Shakespeare’s Shylock
Shylock is considered one of the most notable negative characters in William Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice. This blood thirsty, perverted, Jewish moneylender is portrayed throughout the play as a cruel monster, full of hatred toward his Christian neighbors in Venice. As a matter of fact, Shylock is most probably the very merchant of Venice, however some experts still argue about this idea. Generally, Shylock is depicted as a negative figure in the play, who provokes only Anti-Semitic impression. However as the play goes on, the reader can see the reasons for Shylock’s hatred and desire to avenge Christian Antonio. William Shakespeare also shows that there are actually positive human trends in Shylock.
The problem of Shylock consisted first of all in his religious identity. Because he was a Jew, while the entire town in which he lived was Christian, his neighbor and (as we see in the play) even clients mistreat the old man, and abuse him. Shylock is not a most disgraceful look at human nature. He is, in fact, a product of other humans and their actions. There are three reasons why he is not the most disgraceful look at human nature and anti-Semitic character. They are: one, how he is the same as the other humans and thus does what they do, two, how he has been “taught” by the Christians, and three, how Shylock shows that there are worse humans than him.
Shylock is the same as other humans. This is suitably demonstrated in his speech in Act 3 Scene 1, where he gives his speech on how Jews and Christians are alike. He does this by asking the other characters and the audience how Jews are different from Christians. He starts by asking whether Jews have eyes, hands, organs and dimensions, asking whether they are physically different from Christians. Having shown that there are no physical differences in their bodies, he goes on to ask whether what feeds, kills, heals or injures them is different, asking specifically about food, weapons, disease, healing and seasons, asking whether what naturally affects them is different. Again, no, they are all the same. He then goes on to ask whether what other humans do to each other is different. He asks about when they (probably referring to Christians) prick them, do Jews not bleed, when they poison Jews, don they not die, tickling them and laughing, and wronging and revenge. In all of these cases, the results are the same on Jews as on Christians. Shylock then sums up all of this in saying “If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that”, saying that they, Jews and Christians alike, are all the same, demonstrating that whatever he does is basically emulating what they did to him.
Secondly, Shylock has been taught by the Christians, and is only emulating their behavior. Antonio has disgraced him, prevented from making money and mocking him for it, insulted his nation (particularly, religion) and given him more enemies. If this is what Christians do to him, then does he not have a right to do the same things back to them? The New Testament also states “do unto others what you want done to you”, and Shylock may have decided that if Christians do this, then therefore they want it in return, and so takes his revenge.  
Shylock also demonstrates how there are worse humans, by showing how he is emulating their treatment of him in how he treats them. He shows in his speech what Antonio has done to him, and we are also shown it, when he reminds Antonio of how he spat on and kicked Shylock in public, followed by Antonio saying that he is likely to do it again. So, who started it, and who has been copying whom? Antonio was the one who started persecuting Shylock, and Shylock has just been copying Antonio. Who is worse, the person who persecutes another person because of their religion, or the person who copies the persecutor in self-defense against the persecutor?
The fact that Shylock wants a pound of flesh testifies that he simply wants to treat Antonio the same way that Antonio had treated him. Shylock seeks justice, however the methods that he opted for may not be the best ones. In fact, Shylock’s method is much more cruel and inhumane, than Antonio’s kicks and spits. 
Tubal is another dweller of Venice who is a Jew. Being Shylock’s friend, he tells news to Shylock, namely the news about Antonio’s loss of ships. In act tree he tells Shylock about Jessica’s affair in the town. Tubal is mainly a figure who shares Shylock’s laments and joys, because Shylock turns to him when he finds out about the news. Tubal shows the readers of the play that Shylock is nothing more than a human being, who also has feelings and emotions. 
The major topic of The Merchant of Venice is justice and mercy. Shylock, as a ruthless avenger, cannot quell his eagerness and opt for justice. Through his distorted vision of justice he sins even more than he had been sinned against. Antonio only damaged his ego and morality, however Shylock demanded not only humiliation and emotional trauma, but also physical damage that would probably cause death. Hence, in lieu of being a better person, he decides to behave even more severely, more justly. He does not wish to render any mercy on his accusers, rather to punish them even more, citing Christian motto “do unto others what you want done to you.”
Portia’s actions are even more “just.” On one hand, she did exactly as Shylock had done, namely treated him even worse than he, as an accuser, had done. She decided to teach him a lesson, and split his possessions. However, this man actually has done nothing wrong to Antonio. Although he intended to, but he never actually get a pound of his flesh. This fact makes Portia’s actions unjust. Moreover, she, as a Christian, should have behaved wiser and more generously than Shylock, and shoe him that Christianity is high above Judaism. But she decided to stay with Shylock in the realm of revenge and “justice.”
Shylock remains being “the other” of the play, first of all because he is a Jew. William Shakespeare depicts this character as a lonesome identity, whom nobody understands and respects. Despite his inner monstrosity, he lent the money to Antonio, the money that money that a Christian accuser needed very much. Although Shylock did plot a cruel plan should the money had not been returned, he could never complete it. In return for the favor, the zero percent loan, the Jewish character gets bankrupt and once more humiliated in public. And his Christian compatriots instead of showing him mercy and love, which is the major idea of Christianity, behave “justly” and continue to abuse and humiliate the Jew.
Shylock is not an anti-Semitic character of The Merchant of Venice. Instead, he is just copying his tormentors to get back at them. He demonstrates how Jews are the same as Christians, and thus if they are the same, then shouldn’t he copy them in what they do, how they have “taught” him, and three, how there are plainly worse examples of human nature in the play.
Bibliography
1.	William Shakespeare. 2004. The Merchant of Venice. Washington Square Press.