Summary:
Shylock from William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice is a Jewish money lender who lives in Venice. He is a victim of The Merchant of Venice because he was mistreated as a Jew, he received a horrible sentence in the court of law, and he was betrayed by his own daughter Jessica.
Shylock: Victim of The Merchant of Venice
Shylock from The Merchant of Venice is a Jewish money lender who lives in Venice. Shylock has lent three thousand ducats to Bassanio which he is to pay back in three months or Shylock gets a pound of flesh from Antonio. He is also a Jew and is mistreated by many people. Shylock is the victim of The Merchant of Venice because he was mistreated as a Jew, he received a horrible sentence in the court of law and he was betrayed by his own daughter, Jessica.
A reason why Shylock is the victim is that he was mistreated as a Jew; Jews in Shakespeare's time had to wear different clothes than everyone else did so you could be recognized as a Jew. They were also locked up at night so that they didn't get away. He was spat on by Antonio and called different names, for example he was called a dog. Shylock says to Antonio "You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gaberdine..." (Shakespeare 41).
Shylock was the victim because he got the most horrible court sentence. He had to go to court because Antonio hadn't paid him back yet. When he was in court with Antonio to get the pound of flesh Portia turned everything around on him by saying things that weren't specified in the bond. His sentence was ."..he presently become a Christian...." He also had to give half of all his possessions to Antonio and when he died the rest of his possessions had to go to Jessica and Lorenzo (Shakespeare 199)
Another reason why Shylock was the victim was he was betrayed by his own daughter. Jessica was asked to protect her father's money and jewels because he had a dream that someone took his money bags. While he is gone she runs away with Lorenzo. When he arrives at her house, Jessica takes Shylock's ducats and jewels. She also sold the ring that Shylock gave to his wife, his wife has died. Shylock is shocked and angered that she sold the ring, he says "a diamond gone, cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfurt!"(Shakespeare )
With these reasons in mind I am sure you will agree that Shylock is the victim. He was mistreated by others, he got a horrible court sentence and he was betrayed by is very own daughter. Therefore Shylock is the victim of The Merchant of Venice.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. Toronto: Harcourt Brace & Company Canada, 1988.
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