The Merchant of Venice is a play written by William Shakespeare. The play tells the story of Antonio, a merchant who borrows money from Shylock in order to help his friend Bassanio woo Portia. When Antonio can’t repay the loan, Shylock demands that he be given a pound of Antonio’s flesh as payment. The play has been controversial for centuries because of the sympathetic portrayal of Shylock, a Jewish moneylender who is mistreated by Christians.
Many people argue that Shylock is actually a victim in the play. He is repeatedly insulted and attacked by Christians, and he is only trying to protect his rights and his property. Some scholars have even argued that Shakespeare was trying to challenge anti-Semitic attitudes of his time.
However, others argue that Shylock is more sinned against than sinning. They point to the fact that he is a moneylender, and thus prey on the desperation of others. He also insists on being paid in Antonio’s flesh, even after being offered more than twice the amount of money he is owed. This shows that he is motivated by revenge, rather than justice.
There are several angles to consider in this debate. The first is that Shylock does not commit a sin, the second is that all of the characters commit as many sins as one another, the third is that Shylock is the only person who sins, and so on.
The fact that Antonio agrees to these terms suggests that he too sinned in making this agreement. The characters in the play are all flawed, and as such it is difficult to judge who deserves to be punished and who does not. The merchant of Venice is a play written by William Shakespeare, and it was first performed in 1596.
The play is based on a story from the bible, which tells the tale of a Jewish money lender who is persecuted by Christians. The character of Shylock has been debated for centuries, with some people claiming that he is a victim, and others that he is a villain. The question of whether or not the Shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning is still open to debate.
He later makes his aside in which he informs the audience that he despises Antonio. He is a Christian, and as such, he will do anything to injure Antonio. It is quite clear that this remark is ethnically biased, thus it violates one of God’s laws. But there is also evidence indicating that Christians are guilty of breaking this commandment.
Shylock tells Antonio, This is the third time you’ve called me a dog: Shylocks daughter Jessica thieving money and valuables from Shylock is clearly a violation of one of the 10 Commandments, as she is stealing.
The Christians also break this rule when they rob graves to get the gold and jewels off the corpses. Shylock is a victim because Antonio breaks the bond even though he knows that if he doesn’t pay back the money then Shylock can take a pound of his flesh. The breaking of the bond is a sin and it is also illegal so Antonio has committed two sins.
The court rules in favour of Shylock and says that he can have his pound of flesh but not a drop of blood must be shed. This means that Shylock can kill Antonio but he would be breaking the law himself if he did. So once again Shylock is the victim because he is being forced to break the law.
The Christians are also very hypocritical because they are always talking about how Shylock is a devil and how he is going to hell but they are the ones who are breaking the law. The only thing that Shylock has done wrong is to be born a Jew and for that he is treated like a second-class citizen.
Shylock is more sinned against than sinning because he is a victim of prejudice and discrimination. He is also forced to break the law even though he doesn’t want to. The Christians are the ones who are really sinners because they are the ones who are breaking Gods rules.
When Jessica and Lorenzo elope, she does so against her father’s wishes. This is clearly a transgression of the Ten Commandments since you are supposed to value your parents. When she has to convert from a Jew to a Christian in order for them to marry, it’s unclear whether changing faith i.e., converting from Jew to Christian is a sin because Shylock never says anything directly to Jessica about it. She shouldn’t become a Christian, therefore she isn’t breaking any of the 10 commandments, such as Respect your father and mother.
The 10 commandments are important to the play because its through them that Shylock is able to condemn Antonio and force him to give a pound of his flesh. It can be argued that Shylock is more sinned against than sinning because he has been persecuted for his religion, which is something beyond his control. He is also forced to change his religion, which goes against his beliefs.
In addition, he loses his daughter and all his money, which furthers adds to his suffering. All of these factors make it difficult for him to lead a normal life. While it can be said that Shylock does commit some sins, such as demanding a pound of Antonio’s flesh, it could be argued that he is more sinned against than sinning.
Antonio owes Shylock a large amount of money, and when Antonio fails to pay back the sum of money that Shylock is owed in court, Shylock refuses to accept the correct amount of money that has now been discovered by Antonio and wants only my bond. Even after being offered six times the amount owing, Shylock replies simply that he only wants his bail. It is not considered sinful to refuse moneys
Shylock has been made to look like a fool in front of his daughter and her new Christian husband. This would have been a great insult at the time. You were supposed to marry within your own religion. Shylock feels he has lost everything, his daughter, his religion and his wealth through no fault of his own.
When Shylock finally gets his wish of being able to harm Antonio, by cutting off a pound of flesh, he is stopped by Portia who is disguised as a man. She points out that if he takes one drop of blood then he will be breaking the law and will be put to death. She also makes him promise that if Antonio lives then he will become a Christian. In the end, Shylock does not get his revenge and has lost his wealth, his religion and his daughter. He is more sinned against than sinning.