EVALUATION OF A CRITICAL RESPONSE TO LITERATURE (THE MERCHANT OF VENICE // Should Shylock be viewed with sympathy or without sympathy?) … 17/25 - THOUGHT & UNDERSTANDING - SUPPORTING EVIDENCE 6.5/10 - When marking Thought and Understanding, the marker should consider * how effectively the student's ideas relate to the assignment * the quality of the literary interpretations and understanding - When marking Supporting Evidence, the marker should consider * the selection and quality of evidence * how well the supporting evidence is employed, developed, and synthesized to support the student's ideas EXCELLENT (10) * Ideas are insightful and carefully considered, demonstrating a comprehension of subtle distinctions in the literary text(s) and the topic. Literary interpretations are perceptive and illuminating. * Support is precise and astutely chosen to reinforce the student's ideas in a convincing way. A valid connection to the student's ideas is efficiently maintained. PROFICIENT (8) * Ideas are thoughtful and considered, demonstrating a competent comprehension of the literary text(s) and the topic. Literary interpretations are revealing and sensible. * Support is specific and well chosen to reinforce the student's ideas in a persuasive way. A sound connection to the student's ideas is capably maintained. SATISFACTORY (6) * Ideas are relevant and straightforward, demonstrating a generalized comprehension of the literary text(s) and the topic. Interpretations are general but plausible. * Support is general, adequate, and appropriately chosen to reinforce the student's ideas in an acceptable way but occasionally may lack persuasiveness. A reasonable connection to the student's ideas is suitably maintained. LIMITED (4) * Ideas are superficial and oversimplified, demonstrating a weak comprehension of the literary text(s) and the topic. Interpretations are incomplete and/or literal. * Support is inadequate, inaccurate, largely a restatement of what was read, and/or inappropriately chosen to reinforce the student's ideas and thus lacks persuasiveness. A weak connection to the student's ideas is maintained. POOR (2) * Ideas are largely absent or irrelevant and/or do not develop the topic. Little comprehension of the literary text(s) is demonstrated. * Support is irrelevant, over-generalized, lacks validity, and/or is absent. Little or no connection to the student's ideas is evident.

FORM AND STRUCTURE 4/5 When marking Form and Structure, the marker should consider how effectively the student's organizational choices result in * a coherent, focused, and shaped arrangement and discussion in response to the assignment * a unifying effect or a controlling idea that is developed and maintained EXCELLENT (5) * A judicious arrangement of ideas and details contributes to a fluent discussion that is developed skillfully. The unifying effect or controlling idea is effectively sustained and integrated. PROFICIENT (4) * A purposeful arrangement of ideas and details contributes to a controlled discussion that is developed capably. The unifying effect or controlling idea is coherently sustained and presented. SATISFACTORY (3) * A straightforward arrangement of ideas and details provides direction for a discussion that is developed appropriately. The unifying effect or controlling idea is presented and maintained generally; however, coherence may falter. LIMITED (2) * A discernible but ineffective arrangement of ideas and details provides some direction for a discussion that is underdeveloped. A unifying effect or controlling idea is inconsistently maintained. POOR (1) * A haphazard arrangement of ideas and details provides little or no direction for the discussion, and development is lacking or obscure. A unifying effect or controlling idea is absent. MATTERS OF CHOICE 3.5/5 When marking Matters of Choice, the marker should consider how effectively the student's choices enhance communication. The marker should consider * diction * choices of syntactic structures (such as parallelism, balance, inversion) * the extent to which stylistic choices contribute to the creation of voice Consider the quality of choices in terms of the complexity and length of the response. This to say that a decidedly simplistic or brief response may score lower in Matters of Choice than it would if the response were longer or more complex. EXCELLENT (5) * Diction is precise. Syntactic structures are effective and sometimes polished. Stylistic choices contribute to the creation of a skillful composition with a convincing voice. PROFICIENT (4) * Diction is specific. Syntactic structures are generally effective. Stylistic choices contribute to the creation of a considered composition with a capable voice. SATISFACTORY (3) * Diction is adequate. Syntactic structures are straightforward, but attempts at complex structures may be awkward. Stylistic choices contribute to the creation of a conventional composition with an appropriate voice. LIMITED (2) * Diction is imprecise and/or inappropriate. Syntactic structures are frequently awkward and/or ambiguous. Inadequate language choices contribute to the creation of a vague composition with an undiscerning voice. POOR (1) * Diction is over-generalized and/or inaccurate. Syntactic structures are uncontrolled or unintelligible. A lack of language choices contributes to the creation of a confused composition with an ineffective voice.

