Page 25 - Cornice_Grade 7

Shylock is the Most morally Upright Character in the Play

Shylock was a rich, Jewish moneylender who lived in Venice. He was a popular mon-
eylender who lent money at an interest.

Antonio, a Christian was a popular merchant in Venice who was also known for
lending money but he lent without charging interest and always belittled his rival
Shylock, for that was his way of doing business.

Antonio looked down on Shylock, always calling him names and spitting on his Jew-
ish gaberdine. Antonio would make fun and mistreat Shylock at any opportunity he
got. Antonio and Shylock hated each other with a burning passion as they had differ-
ent religious beliefs. Antonio hated the fact that Shylock lent money at a high interest
being a Jew. Antonio also shows signs of being a racist.
During the sixteenth century, Jews and Christians didn’t get along and Jews usually
were treated inferior to the Christians.

Shylock had a very strong moral belief system and a stern system of values.
He was a proud Jew and was against racism. He was a stern believer that everyone
should be treated the same way no matter what their race was. Shylock was a firm
believer in the Jewish religion and was a strong practitioner of its morals but Antonio
had been humiliating and slandering him for a long time.

Bassanio, who was a friend of Antonio, had asked him to lend him three thousand
ducats for three months so that he could use it wisely and pay back the sum of money
he already had to pay back. Antonio didn’t have the money to lend him the sum, so
he had no other choice but to take help from the man he hated the most, Shylock.
Shylock was reluctant to help at first because of their history which was full of hatred
and vengeance. In the end, he changes his mind and offers to help, but on one condi-
tion, which was that Antonio had to sign a bond with Shylock that if he failed to pay
back the sum of money on the exact date and time it was due, Shylock would get to
cut off a pound of Antonio’s flesh from whatever part of his body he pleased.

Antonio requested Shylock to dine with him and eat with the rest of the Christians,
which included eating pork. Eating pork was a sin in Jewish religion and Shylock was
very much against dining with the Christians. This shows that Shylock had a solid
sense of morals and believed very firmly in the religion he practiced. This is why I
believe that Shylock is the most morally upright character in the play.

Aayana Shrestha