EXAMINING THE PLAY


In Act 3, Scene 3, Shylock displays great malice and malevolence (spite/hatred) as he seeks out Antonio. He appears particularly vicious as he says to Antonio:


Thou called’st me a dog before thou hadst a cause, But since I am a dog, beware my fangs. (Act 3, Scene 3, lines 6–7)


Shylock stubbornly insists on his bond and nothing can change his mind. Solanio sums up Shylock’s stubborn character very well at this point when he says:


It is the most inpenetrable cur That ever kept with men. (Act 3, Scene 3, lines 18–19)


In the Trial Scene (Act 4, Scene 1), Shylock’s good fortune is reversed. Unwilling to back down and take any money as compensation, Shylock is punished and leaves the stage a broken man.


Shylock’s unwillingness to get a doctor – as it is not explicitly stated in the agreement – confirms our suspicion that Shylock doesn’t just want his ‘pound of flesh’; he wants Antonio dead. If Shylock were simply interested in his ‘pound of flesh’, he should have no problem extracting it and then seeing to it that Antonio has a doctor nearby so that he does not bleed to death. There is no doubt here that Shylock is a cruel, heartless character who has no sympathy for Antonio’s plight.


Portia argues that, legally, Shylock is allowed to have the pound of flesh only and no blood must be spilt in the operation of taking the flesh. As it is impossible for Shylock to proceed, he begins to back down. However, Portia does not show him mercy, warning him that he ‘shalt have justice more than [he] desir’st’ (line 315).


Very shrewdly (cleverly), Shylock is now willing to take his money, but Portia refuses to give it as Shylock publicly ‘refused it in the open court’ (line 336):


He shall have merely justice and his bond. (Act 4, Scene 1, line 337)


Just as Shylock is about to leave, Portia reveals that the law still has a ‘hold’ on Shylock. It now emerges that by demanding his penalty Shylock was planning to kill a Venetian citizen and must therefore be punished.


The Duke displays ‘the difference of our spirit’ (line 366) (his Christian spirit) by showing mercy to Shylock. He pardons his life and orders one half of Shylock’s wealth to be given to Antonio and the other half to the state of Venice. He reduces the portion due to the state of Venice to a fine. However, instead of seeing this as an act of mercy, Shylock sees this as the worst form of punishment:


you take my life When you do take the means whereby I live. (Act 4, Scene 1, lines 374–375)


It is now Antonio’s turn to display mercy. He asks the Duke to cancel Shylock’s fine and says that he will invest his half of Shylock’s wealth on behalf of Jessica and Lorenzo. Antonio


232 The Merchant of Venice


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