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AntiSemitism and The Merchant Of Venice

end Gratiano, andNerissa, Portia's maid. Bassanio and Gratiano travel to Venice to help Antonio in court. Lorenzo andJessica are left in charge or Portia's home. Portia then disguises herself as a lawyer andarrives at the trial with her clerk, the disguised Nerissa. Portia agrees that the contract isvalid, but she also reveals that Shylock must remove the flesh without shedding Antonio'sblood. It is illegal for a Jew to shed Christian blood in Venice at that time. Shylockretreats accepting the money, but the court decides he must be punished for plottingagainst a Christian. He is then forced to leave half his wealth to his daughter and convertto Christianity. After some confusion, Bassanio and Gratiano are coerced to give their wives ringsto the young lawyers. Portia and Nerissa accuse them of giving the rings to other women.Eventually, Portia's deception is revealed. Antonio's ships are recovered and the groupcelebrates. This plot strongly enforces the perception of Jews as being murderous and moneyhungry. The attempts by Shylock to have revenge on Antonio are the main focus of theplot. At the end of The Merchant of Venice, Shylock has lost all his wealth, and is forcedto convert to Christianity, a horrible fate for a devout Jew. This shows the goodChristians triumphing over the evil Jew. The character, Shylock, is portrayed as a blood thirsty murderer by Shakespeare.His first appearance in The Merchant of Venice is in Act one, Scene three. His feud withAntonio then controls the action in the following three acts of the play. When first facedwith Antonio, Shylock states, "I hate him for he is a Christian" (I, iii, 39). He then speakson how his business depends on usury, and Antonio does not practice this. He thenconcludes with the other two reasons why he despises Antonio saying, "He hates oursacred nation, and he rails,/ Even there where merchants most do congregate,/ On me, mybargains, and my well-won thrift,/ Which he calls interest...

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