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The merchant of Venice “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare is a play of two parts. One part follows the fortunes of Bassanio, the merchant’s closest friend, Antonio, in his attempts to court the beautiful and rich heiress of Belmont, Portia. The other part to the play deals with Antonio and his bond he makes with Shylock, a wealthy Jew. He makes this bond in his name to finance his dear friend Basanio’s courtship. Antonio agrees with Shylock that if the three thousand ducats are not repaid within three months he will loose a pound of flesh. Bassanio eventually successfully courts Portia but discovers his good friend, Antonio has forfeited the bond. In the Venetian court Shylock tries to get his pound of flesh but Portia, disguised as a lawyer, crushes him, and the Christians return, in victory to Belmont. Is Shylock, then, a villain who happens to be Jewish or an ill-treated and persecuted victim deserving of our sympathy? After close examination of the characterisation and the structure of the play I feel that he is indeed worthy of my pity. I entertain a feeling of sympathy for Shylock because, during the play, he is ridiculed and hated by the Christians. One such instance when this happened during the pla