MATTERS OF CORRECTNESS 3/5 When marking Matters of Correctness, the marker should consider the correctness of * sentence construction (completeness, consistency, subordination, coordination, predication) * usage (accurate use of words according to convention and meaning) * grammar (subject-verb/pronoun-antecedent agreement, pronoun reference, consistency of tense) * mechanics (punctuation, spelling, capitalization) Consider the proportion of error in terms of the complexity and length of the response. This to say that a decidedly simplistic or brief response may score lower in Matters of Correctness than it would if the response were longer or more complex. EXCELLENT (5) * The writing demonstrates confidence in control of correct sentence construction, usage, grammar, and mechanics. Considering the complexity of the response, the relative absence of error is impressive. PROFICIENT (4) * The writing demonstrates competence in control of correct sentence construction, usage, grammar, and mechanics. Considering the complexity of the response, the relative absence of error is laudable. SATISFACTORY (3) * The writing demonstrates control of the basics of correct sentence construction, usage, grammar, and mechanics. Some lapses in control may appear, but the communication remains mainly clear. LIMITED (2) * The writing demonstrates faltering control of correct sentence construction, usage, grammar, and mechanics. The frequency and range of errors blur the clarity of communication. POOR (1) * The writing demonstrates lack of control of correct sentence construction, usage, grammar, and mechanics. Jarring errors impair communication.

Original text Compassion is a term widely known as sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others, in which can be regarded as a part of love itself. There is an aspect of compassion that regards a quantitative dimension, such that individual's compassion is often given a property of depth, vigor, or passion. More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering. The Christian Bible's Second Epistle to the Corinthians is but one place where God is spoken of as the "Father of compassion" and the "God of all comfort" (1.3). Jesus embodies for Christians, the very essence of compassion and relational care. Christ challenges Christians to forsake their own desires and to act compassionately towards others, particularly those in need or distress. Some may say that everyone possesses compassion and sympathy, but in the play Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare presents instances where the characters may not display it towards Shylock, the Jew. One must practice and posses compassion before receiving it. In Act I Scene iii of Merchant of Venice, Bassanio goes to Shylock (a usurer in Venice) to request three thousand ducats in the name of Antonio. When Bassanio requests the monies, Shylock states that Antonio is not a man he is fond of and that he does not admire him for three specific reasons. One of them being because Antonio lends money to others without charging interest, another being because he is generally disrespectful to Shylock and the last being because he is a Christian. After this scene, the audience may automatically see the character Shylock in a negative perspective, and lose all sympathy or compassion they may have had for the character at the beginning of the play. Yet look closer and do you not see the same hate in Antonio's eyes? Does Antonio not hate Shylock for being a Jew? Shortly before in scene three, Shylock states that Antonio "was the last man in our mouths," stating from a basic perspective that Shylock is just mentioning that him and Bassanio were talking about him before. Yet if the audience were to look closer they would see the cannibalistic side to the comment suggesting Shylock was "chewing" on Antonio. Again after reading this scene one might say that Shylock is malicious and impudent. However have the Christians in Venice have yet to treat the Jews with respect, therefore why would you see Shylock as the bad guy, for he is just practicing revenge.

Why does the audience see Shylock as such an animal, is he not a human? In Act III Scene iv criticize Shylock for his daughter Jessica running away with all him money. After a few remarks such as "There is more difference between thy flesh and hers than between jet and ivory, more between your bloods than there is between red wine and Rhenish," Shylock takes offense and vocalizes his well known speech;

He hath disgrac'd me and hinder'd me half a million, laugh'd at my losses, mock'd at my gains, scorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies. And what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd 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 wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be, by Christian example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction.

