In the final line of Shylock’s famous “hath not a Jew eyes?” speech, Shylock describes nature of revenge as a never-ending and intensifying cycle. He demonstrates that he understands that killing Antonio would be a larger crime than Antonio’s offenses against him, but prefers it that way.
Q. Is Shylock a villain or a victim?
Shylock is a combination of both victim and villain in The Merchant of Venice. He is a victim of discrimination and mistreated by Antonio and his daughter, Jessica. Shylock’s greedy, vengeful nature is what makes him a villain, which helps drive the plot of the play.
Table of Contents
- Q. Is Shylock a villain or a victim?
- Q. Why does Shylock hate Antonio?
- Q. Why could Antonio not help Bassanio financially?
- Q. Does Shylock deserve to be punished?
- Q. Does Shylock convert to Christianity?
- Q. How is Shylock punished in the end?
- Q. Why is Shylock the victim?
- Q. Is Shylock good or bad?
- Q. How much money did Antonio borrow from Shylock?
- Q. Does Shylock receive a fair trial?
- Q. Why is The Merchant of Venice so popular?
- Q. How was Shylock treated in The Merchant of Venice?
- Q. What is Portia’s character in The Merchant of Venice?
- Q. Who is Bassanio in love with?
- Q. Who is the real hero of Merchant of Venice?
- Q. Is Merchant of Venice a real story?
- Q. Does Shylock die?
- Q. How did Portia defeat Shylock?
- Q. Who is the best character in Merchant of Venice?
- Q. Why did Bassanio marry Portia?
- Q. Are Portia and Bassanio really in love?
- Q. Who is Prince of Arragon?
- Q. Why did Prince of Arragon reject the lead casket?
- Q. Why does Prince of Morocco reject the silver casket?
- Q. Why did Prince of Morocco reject the lead casket?
- Q. Why did Morocco choose the golden casket?
Q. Why does Shylock hate Antonio?
Shylock hates Antonio because Antonio has the privilege of being a wealthy Venetian who charges no interest on his loans, and he also hates Antonio for being a Christian. Antonio not only loans money interest-free to many, he has also covered the loans of Shylock’s victims without charging them interest to repay him.
Q. Why could Antonio not help Bassanio financially?
Here’s the answer: Antonio wasn’t able to help Bassanio with the sum of money he asked for because all of his merchandise was presently in his ships which were sailing in the sea. Therefore,he asked Bassanio to lent the money from Shylock, a jewish money lender in Venice, and take his name as the guranter.
Q. Does Shylock deserve to be punished?
Answer. Shylock was persued by Portia into claiming his crime. Still, Antonio lossened his punishment but it was still too much for such a crime. He deserved much less punishment than he got.
Q. Does Shylock convert to Christianity?
Portia orders Shylock to beg for the duke’s mercy. Shylock claims that they may as well take his life, as it is worthless without his estate. Antonio offers to return his share of Shylock’s estate, on the condition that Shylock convert to Christianity and bequeath all his goods to Jessica and Lorenzo upon his death.
Q. How is Shylock punished in the end?
In the end – due to the efforts of Antonio’s well-wisher, Portia – Shylock is charged with attempted murder of a Christian, carrying a possible death penalty, and Antonio is freed without punishment. Shylock is then ordered to surrender half of his wealth and property to the state and the other half to Antonio.
Q. Why is Shylock the victim?
Shylock is a victim of harassment by the Christians, a victim of betrayal by his own daughter, and a victim of prejudice because he had to give up his religion due to wanting Antonio’s flesh. In this play, The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is the victim, because he is mistreated.
Q. Is Shylock good or bad?
In early productions of The Merchant of Venice, actors played Shylock as either a monster or an evil clown, enforcing the idea that he is the villain of the play. In addition to the abuse Antonio and other Christians routinely subject him to, Shylock lost his beloved wife, Leah.
Q. How much money did Antonio borrow from Shylock?
Shylock lends the money to Antonio with some slightly gory conditions. Bassanio approaches the Jewish moneylender, Shylock, and asks to borrow 3000 ducats with Antonio as a bond . Shylock points out that Antonio’s money is invested at sea, and a loan is risky because the ships might sink or be attacked by pirates.
Q. Does Shylock receive a fair trial?
Shylock does not receive a fair trial. The Duke, who acts as judge, shows immediate bias when he describes Shylock.
Q. Why is The Merchant of Venice so popular?
The Merchant of Venice is one of the Shakespear’s most popular romantic comedies. Thus the reason of popularity of Merchant of Venice is easily recognised. It is a play with rich romantic elements that raises complex issues of justice mercy and the bonds that join people together.
Q. How was Shylock treated in The Merchant of Venice?
Shylock is a Jew, and he believes he is shunned and hated by Christians. This alone differentiates his treatment in the play from an anti-Semitic rant, for Shakespeare recognizes that society does often demonize the Jew and that such a judgment is unfair, so much so as to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Q. What is Portia’s character in The Merchant of Venice?
Portia is a protagonist of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. A rich, beautiful, intelligent heiress of Belmont, she is bound by the lottery set forth in her father’s will, which gives potential suitors the chance to choose among three caskets.
Q. Who is Bassanio in love with?
Portia
Q. Who is the real hero of Merchant of Venice?
Q. Is Merchant of Venice a real story?
The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play written by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599.
Q. Does Shylock die?
Shylock does not die in Merchant. However, he does see his punishment as worse than death.
Q. How did Portia defeat Shylock?
As a woman, in any case, her words would not be taken seriously. But once she “passes” as a male, they are. The disguised Portia manages to defeat Shylock because she is intelligent and can reason well. Since Shylock won’t be bought off, as Bassanio tries to do, she decides to defeat him at his own game.
Q. Who is the best character in Merchant of Venice?
Shylock
Q. Why did Bassanio marry Portia?
As her dead father’s will stipulates, Portia cannot decide for herself whether to take a husband, and her suitors must choose between three caskets in the hopes of selecting the one that contains her portrait. Bassanio wins the right to marry Portia because he solves the riddle and correctly chooses the right casket.
Q. Are Portia and Bassanio really in love?
No, Bassanio was not fully a fortune seeker. He was really in love with Portia . We can see this from instances in the play , like when he praises her for her beauty in the picture and in front of Antonio.
Q. Who is Prince of Arragon?
The prince of Arragon An arrogant Spanish nobleman who also attempts to win Portia’s hand by picking a casket. Like the prince of Morocco, however, the prince of Arragon chooses unwisely. He picks the silver casket, which gives him a message calling him an idiot instead of Portia’s hand.
Q. Why did Prince of Arragon reject the lead casket?
He chose the gold casket because it seemed the most obvious, and most desirable choice. Arragon rejects lead because of the ominous warning, and thinks that gold refers to the foolish populace. Instead he chooses silver which indicates he will receive what he deserves. Arragon is arrogant and proud.
Q. Why does Prince of Morocco reject the silver casket?
Answer: Prince of Morocco rejected the silver casket because he thinks that if he is judged by his own standards his merits ,his merits may be very high to win portia but yet to be ensured of what he deserves is a sign of weakness which will bring discredit on himself.
Q. Why did Prince of Morocco reject the lead casket?
Answer: He rejected the lead casket because it was threatening him instead of giving him hope. He said that a noble mind like him will not risk or sacrifice anything for lead casket.
Q. Why did Morocco choose the golden casket?
Prince of Morocco’s choice is straightforward. He chose the gold casket because it seemed the most obvious, and most desirable choice. If gold represents “what many men desire” then Arragon’s powerful belief in his own superiority to the fool multitude that choose by show, makes him reject it.