The Merchant Of Venice: Shylock - Victim Or Villain
...who lived during the
Elizabethan period in England, was actively involved in the persecution and
trials of Roderigo Lopez. Lopez was a Jew of Portuguese descent, who was
wrongly accused of attempting to poison the Queen of England, for reasons never
fully explained. Lopez, being the Queen's royal physician, was in no position
to defend himself once he was accused. Essex, who provided the evidence also
presided over the trial of Lopez, leaving Lopez little chance of survival. The
innocent Jew was hanged, drawn, and quartered in Tyburn, England for all to
witness.
The story of Roderigo Lopez is similar to the story of Shylock, although,
Palmer tells us "It is not suggested that Shakespeare in portraying Shylock, had
any political or social intentions" ( 112-13). Both Jews were placed in time
where "anti-Semitism was in fashion" (Palmer 113), and both thrown into court
where they would be tried unjustly. The story of Roderigo Lopez sets the tone
for The Merchant of Venice. Lopez' incident occurred in 1594, The Merchant of
Venice was written only two years later. Anti-Semitism was prevalent during
Shakespeares' time, and therefore we must understand that it was as easy for him
to make a Jewish man the villain as it would be for us to make a Nazi the
villain. According to Sylvan Barnet "The Merchant of Venice [shows] the
broad outline of a comedy (not merely a play with jests, but a play that ends
happily). . . the villain in the comedy must be entirely villainous, or, rather,
comically villainous; he cannot for a moment gain the audience's sympathy" (1).
Shylock has often been portrayed as the villain in The Merchant of Venice. From
being more concerned with his ducats rather than his daughter, to demanding his
pound of flesh, Shylock fits perfectly into the mold of the villain. However,
with reference to Barnet's comment "he cannot for a moment gain the...
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