Shylock
Merchant of Venice
Notes on Shylock
Christians and Jews
Read the NoteDespite the sarcasm, the audience as well as father Abram are led to consider Shylock’s exclamation:
–what these Christians are,
Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others!
Shylock more than implies the old adage that it takes one to know one.
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Appearance and Prejudice
Read the NoteOne of Shakespeare’s most frequent themes is appearance versus reality. This theme manifests itself in different ways for different purposes. In Merchant of Venice (2.2.181), Bassanio says to Gratiano:
Thou art too wild, too rude and bold of voice—
Parts that become thee happily enough,
And in such eyes as ours appear not faults.
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Christians and Jews
Read the NoteThe first exchange between Antonio and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (1.3.116) reveals much about their characters, their motivations and the themes of the play. For example, Shylock is clearly less motivated by money and greed, the typical ingredients of antisemitic prejudice, than by anger at having been personally and publicly insulted by Antonio. And Antonio, who was previously shown to be a generous,
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Quotes spoken by the character Shylock
Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
Read the QuoteShylock
Signior Antonio, many a time and oftHendiadys
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys and my usances.
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug
(For suff’rance is the badge of all our tribe).
You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog,
And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine,
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O father Abram, what these Christians are
Read the QuoteO father Abram, what these Christians are,
Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others! Pray you tell me this:
If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture?
A pound of man’s flesh taken from a man
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons,
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Now, what news on the Rialto?
Read the QuoteSolanio
Now, what news on the Rialto?
Salarino
Why, yet it lives there unchecked that Antonio
hath a ship of rich lading wracked on the
Narrow Seas—the Goodwins, I think they call the
place—a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the
carcasses of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say,
if my gossip Report be an honest woman of her word.
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Why, I am sure if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh!
Read the QuoteSalarino
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. He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains,
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I have possessed your Grace of what I purpose
Read the QuoteShylock
I have possessed your Grace of what I purpose,
And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn
To have the due and forfeit of my bond.
If you deny it, let the danger light
Upon your charter and your city’s freedom!
You’ll ask me why I rather choose to have
A weight of carrion flesh than to receive
Three thousand ducats.
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What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?
Read the QuoteWhat judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?
You have among you many a purchased slave,
Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish parts
Because you bought them. Shall I say to you
“Let them be free! Marry them to your heirs!
Why sweat they under burdens? Let their beds
Be made as soft as yours,
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Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?
Read the QuoteGratiano
Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?
Shylock
To cut the forfeiture from that bankrout there.
Gratiano
Not on thy sole but on thy soul, harsh Jew,
Thou mak’st thy knife keen. But no metal can,
No, not the hangman’s axe, bear half the keenness
Of thy sharp envy.
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My deeds upon my head! I crave the law
Read the QuoteShylock
My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.
Portia, as Balthazar
Is he not able to discharge the money?
Bassanio
Yes. Here I tender it for him in the court,
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