Dean Stafford 10Ro

ENGLISH RESEARCH ASSESSMENT

SHYLOCK

SHYLOCK• Play: The Merchant of Venice

• Author: William Shakespeare

• Genre: Comedy

• Language: English

• Time and place written: 1598; London, England

• Setting(time): Sixteenth century

• Setting(place):Venice and Belmont, Italy

Research found at http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/facts.html

WHO IS HEShylock is one of the most interesting of Shakespeare's characters. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in The Merchant of Venice, father to Jessica and enemy of Antonio. In the Merchant of Venice, Shylock agrees to lend money to Bassonio, with Antonio as the guarantor. It took a fair amount of time until Shylock actually agreed to the loan as Shylock has a grudge against Antonio as Antonio has always abused Shylock as Antonio is a Christian, and Shylock is a Jew. Shylock is a victim of racism. An example of this is Antonio. Antonio spits on Shylock and verbally and physically abuses him.

Shylock is definitely the Antagonist and there is no clear protagonist in the Merchant of Venice. Shylock is clearly a villain as he takes advantage of people in vulnerable economic situations and makes a handsome living in this way.

SHYLOCKS ENEMIES• Shylocks biggest enemy in ‘ The Merchant of Venice’, is Antonio. Antonio is

the Merchant of Venice who owns trading ships that are currently out at see when Bassonio gets a loan from Shylock, and put down Antonio’s name as the loan’s guarantor. Although Antonio refuses to apologize for his behaviour, Shylock acts agreeably and offers to lend Bassonio three thousand ducats with no interest. Shylock adds, however, that should the loan go unpaid, Shylock will be entitled to a pound of Antonio’s own flesh. Despite Bassonio’s warning, Antonio agrees.

CONFLICT• The type of conflict that Shylock faces, in the Merchant of Venice, is

Person vs Person and Person vs society,

• Shylock and Antonio are enemies in the Merchant of Venice as Shylock is a Jew and Antonio is a Christian.

• The major conflict in the play is when Antonio cannot repay the loan to shylock and must forfeit the bond, and give Shylock a pound of his own flesh. In court, Portia, disguised as a man of law enters to defend Antonio. Shylock defuses all new deals and wants to sick to his bond. Shylock is about to start cutting the flesh from Antonio, when Portia reminds Shylock he must do so without making Antonio bleed as Shylock is not entitled to blood as said in the bond. When shylock thinks about it, he forfeits his bond and half of his possessions, half to the state and half to Shylock. The duke spares Shylocks life and takes a fine instead of his property. Antonio also lets Shylock keep his property, but on two conditions: Shylock must convert to Christianity, and second, He must will the entirety of his estate to Lorenzo and Jessica upon his death.

BY THE END• By the end of the story, Shylock has basically lost everything. He almost lost

half of what he owned in court, but luckily for him, the Duke and Antonio showed mercy. But on certain conditions. The Duke was going to take a fine, but Antonio’s were much worse. Firstly, Shylock had to convert to Christianity, and secondly, he must will the entirety of his estate to Lorenzo and Jessica upon his death.

• Shylock also loses his daughter Jessica to Lorenzo as they are going to get married. Jessica left home as Shylock told her that her and Lorenzo couldn’t be together as Jessica was a Jew and Lorenzo is a Christian. At the end, Jessica and Lorenzo declare their love for each other. Jessica is going to convert to Christianity and her And Lorenzo will get married.

‘I AM A JEW’ SPEECH• At the trail of Antonio over the pound of flesh, Shylock says a speech.

I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same

winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not

revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me I will

execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.

Info from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379889/quotes

http://www.shmoop.com/merchant-of-venice/shylock.html

SHYLOCK QUOTESWhat if my house be troubled with a rat,And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducatsTo have it baned? What, are you answered yet?Some men there are love not a gaping pig,Some that are mad if they behold a cat,And others when the bagpipe sings i’th’ noseCannot contain their urine; for affection,Mistress of passion, sways it to the moodOf what it likes or loathes.So can I give no reason, nor I will not,More than a lodged hate and a certain loathingI bear Antonio, that I follow thusA losing suit against him. Are you answered?

Info from: http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/quotes.html

SHYLOCK QUOTES• You have among you many a purchased slave

Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules,You use in abject and in slavish partsBecause you bought them. Shall I say to you’Let them be free, marry them to your heirs.Why sweat they under burdens?You will answer’The slaves are ours.’ So do I answer you.The pound of flesh which I demand of himIs dearly bought. ‘Tis mine, and I will have it.

• Info from: http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/quotes.html

SHYLOCK QUOTES• The man that hath no music in himself,

Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,Is fit for treasons, stategems, and spoils.The motions of his spirit are dull as night,And his affections dark as Erebus.

• Info from: http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/quotes.html

MEMORABLE QUOTES FROM THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

• Shylock: I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.

• Salerio: Why, I am sure, if he forfeit thou wilt not take his flesh: what's that good for?

Shylock: To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.

• Shylock: 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; and what's his reason? I am a Jew.

• Antonio: Hear me yet, good Shylock. Shylock: I'll have my bond; speak not against my bond.

• Bassanio: For thy three thousand ducats here is six. Shylock: If every ducat in six thousand ducats were in six parts and every part a ducat, I would not draw them; I would have my bond

• Portia: The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICERising action: Antonio’s ships, the only means by which he can pay off his debt to Shylock, are reported lost at sea

Climax: Portia, disguised as a man of law, intervenes on Antonio’s behalf

Falling Action: Shylock is ordered to convert to Christianity and bequeath his possessions to Lorenzo and Jessica; Portia and Nerissa persuade their husbands to give up their rings

Themes: Self-interest versus love; the divine quality of mercy; hatred as a cyclical phenomenon

Motifs: The law; cross-dressing; filial piety

Symbols: The pound of flesh; Leah’s ring; the three caskets

Info found: http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/facts.html

BIBLIOGRAPHY• http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/facts.html

• http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/quotes.html

• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379889/quotes

• http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant/facts.html

• http://www.shmoop.com/merchant-of-venice/shylock.html