Abstract

The Merchant of Venice is a classic comedy of William Shakespeare, and Shylock, the Jew is the well-known but disputed character in the play.
This paper first discusses Shylock as a marginalized man, including traditional view of Shylock as a villain and the marginalization of Shylock. Furthermore, it analyzes Shylock as a tragic man by focusing on him as a plaintiff, a merchant and a father. Then it probes into the reasons for Shylock’s tragedy from the following three aspects: religious conflicts, economic contradiction and misfortune of his family. Last it leads to the conclusion that Shylock, traditionally viewed as a villain, is actually a tragic character resulting from diversified factors.

Key words:  The Merchant of Venice, Shylock, a marginalized man, conflicts

摘 要

《威尼斯商人》是莎士比亚的一部经典喜剧,犹太人夏洛克是其中耳熟能详并颇具争议的角色。
本文首先介绍了边缘人夏洛克，包括人们对其作为反面人物的传统看法和他所具有的边缘性。接着，分别对夏洛克作为被告、商人与父亲三重身份进行分析，点明他的悲剧性因素。之后从宗教冲突、经济矛盾与他的家庭的不幸三个方面探讨造成夏洛克悲剧性的因素。最后得出结论：从多种因素来看，传统上被认为是反派的夏洛克实则是一个悲剧人物。

关键词： 《威尼斯商人》；夏洛克；边缘人；冲突

1.    Introduction
The Merchant of Venice is one of William Shakespeare’s four greatest comedies, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. The play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic scenes, and is best known for Shylock and the famous “Hath not a Jew eyes” speech.
The Merchant of Venice accurately describes the tragic situation of the Jews in the medieval times, and deeply reveals the relationship between Jews and Christians. Shakespeare creates a series of vivid literary figures in the play, which ends in the victory of Christians. But the happy ending does not conceal the fierce conflict between the two parties. What happens to Shylock is a microcosm of the suffering of Jewish people who have lived in exile for over two thousand years. Shylock is a tragic character, and the root of his tragedy is social conflicts between Jews and Christians.
With brilliant historical perspective and insight, John Gross, a theater critic explores that “the complex and influential history that has given Shylock a life beyond the play and established him as a figure of world mythology.” (Gross 56) Illuminating Shylock’s evolution on the stage, his importance to writers and psychologists, and his enduring influence on society and culture, John Gross sheds as much light on our own shifting attitudes and beliefs as on the rich and disquieting figure Shakespeare created.