Sympathize with Shylock

All in allShylock is a miserly Jew in The Merchant of Venice.Being called cruel names and being spit. His character, his experience He is treated disgracefully by the Christians through their mocking his religion, refusing to trade with him and spitting at him on the streets.

The main reason of Shylock’s demand for revenge against Antonio was the loss Antonio was causing to him by lending money without interest which hurt the money lending business of Shylock. Shylock being a Jew was always looked down upon by others and Antonio . In short Shylock was not respected by Antonio .

,at would make any of us pretty upset!

In the play, Antonio has already made an enemy of Shylock through his outspoken antisemitism, and also because Antonio's habit of lending money without interest forces Shylock to charge lower rates.Shylockagrees to lend the sum to Antonio without interest upon one condition: if Antonio is unable to repay it at the specified date, Shylock may take a pound of Antonio's flesh.At Antonio's request, the Duke grants remission of the state's half of forfeiture.

In the very first scene that Shylock and Antonio appear together in The Merchant of Venice, Shylock says that in the past, Antonio has treated him cruelly because Shylock is Jewish. Shylock says Antonio called him a”misbeliever, cut-throat, dog .And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine. “(I.iii)

Shylock also says that Antonio kicked him on the street like a stray dog:

[You] foot me as you spurn a stranger cur

Over your threshold! (I.iii)

I don't know about you, but being called cruel names and being spit at would make me

pretty upset!

We know that what Shylock says is true, because Antonio himself confirms it. Rather than denying the name-calling and spitting, he agrees that he's done it many times before and will continue to do so. He is not appealing to Shylock to lend him money as a friend, but as an enemy.

In the 19th century (Elizabethan times) Shylock had been portrayed by Shakespeare an outcast, both as a villain and a clown. This was believable to his audience because at the time Jews were persecuted as a lower class in society and isolated. They would of have a much simpler view that Christians were always more intelligent. There were not really any Jews living in England at this time. However, society has changed throughout the centuries, where different religions, race, etc., are no longer discriminated against, and Shylock in the modern day world may be seen as a victim.

Shylock, a miserly Jew is considered a bloodthirsty bogeyman in The Merchant of Venice. However, he is treated disgracefully by the Christians through their mocking his religion, refusing to trade with him and spitting at him on the streets.