The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-05-06

Teen contended that Shakespeare intention
ally presented such a character as indicative
o: his Interpretation OF the Jew as a human
type.
To me. the contrary. Shakespeare In
tended nothing OF the kind: but. dramatically
opposed 70 that view he undertook to depict a
high type .! Jewish intellectually and honor
able disposition. unhappily perverted into
vicious temper by oppressive and degrading
environment
contend that instead OF Shakespeare in
tcn5iag 20 hale into cour. debaRed Jew and
sxpos5:s his native inhumanity. he rather
challenged the Christianity OF his age ana
sought to expose its hypocrisy and hardness o.
heart. This IS Interpretation so utterly 1t
variance With the traditional view that some
ma regard y t"merarious and sensational
TC s.gil with. drama should be interpreted
nn,y ia ,sc light OF the age In which 1t
written. IA Shakespeare's day the disposition
Of az Chr!s.rndom toward the Jew was one OF
?e"seeu;ius detestation. In no respectable so
ciety wculG apology or defense OF the Jew
be permitted. The commonly prevailing notion
OF uifr AZ :hAt time may be discerned in the
words O; Martin Luther. who said: Know.
then dear Christian. that next TO the Devil
thou canst have no bitterer or hercer foe than
genuine Jew. Jew who Is in earnest The
true counsel. then. i would give Is. that hre
be put TO their synagogues and that over what
will not burn up the earth be heaped and
piled that not a STONE trace OF them will
be seen forever"
Though it is true that the Jews had been
banshed from England since the time OF Ed
ward l.. yet IL is also known that there were
some Jews In England, and that Shakespeare.
by contact. might have learned OF their finer
qualities and the true nature OF their persecu
lions He may therefore have determined to
write in their defense but in a cautious and
merely suggestive manner.
Let 1t not be forgotten that originally the
play was Intended as comedy. Shakespeare
doubtless dscerned the danger that a serious
treatme ut of the Jew would entail unless he
gave such Il cortemptuous presentation OF him
as appears in Mariowes The Jew OF Malta"
of which Charles Lamb said. "Barabas is
monster, brought in with "A large. painted nose
TO please the rabble. He kills in sport: poisons
whole nunneTies; invents Internal machines"
Shakespeare carefully avoids such repulsiye
O. exposition OF the alleged Jewish traits. yet
burst not introduce a more rational specimen.
except In the form OF bunoOnery. Therefore
the first Shylocks were merely comedians. and
the mob would stand his noble expressions OF
sentiment. his 5el.ttiing OF Christian adversar-
les in brilliant thought and repartee. and even
in the court scene his speeches Of self-Justin-
cation and arraignmcut OF Christian law, be-
cause IL all done in fun. lin merry sport"
To this end Shakespeare has Shylock per.
form the absurd business OF sharpening his
knife on his shoe. ready to cut out the pound
too great. too instinctively superb In this char.
acter TO suffer IL long TO be regarded merely
In the light OF a nunoon. So since the time
Of Macklin. the Irish actor. Shylock has been
personated. saving only in our own epoch. as
snarling. vicious. ayaricious. bioodthirsty. In
human brute
Now why? Let US examine the portrayal in
Shakespeare's own language and whether
such Characterization is Justified
When he is hrst introduced ne is made TO
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