Shylock, an amusing as well a confusing figure, is one of the main characters of Shakespeare’s outstanding play “ The Merchant of Venice ”. His activities are full of variegation making us very complex to understand him. At times, his ridiculous activities give us pleasure and make us laugh. Again sometimes his brutal actions fall us in fear and make us anxious. So we, very easily, mark him as the comic villain of the play. Let us discuss it in detail. Actually, Shylock is a usurer and his business of usury is disturbed by Antonio lending money without interest. So Shylock considers him as the worst enemy and awaits an opportunity to take revenge on him. As he says: “If I can catch him once upon the hip I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.” [Act: I, Scene: III] Shylock alsohates Antoniofor his religion. As he confesses: “I hate him for he is a Christian” [Act: I, Scene: III] At that time, the most of the Christians think the usury as cruelty while the J
All sorts of Exam notes and quality articles on English literature are available here.