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Communal Conflict in Shakespeare’s “”

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Religious conflict between Christianity and the Judaism is clearly distinct in Shakespeare’s great tragicomedy ‘Merchant of Venice’. Here, Shakespeare makes Shylock, a Jew, the villain of the play and portrays negatively as much he can while the Christians are shown as great and noble. Now we are going to discuss the theme of racial conflict in the drama “Merchant of Venice”
 Though at that time the usury was completely legal, Shylock’s business usury is shown very contemptibly as if it were prohibited. Moreover his business of usury is often hampered by Antonio.  Antonio might be a good and sympathetic person but Shylock is not wrong in his activities. Antonio has no right to disturb him. Antonio does not like him only for religious facts.  As Shylock says:

“He hates our sacred nation; and evenWhere merchants most do congregate°, he railsOn me, my contracts,° and my well-earned profit,
Which he calls, usury”

            In the drama, Shylock, the Jew, is portrayed as greedy, vindictive, cruel and selfish person. He is also shown as the representative of his nation with evil activities. He wants to take revenge on the Christians. As he says:

“Cursèd be my tribe
If I forgive him.” 
 Here we see a communal conflict between Christianity and the Judaism. Shylock is severely oppressed by the Christians. Even Antonio calls him misbelieves, cut-throt dog; spite upon his dress; kicked him from the behind as Shylock himself confesses:
“… … He hath disgraced
me, and hindered me half a million times.    He hath laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains,scorned my nation, thwarted my ventures, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies—and what’shis reason?”

But what is the reason behind this? Of course, religion. Shylock can understand that, all the misbehaviour and oppressions is for that he is a Jew. So here we see a terrible communal conflict.   So he again says:     

 “I am a Jew.  Hath not a Jew eyes?  Hath  not a Jew hands, organs, arms, legs, senses, affections, desires?   Are we not, fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is?  If you prick us, do we not bleed?  If you tickle us, do we not laugh?  If you poison us, do we not die?  And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?  If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.  If a Jew wrongs a Christian, what kindness does he return? 

Here we see that, Shylock is shown as a Jew rather than a human character. Therefore, as we see, he wishes for nothing but the recognition as a human being rather than a Jew. Shylock feels that there is no physical difference between them, but why is the discrimination? So he ultimately becomes revengeful and says:
   
“ Revenge.  If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be, by Christian example?  Why, revenge.  The villainy   you teach me I will return unto you;   yet it shall go harder to you than it has come to me.” 
Again we find one kind of Christian religious domination over Judaism in his Daughter’s elopement with a Christian boy and her conversion to Christianity.  Here, the playwright deals Judaism with a great negligence. He shows that, a Jews’ daughter even does not like her own religion, which Shylock likes most.   As he mourns:
“‘My daughter!  O my ducats!  O my daughter!Fled with a Christian!  O my Christian ducats”

 Last of all, we can say, Shakespeare deliberately shows a communal or religious conflict between the Christianity and Judaism in order to depict the real picture of his time. So his creation surpasses the limitation of time and becomes a great literary wonder in realm of English literature.    

This paper is prepared for you by Talim Enam, BA (Hons), MA in English.
If you have any query, suggestion or complain regarding the article, please feel free to contact me at +8801722335969. You can also follow me at www.fb.com/talimenam and www.fb.com/enamur and visit my blog http://talimenam.blogspot.com

Please pray for me, if you find the article beneficial to you, and never forget to add your valuable comments. 

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