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1、On the Character of Shylock in The Merchant of VeniceByZhang XiaomingA 2006 Undergraduate of the School of Foreign Languages of Anqing Teachers CollegeSupervisor: Li MingMay 25th, 2006On the Character of Shylock inThe Merchant of VeniceThesis statement: Shylock is not a complete villain, but a tragi
2、c figure who is more sinned against than sinning. Outline I. Brief introduction about the comedy and ShylockII. Analysis of the character of ShylockA. Shylock as a Jewish usurerB. Shylock who endured abuse but forgave easilyC. Shylocks attitude towards his eloped daughterD. Shylocks attitude towards
3、 the customs and the lawIII. My view of Shylock On the Character of Shylock in The Merchant of VeniceAuthor: Zhang Xiaoming Supervisor: Li MingI. Brief introduction about the comedy and ShylockShylock is the most vivid and memorable character in The Merchant of Venice, and he is one of Shakespeares
4、greatest dramatic creations. On stage, it is Shylock who makes the play, and almost all of the great actors of the English and Continental stage have attempted the role. But the character of Shylock has also been the subject of much critical debate: Is he a bloodthirsty villain? Or is he a man “more
5、 sinned against than sinning”? In my opinion,though Shylock is technically the antagonist in the play, it is easy to sympathize him with his plight. During this period in history, Jews were harassed, killed, spit upon, and treated little better than animals (unless of course someone wanted to borrow
6、 some money). Antonio had spit upon him in the past, stolen his customers by lending money to them without interest, stolen one of Shylocks servants, whose friend then eloped with his only daughter. (中间段落已被省略！范文仅供参考！)II. Analysis of the Character of Shylock A. Shylock as a Jewish usurerShakespeare c
7、reated a living portrait that has caused critics to wonder whether Shylock is merely a comic villain or the tragic victim of Christian cruelty. The story of the Jews in medieval Europe throws a good deal of light on the events of the play and provides us with the Shakespearean frame of reference whi
8、ch is necessary for an understanding of both the major themes and minor details which are the fabric of The Merchant of Venice.(中间段落已被省略！范文仅供参考！) It is troubling that Shakespeare has Shylock say in an aside, as soon as Bassanio introduces to Antonio, “I hate him for he is a Christian.”1 This is not
9、a rational reason to hate anyone and is the first warning of trouble. Shylock does indeed have a problem with Antonio, not because he is a Christian, but rather, as Shylock explains: “He Antonio lends out money gratis and brings down/The rate of usance here with us in Venice.”2 This was not simply a
10、 case of greed on Shylocks part; the Jews of that time had no other way to earn money. They were not allowed to own land, and most occupations were closed to them. By lending money without interest, Antonio was depriving Shylock of his only source of income. (中间段落已被省略！范文仅供参考！)B. Shylock who endured
11、abuse but forgave easilyShylock is first encountered in conversation with Bassanio. An examination of Shylocks interactions with other people prior to his discovery of Jessicas betrayal reveals no unpleasantness except with regard to Antonio. But Shakespeare describes Antonio as sad and weary; if An
12、tonio had a more sanguine personality, the relationship might have been different. There is no evidence of evil intent in Shylocks attitude when he is discussing the requested loan with Bassanio:Shylock: Three thousand ducats; well. Bassanio: Ay, sir, for three months. Shylock: For three months; wel
13、l. Bassanio: For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound. Shylock: Antonio shall become bound; well. Bassanio: May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your answer? Shylock: Three thousand ducats, for thee months, and Antonio bound. Antonio is a good man3 It is a matter of fact
14、business interview, neither of the parties wasting words. With the curt but not impolite manner of the professional banker, Shylock simply reiterates the sum requested“Three thousand ducats.” But he is a business man. There is no reason for him to fall on Bassanios neck and express his eagerness to
15、do a deal. He must go cautiously, and see how urgent Bassanio is, and how much therefore he can increase his own gains in the deal by stipulating a more or even a much more profitable rate of interest. There is no suggestion of sarcasm in the word “Antonio is a good man”, although it certainly can b
16、e played that way. Shylock explains what he means: that Antonio is sufficient as a guarantor, even though his ships are at sea and their fate is uncertain. He concludes, “I think I may take his bond. I will be assured I may May I speak with Antonio?”4 Bassanio then asks Shylock to dine with them, an
