The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-01-10

jew was allowed to live in England
When the courts of that country were
inclined, in the reign of Edward l., to
decide the Jews capable of becoming
freeholders and citizens, the fury of the
people caused the decision to be with
held. ard about the year 1890 the Jews
were expelled from the country. If
Shakespeare's Venetian court was to
afford exact, and equal justice to the Jew,
the poet could not well fashion it after
any English model of which he had
knowledge.
The drama in which Shylock appears
affords convincing proof that his race
was regarded with disfavor and treated
with ignominy. One of the reasons
which Shylock assigns for his hatred of
Antonio is that the latter is Christian
If the Venetians did not discriminate
against his nation, Shylock ought not to
have hated all Christians without excep-
ton. But he adds, Antonio Eshates our
sacred nation" Perhaps if Shakespeare
thies were "obliterated' in Venice, he
would not have permitted the creature
of his imagination to talk in such
strain. 1t seems, too, Antonio had
practical way of manifesting his hatred,
which Shylock thus describes
You calPd me misboliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine.
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me as you spurn stranger cur
If religious antipathies were 'sobliter-
ated," and aliens were fully protected
by the laws, and Shylock was a peer,
not vassal, it is passing strange that
he should be called hard names, and
spit upon, and kicked like dog. Are
we to believe that Antonio spit upon
the gaberdine to show his fondness for
the style of dress which seems to have
been peculiar to Shylock's people, and
that the kick was expressive of social
esteem? Antonio does not seem to
have extended these little endearments
to his Christian friends, nor did they
He is said to have been kind, courte-
GUS gentleman; zone in whom the ancient
Roman honor more appears, than any that
draws breath in Italy" Unless it was in
accordance with usage and what was
rated good manners, Antonio would not
have fondled Shylock in this fashion
He does not seem to have realized that
all sectarian hate was banished from his
city, and that he was liable to be fined
for the playful tendencies of his feet.
And how does Shylock carry himself
when he is thus buffeted and derided?
If he was the vehement, high sp rited
fellow recently introduced and SILL more
recently described to Us, we should ex-
pect him to invoke the fegis of the i'm
partial and admirable laws which we
are told prevailed in Venice. If he was
the stalwart, impetuous Hebrew we lately
saw in court, who gives free rein
to his rage, and who is at liberty to ex-
press his feelings as other men do theirs,
we wonder why he did not knock An
tonic down Immediately. We know a
great many ssother men" who, under such
great provocation, would give forcible
expression to their feelings through the
action of the hlceps muscle of the arm.
Here was fine opportunity for the per-
Torrance of one of Shylock's favorite
ar-dances and the proof of his alleged
prowess. This is what he said he did,
-''Still have / borne it with q patient
shrug, for sufierance is badge of all orr
/ tribe We fear he was accustomed to
being pummeled and denounced, even IN
Venice. But then, it is said that he
prevaricates; that it would be impossi
bic for such high-minded gentleman
as Antonio to be guilty of the naughty
conduct attributed to him. Well, Shy
lock makes the accusation to the mer-
chants face; let the latter answer for
himself
II am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too
Antonio was not expert at framing
general denials. It was ungrateful i'll him
to compromise the yeracigy OF his mod
ern panegyrist by making this sweep
ing admission that the charges against
him are all true. Before rising to pro-
claim his clients innocence, the advocate
should have taken the precautiop to
Learn from tue record mat Antonio had
entered plea of Guilty.
Admirers of Venetian customs and
polity may claim that Shylock was
maltreated, not because of his origin,
but for the reason that he was O hard
hearted creditor who ground his debtors
mercilessly. He answers that:
He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half
million; laughed at my losses, Knocked at my
gains, Se0rned ny nation, FAD WHATS his
reason lam Jew."
AS further proof that Antonio charg-
ed Shylock's bad qualities to his de-
scent, note the merchants appeal to
Rassanio not to longer entrest tie Jew
for mercy
81 pray you, think you question with the
Jew
Shylock's blood makes Antonio des-
pair of moving him to mercy.
If there be still left a shadow of
foundation to support the theory that
all oreeds found equal favor in Venice,
and that Shylock s legal rights were in
no degree denied because of his relig
ious belief, it must wholly disappear
when the terms are considered on which
he was pardoned by the duke. One of
the distinct conditions on which his
life is spared is, that he become Chris
tian; and he is informed that if he re-
jects the terms the pardon will be re-
called. The issue is presented, fairly
and squarely, by the highest functionary
Oh tue Stdte: Hnyloch HuSt aOjuro uts
faith or die. No more pronounced
and rigorous form of persecution than
this is Ghronicled in history. There
may have been more refined cruelties,
more exquisite fortunes, than would have
been inflicted on Shylock had he chosen
martyrdom, but no essentially sterner
alternative was ever offered by fanati-
cism And this in state where no
tinge of religious bitterness survived,
forsooth.
It would now seem almost alperfu
Gus to inquire whether Shylock could