INTROUCTION
In this comedy; the merchant of Venice, the character Shylock is a Jew living in a foreign town. The Jew is rich and the other competitors in business, who happen to be Venetians, blame him for charging exorbitant usury to his money borrowers. He is also accused of being non Christian and lacking human morals .Antonio ,one of the Venetian business competitors of Shylock detests to have anything in the name of Shylock Shylock is aware of it and confesses openly that Antonio hates him and goes to an extend of spitting on his gabardine.
Shylock is a follower of the Jewish ancient religion the Judaism.It`s followers go for worship on Saturday and they do not eat pork.Antonion and his friends are Christians and followers of Jesus whom the Jews denied and crucified.
JUSTIFICATION
Shylock quotes the story in the Bible in order to convince his rivals that the business of charging usury is not condemned by the holy book and that one of his ancestors used animals in the Jacobs flock which were speckled, spotted and the brown coloured.Jacob tricks and magic to gain wealth. Jacob whom Shylock quotes is the third from the great father of faith Abraham. When Jacob worked for Laban, he was not paid his wages according to their agreement. Jacob suggested to Laban that he be compensated with the goes further and use magical rods which he pilled white strakes in them and made white to appear in the rods so that once he inserts them in the gutters in the water troughs, the magic in the rods would change the colour of the animals which see the rods in the troughs as the drink water.
The application justifies the charging of usury by Shylock since he is on the path of one of his forefathers so according to him his business is pure and should not be construed to be filthy.
DRAMATIC.
It is ironical for the Christian, the like Antonio, Bassanio and their friends to seek help from a person they believe attained wealth through corrupt and unfair ways. It is also ironical for them, the Christians to accept to pay usury which they do not approve of. It is also apparent that the Venetian Christians do not transact any form of business with Shylock. This twist of events surprise and wonders whether this is not an enough opportunity for him to retaliated for the mistreatment he has suffered in the hands of the Christians
BUSINESS AND RELIGION
The main theme in the said extract is business and religion. This is because the rivaling in the play has been brought about by the competition there is in business and the difference there is in religion. The Christians believe that charging usury is ungodly and should be condemned while the Jew a Juidist approves of the use of it. When Shylock quotes the Bible Antonio says to Bassanio ‘Mary you this Bassanio, the devil can cite scripture for his purpose, an evil soul producing holy witness. It’s like villain with a smiling cheek. goodly apple rotten at the heart.’(MOV 1; 2 line94-99) This is a good prove of what the Christians take Shylock to be Christians look at the Jews as nation that has rejected the truth when they refused to accept Jesus and his doctrines. For that reason, there no way the Christians cannot see the credibility with Shylock and his business and therefore associate him with the devil. On the other hand Shylock believes that is enough to be a descendant of Abraham and Jacob and that frees them from being born in bondage and therefore God is for the Jews. . …
PHILOSOPHICAL
It is philosophical for Shylock to use the quotation from the Bible for when he talks of the speckled, the spotted and the brown colored being given to Jacob believed to a holy man, God blessed him and he prospered. The speckled and spotted in religion means unclean. While white stands for pure. Shylock does not see why like his forefather Jacob should not be blessed with the wealth him emasses in this kind of a business seen to be filthy. So according to him, his wealth is pure.
THE INTERACTION
The speech in the play interacts well in the sense that Shylock is not blamed for the source of his initial capitol, but for interest he charges his clients. This is similar to the way Jacob raised the number of his flock by conjuring Labans flock into giving birth to multicolor young so that they could be his. Therefore Shylock sees nothing wrong with his business. God is able to make what one thinks is impure to be a blessing to his chosen.
CONCLUSION
Just to comment on the above context, it is wrong to point a finger at another person and go ahead to blame without first re-examining yourself. In this, I refer to the Christian gentlemen. Their behavior displays a lot of hypocrisy with them. One, they should not have gone to Shylock for his money had been obtained through unfair means. It is always good to be principled and able to stand ones ground.
Shylock could not see the sincerity with the Christians and it is possible that he wants to make use of the opportunity at hand to discipline them.
The world is full of religions and faiths and these kind of counter accusations are common among the converts. Some of them go to extend of fighting and killing one another.
The world belongs to us all and it is important that we learn to tolerate each other and live amicably.
WORKS CITED
Merchant of Venice pg28 of Evans
CONCLUSION
Just to comment on the above context, it is wrong to point a finger at another person and go ahead to blaim without first re-examining yourself.In this , I refer to the Christian gentlemen.Their behaviour displays a lot of hypocrisy with them.One , they should not have gone to Shylock for his money had been obtained through unfair means.It is always good to be principled and able to stand ones ground.
Shylock could not see the sincerity with the Christians and it is possible that he wants to make use of the opportunity at hand to discipline them.
The world is full of religions and faiths and these kind of counter accssations are common among the converts. Some of them go to extend of fighting and killing one another.
The world belongs to us all and it is important that we learn to tolerate each other and live amicably.
WORKS CITED
Merchant of Venice pg28 of Evans
The Holy Bible Genesis chapter 30;25-43
