ELA Post #16
Elliott Conely
Kim Harrison
ELA
2/13/2017
In “The Merchant of Venice”, Shylock is punished by having his money taken away from him and being forced to convert to Christianity. He was found guilty of conspiring to kill Antonio. From a modern audience's perspective this punishment seems harsh and far fetched. Shylock was uncertainly a cruel and greedy man, however, such a punishment may seem unnecessary. Many modern observers may also find the charge of trying to kill Antonio illegitimate because Shylock believed it was part of the contract they signed. Elizabethan audiences would have most likely found Shylock’s punishment just and well deserved. They would have also viewed Shylock through Jewish stereotypes and thought he was inherently evil.
Kim Harrison
ELA
2/13/2017
Did Shylock Deserve His Punishment?
In “The Merchant of Venice”, Shylock is punished by having his money taken away from him and being forced to convert to Christianity. He was found guilty of conspiring to kill Antonio. From a modern audience's perspective this punishment seems harsh and far fetched. Shylock was uncertainly a cruel and greedy man, however, such a punishment may seem unnecessary. Many modern observers may also find the charge of trying to kill Antonio illegitimate because Shylock believed it was part of the contract they signed. Elizabethan audiences would have most likely found Shylock’s punishment just and well deserved. They would have also viewed Shylock through Jewish stereotypes and thought he was inherently evil.
I totally agree with you about the Elizabethan audience, which is why Shylock's speech at the beginning of the play is so unusual.
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