Is Shylock a Victim or Villain?

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Is Shylock a villain or a victim? In Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice Shylock a Jewish moneylender is treated as a inhuman monster and an outcast from society because he is said to be a "the villain jew,'' "harsh jew," and the devil "in the likeness of the jew." In this essay I will argue that Shylock is the victim because he is betrayed by his daughter (Jessica), mistreated for being a Jew, and is forced to lose his valueables. Shylocks only family betrayed him and left him in ruins emotionaly and financialy. ''My own flesh and blood to rebel!" (3.1.28). Shylock here is clearly expressing his shock towards the news of Jessica his only daughter eloping with Lorenzo and converting to Christianity. Shylocks heart is borken when he hears about Jessica as he is yelling in the streets, "O my daughter, Fled with a Christian!" (2.8.15-16). Jessica not only eloped but she stole money from her father and his most valued ring from Leah ( his dead wife), this caused Shylock to experience financial difficultes. Shylock refering to Jessica as his, "Own flesh and blood" shows the great amount of emotional pain he is suffering (3.1.28). Jessicas elopement caused Shylock a great amount of emotinal and financial difficulte which makes him a victim of emotional abuse. Throughout the whole play Shylock is not treated equally because of his religous beliefs (Jewish). Shylock in a speech says this about Antonio "He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies—and what’s his reason? I am a Jew.", (3.1.44-48). This speech Shylock says to Salarino & Solanio summurizes the way he is treated by the Christains because he is jewish. This is the way Shylock was treated by Antoino and most of the christians. "laughed as my losses, mocked at my gains," this

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