Merchant of Venice

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I had seen the Merchant of Venice. I am watching all movies made in Venice, about Venice, all books about Venice, written by Venitians, you get the picture. I am Venice, but back to my point.

There was a monologue by Shylock ( The money lender). He is asked why he wants a pound of flesh if Antonio does not make good on his loan. I was not as much amazed by the speech but more about the writer. To think that this was written in the 16th century is pretty remarkable. We have struggled for centuries with the ever present issues of prejudice and intolerance. Maybe we need to give ourselves a break when instant progress is not made and try harders. Maybe I should not be so critical of George Bush.......NOT. So addressing the issue of intolerance:


Salerio: Why, I am sure if he forfeit thou wilt not take his flesh. What's that good for?

Shylock:

To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.

He hath disgraced me and hind'red me half a million,

laughted at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation,

thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies- and

what's his reason.

I AM A JEW.

Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? --fed with same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same disease, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is?

If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh?
If you poison us, do we not die?

And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resembled you in that.

If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong of Jew, what should his sufferance be but by a Christian example?

Why revenge! The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better than my instruction.