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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 3.15.97: Top | Help
Personally, I think Shylock is mainly a villain. Sure, he's had bad luck involving his daughter and "monies" but hey, everyone has bad luck sometime-but we don't(or shouldn't) take that out on
someone else. Shylock was ready with a cruel,cold heart to take the life of Antonio just to satisfy his anger and hatred! That's so ....cold!!!! Just because you hate someone or have a run of
bad luck that makes you angry, that's no reason to kill. Shylock deserved what he got from Jessica because he was a rotten person(morally). He couldn't even acknowledge what meant more to him-
his MONEY or his DAUGHTER!!!! He's lucky he didn't get killed just for being such a hateful,unjust,rude person!! He had no compassion or mercy-how can one think of him as a victim....other than
him being a victim of himself(his own selflessness brought about everything that happened to him!) It was wrong of Antonio to taunt Shylock and make fun of him but on the other hand, it was wrong
of Shylock to put more importance on his money than his daughter...AND it was wrong of Shylock to hate Antonio back. Just b/c someone dislikes you, you shouldn't dislike them back-"love all your
neighbors and forgive them."-that's part of the R.C faith but I guess it's not part of the Jewish faith. Anywayz, some lines or acts that show Shylock is a villain are...-Act2 sc.8 line15(he seems confused
about which means more to him)-sc.Act 3 Sc.1-line99(or around there!)He gets ecstatic thinking something bad has happened 2 Antonio.Also, line 127 of that same scene is kind of sick 2. Act 3 sc.3 lines 12-18
He might as well say "I have no compassion, I'll never give mercy to a Christian!" Act 4 sc.1 lines 139-142 (or somewhere around there!) Again, Shylock will have absolutely NO compassion.Same place-line 303-
here,Shylock is blood-hungry w/ a knife in hand to cut out the heart of a human being-a hated Christian- AND HE'S EXCITED & HAPPY!! Today, he'd be classified as a deranged,psychotic killer!! (At least, that's
my opinion!) Basically, all of Act 4 Sc.1 shows Shylock as a villain. This is all just my opinion though. Well, by writing this I have studied for my exam tomorrow! Thanks 4 giving me the oppurtunity!!Hope I
helped you! Anywayz, I gotta go now....time to sleep- I'm getting tired of Shakespeare!! Hopefully in gr.11 I'll have a more interesting play 2 study! See ya!p.s. Antonio IS gay!!! (He loved Bassanio!!!!) Again, that's just MY opinion!!!!!!
Posted by Katie Matsuba on March 16, 1997 at 20:37:21
In Reply to "Did Shylock (from Merchant of Venice) get what he deserved?" posted by Joshua Boyles on March 15, 1997 at 12:38:18
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 3.15.97: Top | Help