,
jew christian,
money shylock,
love money,
victim christian,
jew eyes,
religion person,
jew eyes hath,
revenge antonio,
merchant venice,
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Approximate Word count = 1256
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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