Some audiences, depending on what actor plays the role, or their initial perspective of Shylock can see this speech as very controversial; either feeling sympathy towards Shylock or seeing him as irrational and spiteful. When one does read this though, one shall feel sympathy for Shylock and realize that although he may be irrational in wanting the flesh of Antonio, it is the bond and the Christians have been more than unfair towards him. If one was to think about their child running away from them, with a Christian, and all of ones life savings, why would they not feel some sympathy towards Shylock? Of course previous judgments may alter ones thinking but, "Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?" In Act IV scene I, Shylock is to receive his bond (a pound of flesh from Antonio.) When later it is found out that Shylock can not let one drop of blood bleed form Antonio or he will in fact been subject to die. Later in the scene it is said that Shylock must receive a sentence:

The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half his goods. The other half Comes to the privy coffer of the state. And the offender's life lies in the mercy Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice. In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st. For it appears, by manifest proceeding, That indirectly, and directly too, Thou hast contriv'd against the very life Of the defendant, and thou hast incurr'd The danger formerly by me rehears'd. Down therefore and beg mercy of the duke.

Later it is revealed that he also must convert to Christianity, and give all of his money when he dies to his daughter and Christian husband. One may think that Shylock deserves this punishment, but he did not know the details of his bond or what the consequences might be. One should feel compassion towards Shylock for he is getting all his possessions taken away as well as his culture and religion. Shylock is a man, just a human like all others in Venice but he is treated as a dog. Audiences may perceive him as malicious and vindictive but he is just practicing what he is legally allowed to do. One must practice and posses compassion before receiving it. Therefore, by scorning Shylock, the people of Venice do not deserve as much respect as they demand from Shylock.

Edits Compassion is a term widely known as sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others, in which can be regarded as a part of love itself. To feel compassion is to love. [Notethesimplicityanddirectnessofthisrevision.Itsaysforcefullyinsixwordswhattheoriginalsaysvaguelyintwenty-nine.] There is an aspect of compassion that regards a quantitative dimension, such that individual's compassion is often given a property of depth, vigor, or passion. More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering. The Christian Bible's Second Epistle to the Corinthians is but one place where God is spoken of as the "Father of compassion" and the "God of all comfort" (1.3). Jesus embodies for Christians, the very essence of compassion and relational care. Christ challenges Christians to forsake their own desires and to act compassionately towards others, particularly those in need or distress. Some may say that everyone possesses is capable of showing, and should show, compassion and sympathy, but in the play The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare presents instances where the supposedly virtuous characters, though they insist on compassionate behavior, may not display it are themselves unwilling to show compassion towards Shylock, the Jew. Through various characters' actions, Shakespeare suggests that Oone must practice and possess compassion before he can hope to receivinge it.

1.Theword"term"referstoaconceptrelatedtoaparticularfieldofstudyorpractice.Forexample,alliterationisatermassociatedwithwriting,gravityatermassociatedwithphysics,andinterestwithbanking.Butmoregeneralwordsarenotordinarilyspokenofasterms.Theword"compassion,"forexample—acommonidea,experience,andword—shouldnotbecalledaterm.

2.Thenoun"pity"alreadyincludestheideaofsympathy.Tospeak,then,of"sympatheticpity"isredundant.Itisthesameassaying"sympatheticsympathy."Aswell,pityimpliesconcern(ifIfeelpityforsomeone,Imust,bydefault,beconcernedaboutthatperson).Thephrase"pityandconcern,"therefore,isalsoredundant.

3.Theideaofsufferingisincludedinthemoregeneralideaofmisfortune.Torefer,then,topeople's"sufferingsormisfortunes"isredundant.Themoreeconomicalandforcefulphrasingwouldsimplybe"misfortunesofothers."

4.Thephrase"inwhich"ismisused.Thepreposition"in"needstobedeleted.Also,thephrase"whichcanberegardedasapartofloveitself"iswordyandpretentious.

Thisisplagiarizedmaterial(asissomematerialintheopeningsentence).Quotedtext(evenWikipediatext)mustbecited!Usinganotherwriter'smaterialandallowingyourreadertobelieveitisyourownisacaseofacademicdishonesty.Incollegesanduniversities,plagiarismisnormallyconsideredgroundsforexpulsion.Notealsothatnotallpublishedwriting(whetherinbooksorontheinternet)isgoodwriting.Thismaterialoncompassion,forexample,iswordyandpompous.Itcouldbesignificantlypareddownandtherebymademoreclearandforcefulthanitisnow.

