Both Christians and Jews believe that a child should honor her father and mother. This regulation is one of theTen Commandments, and Christians viewed the breaking of any commandment as amortal sin. The pious Jessica wants to be a good girl, but her father’s evil is so intense that she feels forced to disobey her father in order to avoid even greater sins. The lines about blood and manners are also highly significant in revealing Shakespeare’s views about Shylock. Shylock’s blood – his Jewish blood and his cultural heritage – is not what causes him to be so evil. After all, the same Jewish blood flows through Jessica’s veins. Yet she is good. Rather, Shylock’s individual manners – his attitudes and behavior – are what make him so bad. Jessica and most other Jews do not think or behave as does Shylock. Shylock doesnotrepresent all Jews any more thanIago(the equally despicable villain in the tragedy ofOthello) represents all Christians. Shakespeare created Shylock as a unique (albeit detestable) individual, not as a symbol for an entire race of people.