Shylock‚ Villain or victim? The Merchant of Venice June 8th‚ 2011 In the play The Merchant of Venice Shylock is supposed to be the protagonist‚ the definition of protagonist is; the leading character or a major character in a drama‚ movie‚ novel‚ or other fictional text. But the way Shylock is portrayed is more along the lines of being both victim and villain. Shylock is out for one pound of Antonio’s flesh which will in the end kill Antonio and the flesh will do him no good anyway. But he
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The Merchant of Venice‚ Shakespeare uses his great skill in writing to make a character appear as if he is both a villain and a victim. A victim can be defined as an unfortunate person who suffers from a destructive action or through the dishonesty of others. Although Shylock is viewed by Christians in the play as a cruel man‚ Shylock is a victim because he is mistreated‚ betrayed and his possessions‚ culture and dignity are taken away from him‚ all because he is a Jew. Shylock is a victim of
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often killed because of their beliefs. Such is the kind of racial discrimination toward Shylock‚ the Jewish character in "The Merchant of Venice." Some believe that the character as a greedy‚ coldhearted villain‚ which is not the case. In Shakespeare’s play‚ "The Merchant of Venice‚" Shylock was a victim of years’ struggle against discrimination toward his religion. One of the most persistent charges against Shylock was that he was cruel and bloodthirsty. Antonio says in act 4 scene 1 that it is impossible
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Shakespeare Merchant of Venice Essay I have been studying the play The Merchant of Venice written by William Shakespeare. The play genre is drama and it is set in the late 1590s. It is set in two cities Venice and Belmont. The play is about usury between a Christian and a Jew. The Christian is a man named Antonio‚ who is The Merchant of Venice. The Jew is a wealthy man called Shylock who is facing a lot of religious rivalry at the time. Antonio’s friend Bassanio comes to him to ask for money
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occasions‚ where villains have themselves been exposed to villainy‚ that the distinction between villain and victim becomes blurred. Victims are usually characterised in the way that they are persecuted for circumstances‚ which are beyond their control for example their appearance. In plays and novels‚ the victim is sometimes a character included to highlight the prejudices and pre-conceptions of the social climate in which the play or novel was written. In the Merchant of Venice’ it can be argued
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Shylock is the Villain in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice In Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice the antagonist of the play is Shylock. Shylock is a wealthy Jewish moneylender. Shylock is probably the most memorable character in the play because of Shakespeare’s excellent characterization of him. Shylock is the antagonist in the play because he stands in the way of love‚ but this does not necessarily make him the villain of the play. Shylock can be seen as both the villain of the play and
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The Villain of The Merchant of Venice We all have a mind of our own and with that we can make the choice to do good or evil. So it is not our enemies that lure us to evil ways. It is our own minds that decide to do so. In the play‚ The Merchant of Venice‚ by William Shakespeare‚ Shylock is a villain because in the play Shylock uses deception and his knowledge of Antonio to exact his revenge‚ Shylock also shows that anger‚ revenge and hate has clouded his mind and so he chooses to show no forgiveness
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In The Merchant of Venice how does Shakespeare present both Shylock as both victim and villain? Throughout the play‚ ‘The Merchant of Venice’‚ Shylock reveals many personalities; therefore making him such an emotionally complex and detailed character that shows elements of being both a victim and villain; and to come to my decision to whether Shylock is either of the two‚ other characters language towards him and his reactions will perceive different ideas from different era’s in time to determine
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Shylock: Villain or Victim It is without doubt that William Shakespeare’s suspenseful play of The Merchant of Venice evokes complex feelings within a reader. Throughout the play‚ Shylock is portrayed as the antagonist‚ a miserable‚ cruel and prosaic figure menacing enough to endanger the happiness of Venetian citizens. At the same time‚ one feels a curious compassion for this character. In the 2004 film of The Merchant of Venice adaptation starring Al Pacino‚ Shylock is portrayed as a justifiably
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wonder many times while reading the Merchant Of Venice. Is Shylock really a victim or a villain? At first‚ we weren’t quite sure about the answer as throughout the play Shylock is portrayed as being both victim and villain. However‚ after reading and analyzing the book and getting enough evidence to prove our point‚ we finally made up our minds and decided which was the most suitable adjective for Shylock. On the one hand‚ Shylock might be considered as a villain as he is a miserly moneylender who
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