In Act I, Scene iii of Merchant of Venice, Bassanio goes to Shylock (a , the usurer in Venice) , to request three thousand ducats in the name of Antonio. When Bassanio requests the monies money, Shylock states in aside that he hates Antonio is not a man he is fond of and that he does not admire him for three specific reasons. One —one of them being because Antonio lends money to others without charging interest (which creates unfair competition for Shylock), another being because he is generally disrespectful to Shylock, and the last being because he Antonio is a Christian. After this scene, the audience may automatically , with some justification, see the character Shylock in from a negative an unsympathetic perspective, and lose all sympathy or compassion they may have had for the character at the beginning of the play. Yet look closer, and do you not see the same hate in Antonio's eyes? Does Antonio not hate Shylock for being a Jew?

Shortly before On Antonio's entrance in sScene three iii, Shylock states that Antonio "was the last man in our mouths," stating from a basic perspective that Shylock is just mentioning that , on the surface, only that him he and Bassanio were talking about him before Antonio. Yet if the audience were to look closer they would see the below the surface is suggested a cannibalistic side to the comment suggesting Shylock was "chewing" on Antonio. Again after reading this scene one might say that , a Shylock who is malicious and impudent. However, have the Christians in Venice may be no better, for they have yet to treat the Jews with respect. Indeed, they appear to be just as malicious to Jews generally as Shylock appears to be toward Antonio. , therefore why would you see Shylock as the bad guy, for he is just practicing revenge. Why does the audience see Shylock as such an animal, is he not a human? Why should an audience see Shylock as a vicious animal? Is he not as much a human as are the Christians of Venice? In fact, it is Shylock himself who helps us to see that he is no different from, certainly no worse than, a Venetian Christian. This is shown in In Act III, Scene iv, in which Salerio and Solanio criticize Shylock for following his

Mentioningtheplay'stitleisunnecessaryhere,aswealreadyunderstandthatyourreferencesaretobetoTheMerchantofVenice.

BecauseActI,SceneiiimarksourfirstencounterwithShylock,wehavenothadachancetoformanimpressionofhim,eitherasympatheticorunsympatheticone,from"thebeginningoftheplay."

No,indeed,wedonotseeanythinginAntonio'seyes.Thisisbecausetheonlywaywecanassessacharacterisbyhisorherwordsandbyothercharacters'wordsabouthimorher.This,ofcourse,isbecauseaplayismadeofwords,notofpictures.True,wemightseesomethingintheeyesofanactorportrayingAntonio.Butwhatweseeinthatcaseisonlyanotherreader's(i.e.thatactor'sorhisdirector's)interpretationofthecharacter,aninterpretationthatmaybesoundorunsound,andaninterpretationthatisonlyoneamongmanypossibleones.

Theadjective"impudent"meansmerelyrude.Itisnotsostrongadescriptorasistheword"malicious,"whichspeaksofharmfulintentions.Forthisreason,thewordsdonotreallygowelltogether.Aswell,ifoneismalicious,thenheiscertainlybeingimpudenttoo(intheextreme).Therefore,thephraseisredundant.

HereShylockshowsthatheisreturningfeelingforfeeling,whenitcomestoAntonio.Butthatdoesnotmeanthatheis"practicingrevenge"atthispoint.Actualrevengedoesnotoccuruntillater,whenhechoosestoseizehispoundofAntonio'sflesh.

Thisisacomma‐splicedconstruction.Whatyouhaveherearetwoquestionsandtwosentencesposingasone.

Forinformationonrecognizingandeliminatingcommasplices,seethefile"Grammar‐Punctuation,"whichappearsinthewebsitefolderWritingSkills(allclasses).

daughter Jessica's running away with all him his money. After a few hateful remarks such as "There is more difference between thy flesh and hers than between jet and ivory, more between your bloods than there is between red wine and Rhenish," Shylock takes offense and vocalizes delivers his well-known speech; :

He [Antonio] hath disgrac'd me and hinder'd me half a million, laugh'd at my losses, mock'd at my gains, scorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies. And what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd 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 wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be, by Christian example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction.

