Abstract:Shakespeare is viewed as one of the great writers.In this text,the author aims at examining the personality of Shylock,a typical character from “The Merchant of Venice”,which is among Shakespeare’s masterpieces.
Key Words:Shakespeare;Shylock;Character
Shakespeare has been conferred as one of the greatest writers mainly because he creates so many colorful and vivid characters in his enormous works.Take “The Merchant of Venice” for example.In this outstanding work,Shakespeare creates a series of classic characters,such as beautiful yet intelligent Portia,kind-hearted but melancholy Antonio,young and honest Bassanio,and the like.However,there is still another important figure which should not be neglected.That is Shylock,whose particular character-portrait might be one of the most successful creations by Shakespeare.
Generally,most Shakespearean scholars focus on criticizing the evil and dark side of Shylock’s personality.They often interpret Shylock as a “grotesque,greedy,sinister,ferocious” villain and devil①.However,in my opinion,an abominable character in many aspects as he is,Shylock is actually a wretched and pitiful figure.
First of all,Shylock is a respectable fighter,who courageously cries out the voice of struggling against the racial and religious discrimination,which still holds its positive meaning even in our modern world②.In the scene of Shylock’s insisting on cutting a pound of Antonio’s flesh in the court,Shylock seems very ferocious and merciless.But if the readers read the play carefully enough,they may easily find the reason for Shylock’s insisting on Antonio’s death.From the play,readers can see that,Antonio is in great prejudice against Shylock just because he is a Jew and a usurer.Antonio often rails on Shylock,spitting on him one day,spurning him another day,and calling him a dog some other day.The following is cited from his complaint about Antonio,which well accounts for why he wants so much to take revenge on Antonio:
“Signior Antonio,may a time and often in the Rialto you have rated me about my moneys and my usances.Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,for sufferance is the badge of all our trade.You call me misbeliever,cutthroat dog,and spit upon my Jewish gabardine,and all for use of that which is my own.”③
Though it is emotionally unacceptable for Shylock to make money out of high interest,it is obviously more undesirable and unjust that Antonio often maltreats and insults Shylock openly like a dog;he even acts against Shylock by charging no interest at all while making deals,which forces Shylock into the predicament of being isolated by all those around him,even including his dear daughter.From this point,it becomes more understandable and justifiable that Shylock stubbornly persisting in avenging.In Act III,Scene I,Shylock exposes his deep misfortune to the readers through his eloquent and touching statement,which goes like this: “Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands,organs,dimensions,senses,affections,passions? ……If you prick us,do we not bleed? And if you tickle us,de we not laugh? If you poison us,do we not die? ……If a Jew wrongs a Christian,what is his humility? Revenge.If a Christian wrongs a Jew,what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why,revenge.”④
How eloquent his words are! How passionate his emotion is! Apparently,Shylock is in some sense a poor victim.Unfortunately,amid that typical environment where people are in great hatred towards Jewish and usurers,no matter what kind of reason he has,Shylock will be certainly bound to fail the lawsuit as well as his attempt of revenge,and makes himself a mocked-at clown.
Not only a bold though defeated struggler,Shylock is also an injured father.His only daughter elopes with a Christian and even gets away with a considerable number of jewels and ducats.This incident deals an extremely heavy blow to Shylock,for his “own flesh and blood” betrays him⑤.Come to think of it: who can bear such treachery without any feeling? Consequently,Shylock is absolutely lone and isolated in the midst of adversity.Nonetheless,who comes to show mercy on him and comfort his heart? No one! None of those Venetian gentlemen is willing to extend any bit of sympathy to him.Instead,those Venetians including Antonio all deride him,despise his religion and even make fun of his misfortune.Are those so-called Christians totally upright and reasonable? To some degree,Shylock is strong in his religious belief and all that he does is in line with what he believes,although it might go to extreme in some aspects.Yet should that deprive him of any bit of other’s pity and sympathy?
To sum up,Shylock is indeed a rather complex character,so there should be no simple and one-sided opinion of this character.Truly,he is ruthless and vicious because he revenges himself on Antonio just out of longtime hatred and loathing towards Antonio.But it should be meanwhile pointed out that Shylock also behaves respectably because he voices out the protest against racial discrimination and religious persecution,and in some sense his revenge on Antonio is partly on behalf of his whole nationality.Though he is defeated at last,he has won a certain place in our hearts and he deserves our sympathy and respect in some way.（作者单位：中国计量学院）
Notes:
① William Shakespeare,The Merchant of Venice,edited by J.H.Walter,London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.,1960,p9.
② 陈嘉，《英国文学史》，北京：商务印书馆出版社，1982，p147。
③ William Shakespeare,The Merchant of Venice,edited by J.H.Walter,London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.,1960,p57.
④ William Shakespeare,The Merchant of Venice,edited by J.H.Walter,London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.,1960,p111.