Shylock: “To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me and my hindred me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies–and what’s his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me I willl execute – and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.” (act 3 scene 1 lines 43-61)
In this passage, Skylock is discussing his revenge on Antonio. Even though Shylock was hurt by this Christian, I believe his is plan for payback is too harsh. Even if you are hurt or discriminated against, death should never be a consequence for the ally. As Shylock continues, I believe Shakespeare begins to feel sorry for Shylock and other Jews. Shylock says how much he is made fun of just because of him religion. Do you believe Shakespeare feels sorry for Shylock, or does he consider a villain because of his plan for revenge against Antonio? What message was Shakespeare trying to convey when he wrote about the treatment of Jews VS. Christians?