17、d Shylock declines; he assures Bassanio that “I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you”, but because of his religious constraints, “I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.” To soften the harshness of his refusal, he returns immediately to a neutral social
18、question“what news on the Rialto?”5 to indicate that he did not intend to be rude.When he meets Antonio, his first words to him are “Rest you fair, good signior; Your Worship was the last man in our mouths.”6 (We were just talking about you.) Anyway, anyone who sees evil or even unpleasantness in Sh
19、ylocks remark is looking for trouble. Shylock proceeds to tell Antonio about Jacob when he grazes his Uncle Labans sheep. This is supposedly an attempt by Shylock to rationalize his taking of interest, and according to Antonio, “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.”7 Its strange that Shakes
20、peare would have Shylock use this story. A Jew would be unlikely to use it in an attempt to explain anything, since it has nothing to do with the taking of interest and is therefore a meaningless story in this context. Stranger still is that Antonio seems to have a better understanding of the incide
21、nt than Shylock the Jew does: This was a venture, sir, that Jacob servd for; A thing not in his power to bring to pass, But swayd and fashiond by the hand of heaven. 8 But as we know, Shylock endured much of Antonios abuse, over a long period of time. This can be seen by the sheer volume of disgrace
22、s he has born. A good example is in Act 3 Scene 1, beginning with line 50: “He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies ”9 In his next significant speech, Shylock recou
23、nts how Antonio has abused him in the past. In these lines Shylock sounds quite rational, even though he has reason to be angry and frustrated. He says, in effect, that Antonio has scolded him many times in the marketplace about his money and his interest, and he always bears it with a patient shrug
24、; You called me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine, And all for use of that which is mine own. Well then, it now appears you need my help: What should I say to you? Should I not say, Hath a dog money? Is it possible A cur can lend three thousand ducats? orShall I bend low
25、, and in a bondmans key, With bated breath, and whispering humbleness, Say this: Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last; You spurnd me such a day; another timeYou calld me dog-and for these courtesies Ill lend you thus much moneys? 10 Shylock had such a magnanimous spirit, that he even offered A
26、ntonio, who had abused him terribly, a loan, free of interest. Shylock was willing to loan money to one who totally ruined him in public, on terms that were nicer than his normal business terms. This kind, forgiving heart can be seen in Act 1 Scene 3, beginning with line 134: “Why, look how you stor
27、m ! I would be friends with you, and have your love, forget the names that you have staind me with, supply your present wants and take no doit of usance for my moneys, and youll not hear me: This is kind I offer.” 11And just in case the audience or reader thinks Shylock is exaggerating, Antonio answ
28、ers: “I am as like to call thee so again/To spet on thee again, to spurn thee too.”12Even after Antonios admission, Shylock still claims, “I would be friends with you and have no doit of usance for my moneys.”13 In lieu of interest, he suggests that “in a merry sport” they will draw up a bond under
29、which Antonio will be required to forfeit a pound of his flesh if the loan is not repaid. What could Shylock mean by this strange arrangement? What did Shakespeare want us to think he means? Since we cannot guess motives, let us take it at face value: Shylock really meant it as a joke. As Shylock ex
30、plains, what could he gain by exacting a pound of flesh? He is a businessman, and a pound of flesh is not worth anything! Antonio accepts the bond, calls Shylock a “gentle Jew”, and says to Bassanio, “The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind.”14(中间段落已被省略！范文仅供参考！)B. Shylocks attitude towards his
31、 eloped daughter Shylock is invited to dinner by Bassanio. Then Shylock calls to Jessica; when she finally comes, he shows no sign of being upset (as many parents would justifiably be) that he had to call her three times. He tells her he has been invited to supper with Bassanio and says, Jessica, my
32、 girl, Look to my house. I am right loath to go: There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest, For I did dream of money-bags tonight18 And then later in the same scene: Well, Jessica, go in Perhaps I will return immediately Do as I bid you; Shut doors after you 19 These lines, and especially the phra
