The Merchant Of Venice - Shylock: Villain Or Victim? Essay -- Merchant

Many people are villainous in the substance they behave. Their villainous acts may be attri just nowed to their desire to destroy others and in magical spell elevate themselves to a higher financial or social level. However, the spreadeagle cause of their villainy may be a response to the preaching they have endured at the hands of others. In short, they have been taught villainy, rather than it world an integral part of their personality. In such instances, vindicate give the bounceful be a key motivator in inspiring them to act in a villainous representation. It is on such occasions, where villains have themselves been exposed to villainy, that the singularity betwixt villain and dupe becomes blurred. Victims are usually characterised in the way that they are persecuted for circumstances, which are beyond their control for example their appearance. In plays and novels, the dupe is sometimes a character included to highlight the prejudices and pre-conceptions of the soci al modality in which the play or novel was written. In the Merchant of Venice it stand be argued that moneylenders character undergoes a metamorphosis from villain to victim. However, in this examine I hope to discuss whether in fact Shylock can be defined as all villain or victim and to form an opinion of what Shakespeare intended. First we shall look at the aspects of the text that gift Shylock as a villain. We are first introduced to Shylock in Act I Scene iii where we learn of his usury. It is in this circumstance that Bassanio seeks Shylock out and asks to borrow money from him in Antonios name. besides in this scene do we learn of Shylocks abuse for Antonio and the Christians How like a fawning publican he looks / I abhor him for he is a Christian (Act I Scene iii)Shylock excessively displays elements of belligerence in his refusal to ever forgive the Christians. We also learn of his enwrapped regarding Antonios life If I can catch him once upon the hip, / I will fe ed fat the ancient grudge I expect him. (Act I Scene iii)Shylock also shows himself to be devious and cute by hiding his hatred beneath a faade of experience in order to entice Antonio to become indebted to him, non respectable with money but with his life. Antonio is very nave regarding the terms of the bond winning the pound of flesh clause to be a show of association not hatred The Hebrew will turn Christian he grows kind. (Act I Scene iii)Perhaps he receives the terms... ...uted among his sworn enemies. Although Shylock pursues his revenge fervently he still has the audiences sympathy because of the unfair and harsh punishment he receives. It strikes a modern day audience as grossly unfair that the severity of his punishment reflects not his crime, but his race. He is a victim of the Christians intolerance of other races and ideas. In conclusion, I feel that ultimately Shylock is a villain. The way he treats those he is close to, for example his daughter Jessica expos es his vindictive and ultimately evil character. He lets his lust for vengeance engulf all other aspects of his life and his dispatch lack of mercy towards Antonio renders him a villain in the eyes of the audience.We can only guess at the way in which Shakespeare intended Shylock to be portrayed. I feel that Shakespeare intended Shylock to be victim, he was created to challenge the pre-conceptions and ideologies of the Elizabethan era. Having said this, I feel personally that it is not productive for us to simply categorise Shylock as either victim or villain. Through Shylock, Shakespeare explores the way in which the line between the oppressed and the oppressor can become blurred.