In The Merchant of Venice, how does the character of Shylock engage audiences modern and Elizabethan?
Um…so, where’s the question here? If you’re trying to make Shylock into the tragic hero of this play, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Shylock is not MERELY a “villain,” but, make no mistake, he’s not the good guy here. Because of a relatively insignificant debt, he’s ready to MURDER Antonio, all out of some notion of revenge for prior insults. Sweet guy. Portia, in disguise as the Judge in the Venetian court, attempts to reason with Shylock. The money is there. He can have the debt repaid thrice over! What sort of businessman turns his back on a chance to make a 200% profit. Shylock insists on the “letter of the law,” and wants only to cut out Antonio’s heart. Portia gives him the opportunity to Do the Right Thing…to temper Justice with Mercy. Shylock refuses her offer, and brings upon himself his utter defeat and ruin. He’s an engaging character because he’s the “Bad Guy” in a classical tragedy, which means that he’ll have brief power over the main characters for a time. But
