How does Shakespeare compare and contrast the characters of Antonio and Shylock in the trial scene? Essay

Shakespeare portrays the characters Shylock and Antonio in the trial scene to get victims of the trial landscape.

In my opinion, Shylock is the main victim as he is definitely discriminated for following a distinct religion to everyone else in the court. As being a Jew meant that the others in the courtroom were racist against Shylock meaning that they treated him unfairly in comparison to Antonio; who had been helped in each and every way to ensure that he could win the trial and Shylock would not get his pound of flesh. Shakespeare uses vocabulary to create an idea of the actual characters are just like for the audience so that they consider what the specific situation is like intended for both of the characters.

Carrying on with terminology, Shakespeare uses violent, solid and hateful language the moment Shylock is usually speaking to present that he can very strong willed and confident when ever claiming a thing that is his own. Shakespeare also concentrates mainly upon law when Shylock is definitely speaking to show that Shylock depends on the law to make his case for his pound of flesh. On the other hand Shakespeare uses softer, calm and unaggressive language when ever Antonio is usually speaking to acquire across for the reader that Antonio is extremely resigned and defeatist inside the trial; that makes him seem resigned and that he doesn’t have any kind of hope any more.

Shakespeare doesn’t so much give attention to the law the moment Antonio is definitely speaking although of the great will of Shylock and if he will demonstrate mercy. Inspite of this, Shylock does not present mercy and tries to convince the fight it out to grant him his pound of flesh. William shakespeare uses comparability between Christians and Shylock as a way of convincing the duke. In line 89 103 Shylock talks about the slaves that the duke and many more Christians have got. You have got among you many a purchased slaves’ is a collection Shakespeare uses when Shylock is speaking.

These slaves that the duke and other Christian believers have purchased belong to them and so they can do the actual please with them. This can be the same with Shylock’s pound of flesh; this belongs to him and therefore they can do whatever he wishes with this whether this individual chooses to cut it away or not. On the other hand Antonio does not fight for his circumstance as hard as Shylock does. In line 114 118 William shakespeare writes in such a way that the audience considers that Antonio has abandoned. Meetest to get death; the weakest sort of fruit’ which means that Antonio is prepared for death and that he calls himself the the most fragile of all Christian believers.

These lines simply describe that Antonio is fragile and he has no expect of living. Shakespeare uses words just like tainted, drops earliest and weakest’ to make the audience feel sorry for Antonio because there is nothing a weak Christian could do in his situation. In lines 117 and 118 Antonio says to Bassanio that it must be better that you just live so you can remember me.

Shakespeare does this to show the audience that he’s, in a way, stating goodbye to his friend. Following in from this, Antonio has many persons in the courtroom who will be friends of his so they stay bias toward him. Unlike Shylock that has many foes in the court who dislike him to get mainly his religion also for the connect he offers over Antonio. In lines 128 138 Shakespeare uses harsh dialect to illustrate Gratiano to experience a monumental hate over Shylock.

Line 128 governed a wolf, who hanged for human slaughter’, Shakespeare makes the market realise that Gratiano perceives Shylock as no more than a vile wolf who needs to be hanged intended for the bond he provides over Antonio. Throughout the entire of lines 128 138 Gratiano expresses his hatred by comparing Shylock to inexecrable dog’ and wolves to exhibit the audience that he considers Shylock must be treated as these animals will be treated. Antonio too is usually treated badly, but instead of the court treating him illegally, Shylock goodies him unfairly. Too often can be Antonio victimised by Shylock because Shylock feels he has a hold over Antonio because of the bond he opted for.

In line 139 Shakespeare makes the audience feel sorry for Antonio by making the other character types in the the courtroom refer to him as a pound of flesh’ and a bond’. This gives the impression that Shylock has control over Antonio and that Antonio is only there for to ensure that Shylock will take his pound of drag. Shakespeare the actual audience believe that Shylock does not see him as a typical Christian nevertheless he sees him while his personal bond fantastic own pound of flesh that is rightfully his legally.

However , as opposed to Shylock, Portia doesn’t use law the moment she 1st arrives at the court; instead she pleas for mercy from Shylock. In lines one hundred and eighty 201 Portia presents her presentation about how Shylock should be merciful towards Antonio as he is providing to pay much more than his original price of ducats. But likewise Portia says that he should try to be a good Jew and allow whim on Antonio so that his life will not be lost. William shakespeare gives Portia this thoughtful speech to demonstrate the audience just how desperately she actually is trying to find a method to keep Antonio alive.

William shakespeare also uses words just like heaven’ and god’ to demonstrate that Shylock’s religion contains a lot regarding the whim he should give Antonio. Unfortunately Shylock does not care pertaining to mercy, like or companionship; instead the most important things to Shylock are his money and possessions. Shylock is very different to Antonio and Bassanio as they care about each other through love and camaraderie. In lines 260 277 Antonio says goodbye to Bassanio his dear friend; Shakespeare uses language to prove Antonio and Bassanio’s friendship. Give me your odds, Bassanio.

Service you well’, Shakespeare shows the affect that Antonio is talking gentle and calm to his friend in order to say goodbye properly. To let the wretched guy outline his wealth’, Antonio says this to Bassanio to say that Shylock can be an wicked man that has favoured wealth and ownership over a great innocent existence. Luckily Antonio did not say goodbye to Bassanio since Portia identified a pothole in the relationship meaning that Shylock was not permitted to take a Christian citizen’s bloodstream or take more or less than the pound of flesh; and so Shylock declared he would not take the drag and leave. In lines 343 359 Portia can be not merciful to Shylock to let him walk free as he has not been merciful to Antonio even though he had various chances to be.

Shakespeare does this to teach a lesson so the audience sees that they should treat others how they would like to become treated. In cases like this Shylock needs to have been merciful so that the fight it out and Portia could be merciful back. In the end I think both characters were victimised inside the trial landscape but for different reasons. Shylock was victimised for being a different religion to people in the courtroom whereas Antonio was victimised just for getting hated by Shylock. I do believe the main issue is racism between the two religions that causes unjust treatment; nevertheless most of the racism was place on Shylock.

Overall, Shakespeare efficiently manages to make the audience sympathize for equally characters through the trial scene.