Understanding Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice by Robert A. Albano - HTML preview

1. A man will pay a fortune to another to get rid of a rat in hishouse.

(lines 44-45)

2. A man goes crazy when he sees a roasted pig with its mouth open.(46)
3. A man goes mad whenever he sees acat.

(47)

4. A man urinates in his pants whenever he hearsabagpipe.      (48-49)

Such men cannot explain why they act the way they do. There is no rational or logical explanation. They are victims of their emotions. Shylock admits that he is the same way: “So can I give no reason” (58). Shylock admits that his emotions, specifically “hate” and “loathing,” motivate him (59). He cannot give another reason, for he is emotional (unreasonable).

Bassanio, fearing for his friend’s safety, cannot accept Shylock’s answer. But Antonio tells him that Shylock’s very nature cannot be changed anymore than the nature of a wolf that attacks a lamb (lines 72-73). The wolf’s nature is to attack and kill the lamb, and Shylock’s nature is to attack and kill Antonio. Themetaphoris appropriate in that wolves act out of nature and instinct rather than logic. Yet the metaphor also suggests that Shylock is less than human in his behavior. And Antonio adds that Shylock is different from other humans in that he has ahard heart(lines 78-79). So,Antonio