Tuesday, August 2, 2011

What characteristics do you see in Shylock's speeches?

Shylock often shows his concern with money, but also his resentment concerning how he is treated by the Christians, and sometimes he shows a humanity that is difficult for the audience not to respond to with compassion.  His speech in 3.1 where he clearly says he wants revenge indicates how much he resents the way people mistreat him. "He [Antonio] hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation....," says Shylock to Salarino, showing how deeply he resents their treatment of him. He then insists on his humanity: "Hath not a Jew eyes?  Hath not a Jew hands, organs..." When he discovers his daughter has run away with his money, we see how avaricious he is. "My ducats, my daughter!" he exclaims, causing us to think, perhaps, that he values his money as much as or perhaps more than he does his daughter.

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