Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice consists of humorous, passionate, heart wrenching, and sometimes violent scenes. ... Historically, readers would have had a different outlook on Shakespeare's use of comedy with relation to Shylock, than modern readers will perceive after reading The Merchant of Venice. ... Modern readers can develop a wave of sympathy towards Shylock following the reading of The Merchant of Venice. ... This is one of many quotes that support that Shylock is now the victim of the play because he is tormented by others for being jewish. ... In writing, "The Merchant of...

• Word Count: 891
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Anti Semitism was a strong theme in the Merchant of Venice. ... The friends of Shakespeare who decided that Merchant of Venice was a comedy, justified this by saying the play was about love and marriage. ... Jessica shows how much it hurts to made fun of like this in this quote. ... Shylock was a alien in Venice because he was a Jew and therefore had to give up everything to the government because the threatened Antonio's life. ... It is enacted in the laws of Venice, If it be proven against an alien That by direct or indirect attempts He seek the life of any citizen, The party agains...

• Word Count: 1361
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

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

In Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" Shylock is made out to be a bad person or perhaps a criminal. ... He is so fixated with his money he is afraid to leave his house in fear his money is stolen as he quotes "my house, left in the fearful guard of an unthrift nave", Shylock's servant Lancelot Gobbo complains he is being starved and this frustrates Shylock even more than he already appears to be. ... If he was so bad surely there was another money lender the people of Venice could go too. ...

• Word Count: 736
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School