Users' questions

What is shylocks famous speech?

What is shylocks famous speech?

Act 3
As mentioned last time, Act 3 contains the most famous speech (monologue) in the play. Shylock has lost everything: his servant, his daughter, the jewels/ money taken by his daughter and the money he is owned by Antonio (who cannot pay him back now that his ships have been wrecked).

What is the main contention of Shylock in his speech in The Merchant of Venice?

Before this speech Salerio asks Shylock why he wants a pound of Antonio’s flesh as he doesn’t understand what it’s ‘good for’. Shylock then explains that it will ‘feed’ his ‘revenge’. He wants revenge on Antonio for treating him so inhumanely in the past.

What is the famous quote from The Merchant of Venice?

“In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.” “Let me play the fool.” “If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men’s cottages princes’ palaces.”

What is Shylock known for?

Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in Venice. He is unpopular with other characters who accuse him of practising usury. This means lending money with outrageously high rates of interest . The merchants, such as Antonio, curse and spit at Shylock because they believe this way of making money is immoral.

What did Shylock wish for his daughter?

After Jessica steals his jewels and elopes with Lorenzo, a Christian, Shylock famously wishes her death in Act III of The Merchant of Venice: “I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! Would she were hears’d at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin!” (3.1. 87–90).

Does Shakespeare humanize Shylock?

Despite Shakespeare’s attempts to humanize Shylock at points in the story, it appears that his primary focus is to steer the audience against Shylock, painting him as being a cruel, bitter and inaffable figure.

Do we not bleed the same blood?

if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”. – (Act III, scene I).”

Is Shylock good or bad?

Shylock is one of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters and can be viewed as both a victim and a villain in the play The Merchant of Venice. As a villain, Shylock is a heartless, cruel money-lender, who is determined to take Antonio’s life.

What is Shylock’s full name?

Name. Shylock is not a Jewish name. However, some scholars believe it probably derives from the biblical name Shalah, which is שלח (Šélaḥ) in Hebrew.

Does Shylock deserve to be punished?

his daughter betrayed him and he lost most of his wealth. moreover, he was made to convert to Christianity. though his intentions to kill antonio were wrong, his reasons to loath him were justified. the punishment he got was more of a triumph of the christians over the jews which was a a very inhuman thing to do.

Does Shylock love money?

He is said to obsessed with money and unloving to his daughter, placing his wealth in jewels and ducats very far above her. One of the primary texts used to support this is spoken by Salanio and Solario in Act 2 Scene 6, who later in Act 3 Scene 1 make it clear that they are neither fans nor friends of Shylock.