33、se “Jessica, my girl,” prove that there is nothing amid the relationship as far as Shylock is concerned. He repeats his requestit is certainly not a harsh demandthat she take care of his property by shutting the doors. The worst thing that can be said about Shylock is that he is concerned about his
34、money being stolen, which, under the circumstances, was a reasonable worry. He obviously trusts Jessica with all that he has, and she violates that trust as soon as he has gone.But the friends of Bassanio are planning to steal away his daughter, and as a perfectly gratuitous piece of cruel fun, are
35、bringing her disguised as torch bearer to the very banquet where her father is a guest. All that prevents the enactment of this revolting joke is not anybodys thought for Shylocks feelings, but a mere veering of the winds which makes it necessary to put off the masque and get abroad. The veering win
36、d, however, does not save him from the loss of his daughter. In Scene 6 Jessica says one line about her fathers entire fortune“Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains”20and the rest of her rather immature speech (excuse my bias) is about how ashamed she is to be dressed as a boy. She is not a
37、shamed, however, to be stealing from her father; and in fact, the casket wasnt enough, for she says to Lorenzo, “I will make fast the doors, and gild myself/ With some more ducats, and be with you straight.” 21She apparently has no compunctions about running off with someone not of her own faith, wi
38、thout her fathers knowledge or permission, with his gold and jewels, including a turquoise ring given to him by his wife, Leah, which Jessica later trades for a monkey. Lorenzo the magnificent has no problem with the theft, either; he loves her heartily and thinks she is wise. Lorenzo calls Shylock
39、a faithless Jewwhen the Christians are the ones who are faithless. Often, this quote from Act 3 Scene 1 line 79, “Why, there, there, there, there! A diamond gone, cost me twothousand ducats in Frankfurt! The curse never fell upon our nationtill now; I never felt it till now:Two thousand ducats in th
40、at, andother precious jewels.I would my daughter were deadat my foot, and the ducats in her coffin!”22 portraying Shylocks treatment of his daughter, after she ran away, is manipulated to make Shylock seem beastly.But, within the Jewish culture and the time period, his response was appropriate.After
41、 his daughter ran away, she was, to all intents and purposes, disowned.Thus, the theft of his jewels reduced her to the level of a thief, and so she deserved to be punished. The stage begins to be set for the horrifying trial scene. In Scene 8, Solanio and Salarino discuss the latest news: Shylocks
42、torment over his daughters leaving and the treasures that she took. They mock Shylocks feelings in the most horrendous anti-Semitic terms: I never heard a passion so confusd, So strange, outrageous, and so variable, As the dog Jew did utter in the streets: My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fl
43、ed with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter, A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, Of double ducats, stoln from me by my daughter! And jewels! two stones, two rich and precious stones and Salarino adds, Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, Crying hi
44、s stones, his daughter, and his ducats. Jessica has eloped, and the effect of her elopement on Shylock had already been gleefully depicted by Salarino and Solanio: I never heard a passion so confusd,So strange, outrageous, and so variable,As the dog Jew did utter in the streets: Shylock has been vis
45、ited by all the torments of mob hilarity:All the boys in Venice follow himCrying his stones, his daughter, and his ducats. But even in this description Solanios unintelligent version of Shylocks outcries needs the qualification of closer examination: My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!Fled with
46、 a Christian! O my Christian ducats!Justice! the law! My ducats, and my daughter! 23(中间段落已被省略！范文仅供参考！)D. Shylocks attitude towards the customs and the lawShylock the Jew, through a careful examination of The Merchant of Venice, is found to be an enduring, magnanimous, forgiving, and law abiding citi
47、zen of Venice,as opposed to his typical role as the wicked blood thirsty villain. In the courtroom scene of act four, scene one, we perceive Shylock as a victim because of the criticisms and insults of the Duke. From the beginning it is blatantly obvious that the Duke is on Antonios side. “Go one and call the Jew into the court.” By not calling him by his name we get
