Shylock

Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree as Shylock, painted by Charles Buchel (1895–1935).

**Shylock** is a character in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice (c. 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal antagonist. His defeat and conversion to Christianity form the climax of the story.

## Name

Shylock is not a Jewish name. However, some scholars believe it probably derives from the biblical name Shalah, which is *Shelach* in Hebrew. Shalah is the grandson of Shem and the father of Eber, biblical progenitor of Hebrew peoples. All the names of Jewish characters in the play derive from minor figures listed in genealogies in the Book of Genesis. It is possible that Shakespeare originally intended the name to be pronounced with a short "i", as rather than a long one. The modern pronunciation has changed because the standard spelling with a "y" signifies to readers a long 'i' pronunciation. Other scholars emphasise that, although the name echoes some Hebrew names, "Shylock" was a common sixteenth-century English name that would have been familiar to Shakespeare's fellow Londoners, and the name is notable for its Saxon origin, meaning "white-haired". The Shylocks of sixteenth-century London included "goldsmiths, mercers, and, most visibly of all, scriveners", according to prominent scholar Stephen Orgel, a Stanford professor who serves (with A. R. Braunmuller) as general editor of The Pelican Shakespeare series from Penguin.

Gordon Clark mentions another possibility. At the time, the prefix *shy-* meant "of questionable character, disreputable, shady" (as in the modern *shyster*), while *shy-cock* was slang for "a wary or cowardly person."

## In the play

Shylock is a Jew who lends money to his Christian rival Antonio, setting the security at a pound of Antonio's flesh. When a bankrupt Antonio defaults on the loan, Shylock demands the pound of flesh. This decision is fuelled by his sense of revenge, for Antonio had previously insulted, physically assaulted and spat on him in the Rialto (stock exchange of Venice) dozens of times, defiled the "sacred" Jewish religion and had also inflicted massive financial losses on him. Meanwhile, Shylock's daughter, Jessica, falls in love with Antonio's friend Lorenzo and converts to Christianity, leaves Shylock's house and steals vast riches from him, which add to Shylock's rage and harden his resolve for revenge. In the end – due to the efforts of Antonio's well-wisher, Portia – Shylock is charged with attempted murder of a Christian, carrying a possible death penalty, and Antonio is freed without punishment. Shylock is then ordered to surrender half of his wealth and property to the state and the other half to Antonio. However, as an act of "mercy", Antonio modifies the verdict, asking Shylock to hand over only one-half of his wealth – to him (Antonio) for his own as well as Lorenzo's need – provided that he keeps two promises. First, Shylock has to sign an agreement bequeathing all his remaining property to Lorenzo and Jessica, which is to become effective after his demise, and second, he is to immediately convert to Christianity. Shylock is forced to agree to these terms, and he exits citing illness.

## In Upstart Crow

Will develops the character of Syylock after Kate, Kit and Bottom all point out the pitfalls of making the play's moneylender character a Dutchman.

At the end of the episode, Will's daughter Susanna, who is assisting at the local school in Stratford, uses Shylock's speech as a teaching aid, in order to ensure a holy innocent named Rodney is treated with respect by the other boys.

## Notes

1. ↑ Michael Lok was governor of the Cathay Company (chartered 1577), which financed Martin Frobisher's disastrous voyage of 1578; he carried back 1,350 tons of "gold ore" which turned out to be worthless iron pyrite. The venture, therefore, entirely failed, and in January 1579 he had to petition the Privy Council for relief and assistance. In June 1581 he was again petitioning the Privy Council, from the Fleet Prison, condemned at the suit of William Borough to pay for a ship bought for Frobisher's last voyage, though he claimed the debt was not his; he was also bound for a larger debt of the Cathay Company. In 1614–15 he was still being sued for a debt for stores supplied to Frobisher's ships. Calling an untrustworthy businessman "shy Lok" would be an easily understood reference to Elizabethans.

## Sources

1. ↑ Jay L. Halio, *The Merchant of Venice*, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1994, p.23/
2. ↑ quoted from *Shylock is Shakespeare* by Kenneth Gross, 2006, University of Chicago Press.
3. ↑ Frobisher Martin by Charles Henry Coote (Volume 20)
4. ↑ Shylock: As Banker, Bondholder, Corruptionist, Conspirator by Gordon Clark (Published on 31 August 2015 by Bibliolife DBA of Bibilio Bazaar II LLC
5. ↑ If You Prick Us, Do We Not Bleed?