Shylock

What are your thoughts on shylock? and how do you veiw his character...

It is, of course, important to remember Merchant... was written as a comedy. Many people believe it impossible that Shakespeare wrote it with any sympathy for Shylock, because of the vehemently anti-semetic nation at that time.

I don't know though - Shakespeare is a genius after all - are we gonna judge him by: "Nobody would ever do that ..." ? Nah!

Certainly the character must evoke some sympathy in a modern audience - a man who is spat at in the street and insulted on a daily basis - but was everybody so different at heart back then? I think it is like saying that no literature in 1940's Germany could have expressed sympathy for the Jews under Hitler(the thinking behind a famous Mel Brooks movie of course!); it would be difficult to avoid 'trouble' - but inconceivable? And if anybody can - Shaky can.

I think I have started to waffle. What are your thoughts?

Originally Posted by ed_olsen_gene
well my thoughts are more than i can actually type... well i couldn't it type into an understanding that any one could comprehend. more of, it wouldn't be ledgable... on to your question... my only thoughts of shylock are: and I qoute "He is a bloodthirsty man who is out for his bond, and will stop at nothing to recieve his pound of flesh" he had been caught in his own words and couldn't draw back. Because of Portia being hard on shylock he could have left the courtroom w/out being condemned by the law. it's because of jessica he had to convert from Judaism to christian... her actions led to the conversion, but also with antonio's greed he makes shylock convert... which i saw coming in the beginning of the play, I saw that shylock had more greed than a dog hovering over a carcuss...


sorry to go on like this but im a very choppy person
but if it makes a good disscustion...

I'm choppy meself - chop on.

I'm disappointed by the number of people replying to my Question...

but i feel that shylock had all that was coming his way... he had more against him in the end, and no im not racist... sorry but people say that i am because im doggin on shylock..

I think to catch the intellectual sharks you got to use some tasty bait?! Chuck something in that people can get their teeth into!

Like you, my thoughts are too many to type up; but I'll probably chip in if there's a dialogue up and running.

help me out then and put some juice in the tank...

did shylock go to school? as a question... and who was his wife?