I have recently read Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" and asked to comment on whether Shylock gets what he deserved in play.
             The play opens with Antonio, a rich Christian merchant, in a depressed state. He seems to have a premonition of disaster, and all his friends try to cheer him up. His best friend, Bassanio, approaches him and asks for a loan to woo Portia, "a lady richly left" living in Belmont. Unfortunately, Antonio cannot afford this loan, so they must ask Shylock, a rich, money-lending Jew. Shylock detests Antonio "for he is a Christian" and lends money "gratis." He sees this as the perfect opportunity to trap Antonio, so he suggests a "single-bond" where, if Antonio does not repay the bond "on such a day," "an equal pound" of Antonio's "fair flesh" is "to be cut off" from any part of his body Shylock pleases. Antonio, without hesitation, seals the bond. Bassanio uses the money and eventually wins Portia's hand in marriage. He then hears rumours that Antonio's ships have been sunk, and therefore the bond cannot be repaid. Antonio must now forfeit a pound of his flesh. Bassanio rushes to Antonio's side. Unbeknown to Bassanio, Portia and her maid Nerissa "accoutred like young men" pretend to be lawyers defending Antonio. This trial scene is the most dramatic and the highlight of the play.
             As a superb villain, Shylock is the main character in the play. From the moment he appears on stage, his complexion and dark clothing suggest his evil nature, and this is confirmed in his famous speech about his hatred for Antonio. Details like "I hate him for he is a Christian" and "Cursed be my tribe if I forgive him" would be said with such venom and disgust by Shylock; his hatred for Antonio is obvious. Shylock uses his ability to plan by arguing with Antonio, creating a tense and competitive atmosphere; for example, both characters disagreeing with one another, when Shylock tells of "when Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's s...