He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction." [CITATION Wil15 p "III. i. 44-60." l 4105 ] Analysing this, you can see that Shylock makes good points, and yet valid ones for the time, but with all of this being stated during that period, it makes you wonder how Shakespeare would have concealed this into the story without anyone noticing. That's why I believe that Shakespeare is demonstrating the horrible treatment of Jews in the period through the play.
Second, I would like to analyse the criticism against the unjust treatment of Jews in the society at the time of 1596 to 1599. In the story, Shylock is treated without dignity and respect, but not only to Shylock, but during that period, all Jews were treated unequally. You can tell by the way Shylock explains his treatment to Antonio, "You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine," [CITATION Wil15 p "III. iii. 105-106." l 4105 ] With this being said, we can see that the treatment of Jews was unpleasant; it is primarily caused by the practice of their religion and beliefs.
