Term 3 Wk5 - Anti Semitism

I think Shakespear's intention of creating Shylock in The Merchant Of Vernice is to show the theme "anti-semitism". Anti-semitism refers to the discrimination against the Jews. Hence, in The Merchant Of Vernice, Shylock is a Jew and the story tallks about how the Christians treat the Jews.

First Example:
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, 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 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.

Explanation:
This is a speech made by Shylock. He reasons that a Jew is equipped with the same faculties as a Christian, and is therefore subject to feeling the same pains and comforts and emotions. This shows that the Christians do not treat the Jews as humans as they discriminate against them. This also shows the grievances that the Jews had so much that Shylock say that he will take revenge and will be even more ruthless than them.

More Examples:
1. " You called me a heathen, a dirty dog, and you spit on my Jewish clothes" Shylock said this to Antonio (Act One, Scene 3). This shows that Antonio insulted Shylock and spat on his clothes because its Jewish.
2. " He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies - and why? Because I’m a Jew" Shylock said this to Salerio (Act Three, Scene 1). This shows that Antonio insulted him, cost him half a million ducats, laughed at his losses, made fun of his earnings, humiliated his race, thwarted his deals, turned his friends against him and riled up his enemies just because he is a Jew.