"The Merchant of Venice is a morally ambiguous and disquieting play, and the monologues by Shylock and Portia-among the most memorable and stirring in Shakespeare's oeuvre-often leave audiences unnerved and uncertain about 12 their allegiances. The play aptly lets us in on the many abuses and injustices that befall on Shylock, and the various reasons for his distress-the widespread societal aversion for his culture, and his more personal and deeply wounding woes. Shylock was scorned, taunted, spat upon, mocked, and humiliated by Antonio and his co-religionists because he was a Jew. He was also betrayed by his own daughter Jessica, who stole his money along with a ring he had kept in remembrance of his deceased wife, and bestowed it all on her fortune-hunting Christian suitor, a friend of Antonio's. So when Shylock delivers the rousing "Hath Not a Jew Eyes?" monologue, he commands more than our pity-we understand him: like us, when injured or wronged he feels pain and itches to strike back; he yearns for justice, aches to reclaim a sense of his own value. We may not like Shylock, but we also do not quite blame him for craving revenge"-- Provided by publisher.
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