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like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrongs a Christian, what kindness
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does he return? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be, by
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Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me I will return unto you; yet it
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shall go harder to you than it has come to me.
___________________________________________________ [optional added lines]

++ —Salanio
Your words are full of passion words but fail to impress. You say that Christian and Jew are
alike—then you talk of revenge. If we are alike, your plea should be one of forgiveness.
Nay, there is neither Jew nor Christian in your words—there is naught but your own hatred,
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misplaced and misbegotten.°
—Salarino
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Methinks old Shylock peddles his Jewish sufferance better than anyone on the Rialto.
Antonio hates the evils of usury, not Jews—and you, kind sir, are a usurer.

—Salanio
Your rage has defeated your judgement.

— 41

—Salanio
Ay, this revenge you ply with such zeal is not a thing you’ve learned by Christian
example—‘tis your own creation. We’ve heard Antonio speak against usury but not once

34.{what is his humility?}
/ what kindness does he show? > said with sarcasm
/ what does he give (/offer / show) in return?
his humility: his humble response; the kindness and benevolence shown by a Christian
35. villainy: / ill-treatment / vulgarity / obscenity.
The term Jew was often synonymous with villain, and we see this reference in a line by Launcelet: for I am a Jew
[villain] if I serve the Jew any longer. [2.2.108] The villainy that Christians teach Jews, is that they view and treat
Jews as villains; hence, that same villainy (and wretched treatment) that Christians impose on Jews, Shylock, a Jew,
will now impose on a Christian.
36. {execute} / repay unto you/ give in fair return / repay in fullness / give back to
37.{and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction}
/ and it shall go hard, for I will give it to you better than you have given it to me
/ and I will give it hard to you but I will give the better lesson
38. There is a continued reference to Christians, though the object of Shylock’s revenge is Antonio. Antonio is the
one who has mistreated Shylock, and he (Antonio) has become a symbol for Shylock which represents the Christian
mistreatment of Jews. The distortion here is that Shylock’s rage is turned against Antonio only after he learns about
Jessica’s flight—even though Antonio had nothing to do with it nor would Antonio ever condone such a ‘less than
honorable’ action. [See Additional Notes, 3.1.69]
39. to justify: to vindicate / in service of
misplaced and misbegotten: / befuddled and befouled
40. / peddles the ‘Jew card’
41. Optional line to add:
—Salarino:
Even more vile than this, you hide the evils of your trade behind the sanctity° of your +Jewish, tradition.
vile: / suspect /telling
sanctity: virtue / nobleness / righteousness