Some Different audiences, depending on what actor they see playsing the role, or on their initial individual perspectives of Shylock, can are likely to see this speech as very controversial differently; , either some feeling sympathy towards Shylock or , some seeing him as irrational and spiteful. When one does read this, though, one he shall feel sympathy for Shylock and realize that, although he may be irrational in wanting the flesh of Antonio, it is the bond is legal and that the Christians have been more than unfair towards him. If one was a parent were to think about their a child running away from them, with a Christian someone whom this parent regarded as a thoroughly bad match, and this child having stolen all of ones life his or her savings, why would they he or she not feel some sympathy towards Shylock? Of course previous judgments may alter one's thinking, but, "Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?" by putting himself in Shylock's position, one may go some way toward feeling a measure of pity for the man.

Thissemi‐colonisalsomisused.

Forinformationonthecorrectuseofsemi‐colons,seethefile"Grammar‐Punctuation,"whichappearsinthewebsitefolderWritingSkills(allclasses).

Thissemi‐colonismisused.

Havingsaidintheprecedingpassagethatdifferentaudiences,onhearinghisspeech,willfeeleithersympathyordisdainforShylock—withtheimplicationthatonefeelingisnomore"correct"thanistheother—youcontradictyourselfnowbysayingthattheaudience"shall"(i.e.must)feelsympathyforhim.Whatyoumightlegitimatelynote,instead,isthatwhetheraudiencessympathizewithShylockorrejecthim,theywill,attheleast,understandwhyhebehavesashedoesandthatinunderstandinghimtheywilllikelyfindthescaletipslightlytowardsympathyratherthantowarddisdain.Notethatthisideaisincorporatedintherevisionbelow.

In Act IV scene I , Scene i, Shylock is to receive his bond (a pound of flesh from Antonio.). When But later it is found out we learn that Shylock cannot let legally shed one drop of blood bleed form Antonio's blood or he will in fact been subject to die and that should he do so he will be guilty of attempted murder. Later in the scene it is said , too, we learn that Shylock must receive a harsh sentence:

The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half his goods. The other half Comes to the privy coffer of the state. And the offender's life lies in the mercy Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice. In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st. For it appears, by manifest proceeding, That indirectly, and directly too, Thou hast contriv'd against the very life Of the defendant, and thou hast incurr'd The danger formerly by me rehears'd. Down therefore and beg mercy of the duke.

The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half his goods. The other half Comes to the privy coffer of the state. And the offender's life lies in the mercy Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice. In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st. For it appears, by manifest proceeding, That indirectly, and directly too, Thou hast contriv'd against the very life Of the defendant, and thou hast incurr'd The danger formerly by me rehears'd. Down therefore and beg mercy of the duke.

Later it is revealed that he also Further, he must convert to Christianity, and give all of his money when he dies to his daughter and Christian husband. One may think that Shylock deserves this punishment, but he did not know the details of his bond or what the consequences might be. One should feel compassion towards Shylock for he is getting having all of his possessions taken away as well as his culture and religion. Above all Shylock is a man, just a human, just like all others the Christians in Venice, but he is treated as a dog. Audiences may perceive him as malicious and vindictive, but he is just practicing what he is legally allowed to do, and (as he notes and we may verify) he is simply doing unto others as they have done unto him. This is the much-touted Christian principle that goes by the label of the Golden Rule—the rule that informs the idea that O one must practice and possess compassion before expecting to receivinge it. Therefore, by scorning Shylock, the people of Venice do not deserve as much respect as they demand from Shylock.

Thisoff‐setquotationofapassageofpoetrymustpreservetheoriginalformattingofthelines.

Forinformationoncorrectlayoutforsuchquotations,seethefile"QuotationFormat"inthewebsitefolderWritingSkills(allclasses)—inparticularthematerialstartingatpage5ofthepdf.

ThisisnotanespeciallyconvincingpointinthecaseofsympathyforShylock.

