Merchant of venice
Void upon my bread
This speech by Shylock evokes the social world in which he lives. For, as a Jew, Shylock rails in magnified language against Antonio, a Venetian who has castigated Shylock for his usury. Also, within the setting of this play, the Venetians limited Jewish merchants and moneylenders/pawnbrokers, making them live in "geti" (plural of "geto"). The guttural pronunciation of this word made it sound like ghetto, a word still used today to mark emargination. So, Shylock is perceived as inferior to the Venetian money lenders, who do not charge interest.
While more modern interpretations differ from the older ones, Shylock, the Jewish critic Harold Bloom affirms, is meant to be portrayed as comical. For, who would ask for a payment of a pound of flesh? Certainly, Antonio does not take Shylock seriously when he agrees to forfeit his flesh if he fails to pay the loan of three thousand ducats after three months.
In Act I, Scene 3 with Antonio's name as collateral, Bassanio approaches Shylock and requests a loan. Shylock refuses unless he speaks personally to Antonio; so, Antonio appears and states that he will break his custom of not participating in usury for this loan. But Shylock utters abuse against Antonio, asking why he should lend him money when Antonio has berated him for his usury, spat upon him and called him a cur. With sarcasm he asks if he should ask how a dog can have any money to lend. Perhaps Antonio would like it if Shylock cowtows and fawns before Antonio, thanking the Venetian for his "kindness" in allowing him to lend the money.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
"Hath a dog money? Is it possible
A cur can lend three thousand ducats?" Or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With bates breath, and whisp'ring humbleness
Say this:
"...and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much moneys"
The vituperative tone of this passage suggests that Shylock hates Antonio, who is a Christian and a competitor as a
This speech by Shylock evokes the social world in which he lives. For, as a Jew, Shylock rails in magnified language against Antonio, a Venetian who has castigated Shylock for his usury. Also, within the setting of this play, the Venetians limited Jewish merchants and moneylenders/pawnbrokers, making them live in "geti" (plural of "geto"). The guttural pronunciation of this word made it sound like ghetto, a word still used today to mark emargination. So, Shylock is perceived as inferior to the Venetian money lenders, who do not charge interest.
While more modern interpretations differ from the older ones, Shylock, the Jewish critic Harold Bloom affirms, is meant to be portrayed as comical. For, who would ask for a payment of a pound of flesh? Certainly, Antonio does not take Shylock seriously when he agrees to forfeit his flesh if he fails to pay the loan of three thousand ducats after three months.
In Act I, Scene 3 with Antonio's name as collateral, Bassanio approaches Shylock and requests a loan. Shylock refuses unless he speaks personally to Antonio; so, Antonio appears and states that he will break his custom of not participating in usury for this loan. But Shylock utters abuse against Antonio, asking why he should lend him money when Antonio has berated him for his usury, spat upon him and called him a cur. With sarcasm he asks if he should ask how a dog can have any money to lend. Perhaps Antonio would like it if Shylock cowtows and fawns before Antonio, thanking the Venetian for his "kindness" in allowing him to lend the money.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
"Hath a dog money? Is it possible
A cur can lend three thousand ducats?" Or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With bates breath, and whisp'ring humbleness
Say this:
"...and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much moneys"
The vituperative tone of this passage suggests that Shylock hates Antonio, who is a Christian and a competitor as a