A Tentative Analysis of the Character of Shylock

语言文化||公田。A Tentative Analysis of the Character of Shylock谢慧群“Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, sen-the author ainms at examining the personality of Shylck, a sypical charater ses, afectinse, psins? ... you prick s, do we not bleed? And if youfrom“The Merchant of Venice"，which is among Shakespeare' s mastepiec tickle us, de we not laugh? If you pisonus, do we not die? ... a Jewwrongs a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrongs aKey Words: Shakespeare; Shylock; CharncterJew, what should his suferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. ”电Shakespeare has been confered屿one of the greatest writers mainly be-How eloxquent his words are! How psionate hie emotion is! Apparenly,cause he creates so many colorful and vivid characlers in his enormous works.Shylock is in sone sense a poor victirn. Unforunately, anid that typical envi-Take“The Merchant of Venice" for exmple. In this outstanding work,ronment whene people are in great hatred towards Jewish and usurers, no mat-Shakespeare creates a series of casics cheracters, such as beautiful yet itelli- ler what kind of reason he has, Shylock will be certainly bound to faill the law-gent Portia, kind - hearted but melancholy Antonio, young and honest Bas- suit as well as his atempt of revenge, and makes himself a mocked - at clown.sanio, and the like. However, there is still another important figure whichNot only a bold though deated stuge, Shylock is alo an injured 血should not be neglected. That is Shylock, whose particular character - portrait ther. His only daughter elopes with 8 Christian and even gets away with a cop-might be one of the mot sccsful creations by Shakepeare.siderable number of jewcls and ducats. This incident deals an extremely hevyCeneally, most Shakespearean scholars focus on citicing the evil and blow to Shylock, for his”own flesh and blood" betrays him9. Come to thinkdark side of Shylock' s psonality. They oft.on itepet Shylock sa“go of it: wbo can ber such treachery wihout any felin? Consequenly, Shylockeque, greedy, sinister, ferocious" vllain and deri. However, in my 0-is abeoutely lone and iolated in the midst of adversit. Noneheles, whopinion, an aborinable character in many apecte as he is, Shylock is actully comes to show mercy on him and comifort his heart? No one! None of those Vo-a wrelched and piful fgure.First of all, Shylock is a respectable fighter, who couregeously cries out thoe Venetians ineluding Antonio all deide him, despise his religion and ethe voice of stuggling against the racial and religious diserimination, whichstill holds its positive meaning even in our modem world. In the scene of and reasonable? To some degree, Shylock is strong in his religjous belief andshylock' s insting on cuting a pound of Antonio' s fesh in the count, Shyall that he does is in line with what he believes, although it might go to exlock seems very ferocious and mriless. But if the readers read the play care- treme in sone aspects. Yet should that deprive him of any bit of other' 8 pityfully enough, they may easily find the reason for Shyock' s isisting on An-and sympethy?onio' s death. From the play, readers can see that, Antorio is in geat prej-To 8um up, Shylock is indeed a rather complex character, so thereudice agint Shylock just because he is a Jew and a utsurer. Anionio ofenshould be no simple and one - sided opinion of this character. Tnily, he israils on Shylock, sitting on him one day, spuming him another day, and ruhess and vicious because he revenges himself on Antonio just out of lngtimiealling him a dog some obher day. The fllowing is cited from his complaint ahatred and loathing towards Antonio. But it sbould be meanwhile pointed outbout Antonio, which well accounts for why he wants so much to take revengethat Shylock alo behaves respectably because he voices out the protest agpinston Antonio:racial discrimination and religious persecution, and in some senae his revenge“Signior Antonio, may a time and often in the Rialto you have rated meon Antonio is parly on behalf of his whole nationality. Though he is defeatedabout my moneys and my usances. Still have 1 borme it with a patient shrug,at last, he has won 8 certain place in our hearts and he deserves our sympathyfor sfferance is the badge of all our trade. You call me misbeliever, cuthroatand respect in some way. (作者单位: 中国计隆学院)dog，and spit upon my Jewish gabardine, and all for use of that which is myown. "Though it is emotionally unaceeptable for Shylock to make moncy out of Notes: .high interest, it is obviously more undesirable and unjust that Antonio oftenD William Shakepeare, The Merchant of Venice, edited by J H.maltreats and insults Shylock openly like a dog; he even acts against ShylockWalter, London; Heincmenn Educational Books Ld., 1960, p9.by changing no interest at all while making deals, which forces Shylock into theD陈嘉，《英国文学史》，北京:商务印书馆出版社, 1982, pl47。predicament of being isolated by all those around him, even including his dear③Wilian Sakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, edited by J. H.daughter. From this point， it becomes more understandable and justifiableWaler, London: Heinemann Educational Books ldd, 1960, p57.thal Shyloeck subbomly persiting in avenging. In Act II，Scene 1, Shylock④Wllim Shakespere, The Merchent of Venice, edited by J. H.exposes his deep misotune to the readers through his eloquent and touching中国煤化工Books Ld, 1960, p1statement, which goes like this;YHCNMHG作者简介:谢慧群，(1982. 7-), 女籍贯浙江苍南，汉族。硕士研究生,现任教于中国计量学院，讲师，研究方向为英美文学总第292期JinTian .211.