The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-14

and good in the sight of the Lord to "desp'l
'ne nate begets hate, and fosters oil tho ev1
nassons of our nature so this legal anu Ut
| discrimination among peoPlee;a.a" tpncnlent
and morally bears Us naturai fruifs-truos.' -,
contempt and persecution on the one paII. ~,
| ,ba other noble natures debased 10 green ny
| snese inc spear and buckler OF the wqa ns
which scarcely conceals maiignancy c ,na
| becomes part of the dew 3 rehglon. ooJ
| demned 70 the sordid pursuit Oh money ''
| ing,
"his nature is subdued ..uar
To what ID works in like the dyers manu.
Money ia his only source of power; the only
.r,hiton left him is 20 heap UP richeS; m, ns
ahsorb,ne pleasure TO count his gains lnu,
the lordly yenetians of this perlod reeai ~
his naTish. But they are TO learn mat ~
Shviock this passion il subordinate 10 ms ue'
xourinQ scorn and destation OF tneih'oi' a.
whose scant and unwonted couftesJ ho
haughtily defines;
will buy with you and sell WIN you o
Talk with YOU walk with you, ana 80 JoIo"His
Rnt will not eat with you. drink with 'ou'
Nor pray with YOU
To this general aversion to the dominant race
and religion is superadded an implacaoIe
loathine for Antonio IN particular, tne 'eiy
sight OF who stirs the depths OF his Dature'
How ike fawning publican he comes
I hate him for he is q Christian
But more for that In low simplicity ry;uos dovrt
lie lends out money graDs anu pihs9 oo"N+
The rate Of usanco mere IN VENICE
He hates our sacred nation, and he rails
Even there, where merchants much 90 consle-
On me nav bargains and my well,won thrift.
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my lllOo
II forgive him."
Not only has Antonio thwarted him IN MS
business" hindered him OF half mlIiloh
bnt reyiled his religion, heaped unmerlted
and unpardonable insult upon HIM uhuer .iie
public gaze. which he recalls IN repiy 20 tne
snit of Antonio and his reckless friend IN
sneecb replete with exquisite sarcasm and dig-
nified suppression OF rage:
"Sjgnior Antonio. many time and oft
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys and my usances;
Still have borne Il With patle nj snrug'
For patience is the badge Of all our tribe.
You called me mlsbeliever, cut throat uog'
And spit upon my Jewish gabardlne.
And all for use Of that which IS mine own
Well, it appears you want my help: q.
You that void your rheum on my beard
And foot me as you spuTn stranger cur
Over your threshold; moneys Is your sun
And Antonio, with the hauteur OF his class
replies:
III am as like TO call you so again,
To spit on thee again; 10 spurn thee' too'
Now DESPITE the mastering greed attributed
to him. stung by personal insult, his heart
inhamed by the legal and social persecution
of his race he lends 3 900 ducals, without e4-
acting dot Of interest, with an Interior PnI-
pose. which supersedes all pecuniary consider
alton, he takes bond IN the penalty OF 4
pound of flesh TO be cut nearest the heart OF
the obhgee. -,
News comes of the wreck Of argoses and the
consequent bankruptcy Of AntOnlo ana In
stead of amenting tire loss OF his three th0u-
sand ducats he is transported with Joy at the
prospect of satiug his revenge on the body OF
his victim by the same blow that removes
him from business competition and leaves
hun ito make what merchandise he Will.
He bewails the loss Of his daughter, with the
money and Jewels she has stolen, ali IN the
same breath; but is more than compensated
he is delghted-when Tubal the next mo-
ment. announces the defalcatiOn OF Antonio,
whereby he loses three thousand ducats and
gains "a pound of carrion flesh" lie grows
maietic IN his malignant triumph, his relent-
less hate, which reaches beyond private con-
siderations. He stands forth the exponent
of his revied and persecuted race to vlndlcate
his people. not alone with his own proper
hand, but by the strong arm OF the CHRISTIAN
law upon Christian foe
For the commodity that strangers have
With ia in Venice, il 1t be denied,
VIII much jmpeach the justice Of the State:
Since that the trade and profit OF the city
Consistent OF all nations"
Shylock reyels in the grim humor Of this
irony of Justice that must sacrifice Neneclan
citizen in the interest of trade and proft OF
the city at the behest of one Of the outcast
race: for in these rude times no equitable
jurisdiction availed 10 palliate the rigor OF
written edicts, and TO obvlate palpable lnJus-
tice IN particular cases.
Not moved by sudden gust of passion.
but melted by deliberate, lOng-conceiyed
scheme for Vengeance domestic calamity,
financial ruin, all other considerations are
merged in the execution of his deadly pur-
pose Three thousand, six thousand, ten
thousand ducats are scorntully rejected
rather than forego his vengeful suit:
IF every ducat in six thousand ducats
Were in six parts and every part ducat
| would BOT draw them: would have my bond
Shylock was no better nor worse than the
age in which he lived when the political enor-
mites Of Macchavelle were approved by the
people and practiced by the rules when pub
lie faith and personal honor were sentiments
of the past. when the falchlon had been dig
carded for the stilletto and the deadly bowl;
when the artifce and acuteness of lago were
admired while the simple confiden CO
and open nature of Othello were de
rided. albeit even he felt justified III employ
ing an assassin to vindicate his honor upon
Cassie Why. in the play under present con:
sideraton no one condemns the conduct of
Bassanio, but regard it as a good joke in re
ceiving the stolen goods that Jessica had
purloined from her father-it was only rob-
bing Jew.
1t is not intended here 10 uphold Shylock as
an admirable character worthy of imitation of
Jew or Gentle, but one actuated by com
pick motive. that however reprehensible,
challenges our sympathy, while the mere
greed of money could but excite our contempt.
In brief. while Romeo is the incarnation of
passionate love, HAMLET of infrm purpose,
and Macbeth of inordnate ambition, so Shy
lock may be characterized as the genius of re-
venge. r. T. d.