Shylock the Jew and Shakespeare the Anti-Semite

It is a well-known fact that anti-semitism was highly prevalent throughout England during the Elizabethan era; however, it is unclear whether or not Shakespeare supports that same anti-Semitism through his presentation of Shylock, the main character of The Merchant of Venice. People have argued against and for the idea that Shakespeare presented Shylock in an anti-Semitic light, but no one will ever be able to prove who is actually correct on the issue. The only thing one can do is use evidence from the text and or from history itself to create a justifiable argument.

Of these arguments, there are two extremes, one ultimately claiming that Shakespeare is an anti-Semite, the other calling him a devout and praiseworthy humanist. In a textual analysis of Shylock’s many speeches both of these conclusions can be made. It is how one interprets Shylock’s words that will force one to see the validity in one conclusion over the other. H.B. Charleton, author of Shakespeare’s Jew, vehemently suggests that the text compels us to believe that The Merchant of Venice endorses anti-Semitism. According to Charleton, Shylock’s insatiable desire to take a pound of Antonio’s Christian flesh represents the inhumanity of the Jew (Professor Grant Stirling). He therefore concluded that Shakespeare’s presentation of Shylock was an exploitation of the Jews, which in turn exposes Shakespeare as an anti-Semite.

Others have agreed with Charleton by saying that because Shakespeare created Shylock as the stereotypical Jew of Elizabethan anti-Semitism, Shakespeare himself possessed these anti-Semitic beliefs. The Christians living in Venice viewed the Jews as murderous, greedy, and unmerciful. Shakespeare presents Shylock in such a way that he possesses all of these stereotypical characteristics. Shylock is a usurer meaning he lends money with escalating interest. In the eyes of the Venetians, lending money at interest makes him greedy. Also, Shylock’s own words strengthen the customary image of the murderous Jew. After Shylock hears about Antonio’s financial problems he proclaims, “I’m very glad of it. I’ll plague him, I’ll torture him, I am glad of it” (III, I, 116-17). A few lines later he reinforces the anti-Semitic stereotype of the Jew when he says, “I will have the heart of him if he forfeit, for were he out of Venice I can make what merchandise I will” (III, I, 127-299). Both murderous and greedy, Shylock is exactly a Venetian Christian’s image of the Jew. For this very reason, many people have argued that Shakespeare was an anti-Semite.

An examination of the history of the Jews in England is important in giving validity to the claim that Shakespeare was an anti-Semite. The most important historical event to remember is the Jews being expelled from England. This happened three and a half centuries before Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice (Professor Grant Stirling). Therefore, Shakespeare’s image of the Jew was most likely taken from passed down stories and literary sources which sketched the Jew as a greedy, hateful, and demonic person. Shakespeare probably had a distorted and unfavorable image of the Jews but that does not mean he was anti-Semitic, it only helps us understand why his character, Shylock, may have possessed some stereotypical characteristics.

Some people become sympathetic for Shylock and therefore fail to see how Shakespeare could possibly be endorsing the Elizabethan anti-Semitism. The instance many readers begin to feel for Shylock is when he exclaims, “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? . . . . If a Jew wrongs a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction” (III, i, 49-61). After this speech, we feel for Shylock. He allows us to understand why he is so passionate about seeking revenge. All of the pain, embarrassment, and unfairness he has experienced throughout his life make his revenge justifiable. In this presentation of Shylock, Shakespeare allows people to believe that Shylock is just a man. He gets angry, he hurts, and he makes mistakes just like every other human being. He is not presenting Shylock as “the Jew” but rather as a man and therefore is in no way endorsing anti-Semitism. However, this speech is only thirteen lines. Shylock’s many other speeches continue with him adamantly condemning Antonio and Christians in general showing a harsh and villainy side to Shylock. For me, the many other vicious speeches Shylock gives, especially the one when he talks about his daughter, wishing she “were dead at my foot and the Jewels in her ear” (III, i, 88-89) are evidence enough that Shakespeare is not trying to humanize Shylock but rather playing on the Elizabethan image of the Jew. I don’t necessarily believe that Shakespeare himself was anti-Semitic but I do believe that he used the historical backdrop of anti-Semitism in Venice during the Elizabethan era to create a play with historical validation that neither endorses nor subverts Elizabethan anti-Semitism. (879)