She is damned for it.(28)
Solanio and Salerio do not agree, and suggest only a devil – or Shylock – would damn her for that act, not God. They continue to tease Shylock when he makes the followingcomplaint:
My own flesh and blood to rebel! (30)
By “flesh and blood” Shylock means his own daughter, but the words in another context could refer to the body and the intense emotion of lust. The emotion of lust rebels against one’s better judgment or reason (the emotion vs. reason conflict). Thus, Solanio laughs at Shylock for feeling lustful at hisage.
On a more serious note, Salerio asks Shylock if he would really demand a pound of flesh from Antonio if Antonio is unable to pay him back the money. Shylock spitefully tells him that he would because, although the flesh has no other use than to be used as bait for fishes, the flesh will also “feed my revenge” (46). The character ofShylockthen launches into a well-knownspeechabout his grievances. Shylock forcefully and thoughtfully argues that a Jew is just as human as any Christian and experiences the same pains and joys as any Christian. He then continues with the following lines: