The religious reasons for this hatred also pushed them to believe that if a Jew converted to Christianity, as Shylock is forced to do in The Merchant of Venice, then all will be forgiven as the repentant Jew is now pure of heart. "...some Christians believed that the coming of the Kingdom of God was aided by converting the Jews to Christianity" (Hughes 5). ... When the preceding quote is spoken, Shylock is being mocked by Salerio and Solanio in the street, and Shylock is trying to make them see their hypocracy. ... The Merchant of Venice does not emphasize the superiority of any particular rac...

• Word Count: 1256
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School