Context: Prejudice & Intolerance

• What evidence do we have for Christian characters demonising Jews?

  • Jews banned in England 1290 - mid-1500s & minority during Elizabethan period were barely tolerated
  • E.g in M of V Antonio does not deny insulting and spitting on Shylock
• Why would have Shakespearean audiences during the Elizabethan period despised Shylock?

  • Depsite being involved in various trades, Jews renowned for occupations as usurers (lending money at interest rates)
  • As a dispised practice among the Elizabethans, Shakespearean audiences would have also scorned Shylock as an unconverted & alien Jew
• How would have Shylock’s downfall been met with different responses?

  • In Elizabethan England, people seeking cultural homogeneity (things staying the same) would have found solace (comfort) in observing the coerced conversion of Shylock, especially those who believed in eternal damnation of non-Christians
• How is the belief that Jews had animosity (hatred) towards Christians (in order to find any way to harm them) reflected in M of V?

  • Considered inconceivable (beyond belief) for a Jew to retaliate against their persecutors, which is the exact course of action taken by Shylock
  • Consequently, it was not uncommon for Renaissance (classical revival) comedy to feature a Jew as the primary antagonist
  • However it could still be viewed that Shylock’s portrayal is less stererotypical than typical for the time of Shakespeare
• How does the reputation of Venice impact the M of V?

  • At the time, Venice was a commercial port & one of the richest trading cities in the world
  • Therefore, trade would have been an essential aspect of Venice’s economy, imperative (important) to provide equal protections to merchants of all religions & nationalities
  • However, prejudice and intolerance would have been common
  • E.g. the Prince of Morocco expects to be met by Portia with a negative response to his skin colour & declares: “Mislike me not for my complexion”