Unlocking an Enigma: Shylock
Unveiling the Complexities of Shylock
by Roopa Manjunath*,
- Published in Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education, E-ISSN: 2230-7540
Volume 16, Issue No. 6, May 2019, Pages 1799 - 1801 (3)
Published by: Ignited Minds Journals
ABSTRACT
Shylock, the famed character of Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is a three-dimensional character who remains an enigma. He is loved, yet hated and oppressed time and again by his Christian neighbours. Antonio holds a deep hatred towards him for charging a high rate of interest for the money lent to his fellow Christians. Shylock is more humane than the other characters and is emotionally pressurized by all claiming him to be a devious usurer. Though Shylock is an antagonist in the play, he essays the role of the central character, at times out shadowing the protagonist Antonio, the merchant of Venice. Shylock is a man of his word. He is deeply hurt when his beloved daughter Jessica elopes with Lorenzo, a Christian, sells her mother’s ring treasured by her father and ultimately converts to Christianity. Money and hatred thus plays a vital role in this play – money is the bone of contention between Antonio and Shylock, for Shylock charges high rate of interest, whereas Antonio gives money ‘gratis’. Shylock is hated by all basically because he is a Jew and Antonio is a respected nobleman of Venice. The court scene in Act IV, scene I, where Shylock demands for his pound of flesh reaffirms the power of the dominant class. The fair Portia in the guise of the lawyer beats him at his own game .i.e. the letter of the law. Finally, he is forced to give up his money and convert to Christianity. A defeated Shylock totters out of the court, pained to death by this iniquity of the Christian world.
KEYWORD
Shylock, character, enigma, oppressed, Christian neighbours, Antonio, hatred, interest, usurer, antagonist, central character, money, hatred, Jew, court scene, dominant class, Portia, law, money
1. Shakespeare, William (1993). ‗The Merchant of Venice‘, Wordsworth Classics, ed. Cedric Watts. 2. Campbell, Thomas: Criticism of ‗The Merchant of Venice‘ 3. Islam, Nazifa: Shylock and the Law: A Critical Analysis (TCLR Online) 4. Koelb, Clayton (1993). The Bonds of Flesh and Blood; Having it Both Ways is ‗The Merchant of Venice‘. 5. Koelb, Clayton (1993). The Bonds of Flesh and Blood; Having it Both Ways is ‗The Merchant of Venice‘. 6. Posner: Merchant of Venice and the Possibilities of Historical Criticism, ed. Walter Cohen, Vol. 49, No.4. 7. Oldrieve, Susan (1993). Marginalized Voice of ‗The Merchant of Venice‘. Further reading: ‗Style and Assessment‘ by A. R. Humphrey ‗The Merchant of Venice and the Possibilities of Historical Criticism‘ by Walter Cohen Introduction to the play ‗The Merchant of Venice‘ by Cedric Watts
Corresponding Author Roopa Manjunath*
Department of English, Seshadripuram Composite Pre University College, Bangalore 560020 roopakabadi07@gmail.com