Shylock
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Shylock is a central character in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice who famously demanded a "pound of flesh" from the title character. His portrayal as the stereotype of a miserly money lending Jew has raised questions over possible anti-Semitism on Shakespeare's part.
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[edit] Elements of the character
There are elements of humanity in the character, most notably in his legendary "Hath not a Jew eyes" soliloquy, in which he argues his right to dignity and to revenge himself on the Christians who wrong him. This soliloquy is also often thought to be a breakdown of the division between Jews and Christians, both will seek revenge. In modern performances of The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is often treated as a tragic figure, while Antonio is cast as more of a villain.
Not mentioned in the play (but well known to his first audiences) is that during Shakespeare's day, moneylending was one of the few careers open to Jews, and Christians made deals with them daily, as the New Testament condemns interest charges on loans (usury is also forbidden by Jewish law, except in loans to non-Jews). In the 16th century, Christians (such as Shakespeare) regarded usury as a sin; for Shakespeare's audience, usurious interest would have been seen as sinful in itself. However, it is important to take notice that Antonio has no real qualms about borrowing money from Shylock when he is in need. Shylock's profession as a moneylender is frequently used by critics to support claims of anti-Semitism in the play.
Some readers have come to Shakespeare's defence on charges of anti-Semitism levelled at his portrayal of Shylock. Reasons for this vary and include the breakdown of any division between the Christians and the Jews - verbalized by Shylock's "Hath not a Jew eyes..." speech in which he asserts that he is no different than a Christian and deserves revenge as much as they would have it. Also the lack of mercy shown by the Christians at the end of the play points to hypocrisy on their part. Some scholars also suggest that Shylock is repeatedly shown to have human qualities and that he becomes a sympathetic character, particularly when he is told about Jessica's betrayal and the loss of his (deceased) wife's ring. Some have also claimed that the forced conversion is an attempt by Shakespeare to create a "happy ending", Shylock's soul is saved and in turn the Christians have served God.
[edit] Notable portrayals
Notable actors who have portrayed Shylock include Richard Burbage and Will Kempe in the 16th century, Charles Macklin in 1741, Edmund Kean in 1814, William Charles Macready in 1840, Edwin Booth in 1861, Henry Irving in 1880, Laurence Olivier in a 1973 TV movie, and Al Pacino in a 2004 feature film version.
[edit] "Shylocking"
The character's name has entered the language as a synonym for loan shark, and as a verb: to shylock is to lend money at exorbitant rates. The main character in the films Get Shorty and Be Cool, Chili Palmer (played by John Travolta), is repeatedly referred to as a shylock. "Pound of flesh" has also entered the lexicon as slang for particularly brutal revenge. It is very often used for humorous exaggeration; people will say, sarcastically, "Here's your pound of flesh!" even when paying a rather small debt or bet. In the movie American History X Edward Norton uses the term Shylock to deride a Jewish man whom he suspects of sleeping with his mother, exclaiming, "I will fucking cut your Shylock nose off and stick it up your ass before I let that happen!"
[edit] Notes
It is of interest that William Shakespeare in all probability had never actually met a Jew in his lifetime - at least, not a Jew who admitted to his or her own Judaism. The Jews of England were expelled on July 18, 1290, on decree of Edward I and were only officially re-admitted by Oliver Cromwell in the year 1655, thirty-nine years after Shakespeare's death. Although a small number of Jews did remain, they were forced to keep their Judaism secret.
Edward Einhorn's absurdist comedy A Shylock, appearing in his book of plays entitled The Golem, Methuselah, and Shylock, gives another perspective on Shylock. In it, a modern day professor visits Venice, looking for Shylock. Everywhere he goes he gets another description of the famous Jew, each description matching one of the many interpretations the Merchant of Venice has received, ranging from anti-Semitic to Freudian to Marxist.
[edit] Further reading
- John Gross, Shylock: A Legend and Its Legacy. Touchstone: 1994. ISBN 0671883860.
- Kenneth Gross, Shylock Is Shakespeare. University of Chicago Press: 2006. ISBN 0226309770.
- James Shapiro, Shakespeare and the Jews. Columbia University Press: 1997. ISBN 023110345X.
- Joseph Shatzmiller, Shylock Reconsidered: Jews, Moneylending, and Medieval Society. University of California Press: 1990. ISBN 0520066359.
- Martin Yaffe, Shylock and the Jewish Question. Johns Hopkins University Press: 1997. ISBN 0801856485.
