Merchant Of Venice
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MERCHANT OF VENICE
In Shakespeare Merchant of Venice, Shylock the Jewish moneylender has a very famous speech. But it is not clear in his speech weather it is a cry for racial tolerance because he cant stand being judged anymore or a justification for revenge because he is given trouble for being a Jew. It should be seen as more of a racial tolerance than a justification for revenge towards Antonio.
During the play Shylock starts his speech out by telling the readers that he disgraces him and doesnt treat him well and talks down to him, “He hath describe me and hinder me half million, laughed at my loses mocked my gains, scorned my nation thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends heated mine enemies and whats his reason, I am a Jew” (3.1. 53-57). Shakespeare does a good job of using the list technique by building up information that tells the reader the relationship between Shylock and Antonio. Shakespeare used a list to help explain the passage and the character or the characters situation. When the readers read this they cant fell the hatred that shylock is trying to get across because of his religion so the reader might agree that this id a plea for racial tolerance.
Then shylock tries to explain how he is no different than any other human except for his religion, “Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same disease, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a christen is” (3.1 59-53). Shakespeare has a good example of polce in this section of the speech by repeating the word “with”. Shakespeare uses a polce in this section to help the audience understand the tone of the speech. Shakespeare trying to show how Shylock is tired of how people think hes so different from everybody else.
If you take a closer look at the text, Shylock starts to finish his speech with