Revision

To feel compassion is to love. We know this as well as we know the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as

you would have them do unto you." Some may say that everyone is capable of showing and should show

compassion, but in the play The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare presents instances where

supposedly virtuous characters, though they insist on compassionate behavior from Shylock, the Jew, are

themselves unwilling to show compassion towards this man. Through various characters' actions, Shakespeare

suggests that one must practice compassion before he can hope to receive it.

In Act I, Scene iii, Bassanio goes to Shylock, the usurer, to request three thousand ducats in the name of

Antonio. When Bassanio requests the money, Shylock states in aside that he hates Antonio for three specific

reasons—one of them being because Antonio lends money to others without charging interest (which creates

unfair competition for Shylock), another because he is generally disrespectful to Shylock, and the last because

Antonio is a Christian. After this scene, the audience may, with some justification, see Shylock from an

unsympathetic perspective. But is Antonio any better a man? Does he not hate Shylock simply for being a

Jew? On Antonio's entrance in Scene iii, Shylock states that Antonio "was the last man in our mouths,"

stating, on the surface, only that he and Bassanio were talking about Antonio. Yet below the surface is

suggested a cannibalistic Shylock "chewing" on Antonio, a Shylock who is malicious. However, the

Christians in Venice may be no better, for they have yet to treat the Jews with respect. Indeed, they appear to

be just as malicious to Jews generally as Shylock appears to be toward Antonio.

Why should an audience see Shylock as a vicious animal? Is he not as much a human as are the

Christians of Venice? In fact, it is Shylock himself who helps us to see that he is no different from, certainly

no worse than, a Venetian Christian. This is shown in Act III, Scene iv, in which Salerio and Solanio criticize

Shylock following his daughter Jessica's running away with all his money. After a few hateful remarks such as

"There is more difference between thy flesh and hers than between jet and ivory, more between your bloods

than there is between red wine and Rhenish," Shylock takes offense and delivers his well-known speech:

He [Antonio] hath disgrac'd me and hinder'd me half a million, laugh'd at my losses, mock'd at my gains, scorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies. And what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd 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 wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be, by Christian example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction.

Different audiences, depending on what actor they see playing the role, or on their individual perspectives of

Shylock, are likely to hear this speech differently, some feeling sympathy towards Shylock, some seeing him

as irrational and spiteful. Truly, he may be irrational in wanting the flesh of Antonio, but the bond is, after all,

legal and the Christians have been more than unfair towards him. In some way, Shylock is within his rights.

And though we may abhor his intention, we do have by now some understanding of why he behaves as he

now does, which for many readers is the factor that will cause the scale to tip slightly toward sympathy rather

than toward disdain for Shylock. They may feel sympathy too if they consider his position from their point of

view as parents. If any given parent were to think about his or her own child running away with someone

whom this parent regarded as a thoroughly bad match, and this child having stolen all of his or her savings,

why would he or she not feel some sympathy towards Shylock? Of course previous judgments may alter one's

thinking, but by putting himself in Shylock's position, one may go some way toward feeling a measure of pity

for the man.

In Act IV, Scene i, Shylock is to receive his pound of flesh. But later we learn that Shylock cannot

legally shed one drop of Antonio's blood and that should he do so he will be guilty of attempted murder. Later,

too, we learn that Shylock must receive a harsh sentence:

The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half his goods. The other half Comes to the privy coffer of the state. And the offender's life lies in the mercy Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice. In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st. For it appears, by manifest proceeding, That indirectly, and directly too, Thou hast contriv'd against the very life Of the defendant, and thou hast incurr'd The danger formerly by me rehears'd. Down therefore and beg mercy of the duke.

Further, he must convert to Christianity and give all of his money when he dies to his daughter and Christian

husband. One should feel compassion towards Shylock for he is having all of his possessions taken away as

well as his culture and religion.

Above all Shylock is a man, just a human, just like the Christians in Venice, but he is treated as a dog.

Audiences may perceive him as malicious and vindictive, but he is just practicing what he is legally allowed

to do, and (as he notes and we may verify) he is simply doing unto others as they have done unto him. This is

the much-touted Christian principle that goes by the label of the Golden Rule—the rule that informs the idea

that one must practice compassion before expecting to receive it.