The Character of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

The Character of usurer in The Merchant of Venice         Often, The character Shylock, in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice, is portrayed as a beastly monstrosity, with a lust for Antonios life.  Through a more careful examination it rout out be determined that Shylock was an upstanding member of his community, who endured abuse, forgave easily, and upheld the customs and law.         Shylock endured much of Antonios abuse, overt a long period of time. This can be seen by the sheer volume of disgraces he has bore. A good practice session is in dissemble 3 Scene 1, beginning with origin 52         He hath disgraced me half a million, laughed at my losses,       mocked at my gains, contemn my nation, thwarted my bargains,       cooled my friends, heated mine enemies...                 &nbs p                   -Shylock         Shylock had such a self-aggrandising spirit, that he even offered Antonio, who had abused him terribly, a loan, free of interest.  Shylock was unbidden to loan money to one who totally ruined him in public, on terms that were nicer than his normal business terms.  This kind, forgiving heart can be seen in Act 1 Scene 3 beginning with line 148         Why, look how you storm I would be friends with you and       have your love, forget the name calling that you have stained me       with, supply your present needs and take no doit of usance       for my moneys, and youll not hear me This is kind I offer.                                      -Shylock         Often, this quote from Act 3 Scene 1 line 83,         Why, there, there, there, there A baseball field gone cost me two      thousand ducats in Frankfurt The bank never fell upon our nation   till now, I never matte up it till now.  Two thousand ducats in that and    other precious, precious, jewels  I would my missy were dead      at my foot and the jewels in her ear portraying Shylocks interposition of his daughter, after she ran away, is manipulated to make Shylock seem beastly.  But, within the Jewish refining and the time period, his response was appropriate.  After his daughter ran away, she was, for all intents and purposes, disowned.  Thusly, the theft of