毕业论文-威尼斯商人中夏洛克的性格分析.doc

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本科毕业论文（设计）

题目：《威尼斯商人》中夏洛克的人物性格分析

学 院 外国语学院

专 业 英语教育

学 号 201140210909

姓　名 李美华

指导教师 高福猛 职称 讲师

完成日期 2015年4月20日

An Analysis of Shylock’s Character in
The Merchant of Venice

A Thesis Submitted
to School of Foreign Languages of
Fuyang Normal University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

By
Li Meihua
Supervisor：Gao Fumeng

April 20, 2015

诚 信 承 诺

我谨在此承诺：本人所写的毕业论文《<威尼斯商人>中夏洛克的性格分析》均系本人独立完成，没有抄袭行为，凡涉及其他作者的观点和材料，均作了注释，若有不实，后果由本人承担。

承诺人（签名）：
年 月

摘 要
《威尼斯商人》中的夏洛克作为一个负面人物，与作品中其他人物形象形成鲜明的对比。他通常被视为一个自私﹑贪婪的商人。但随着时代的发展，人们对夏洛克的看法逐渐产生了分歧。本文试从以下几个部分分析夏洛克的双重人物形象：第一部分主要讲述他性格的两大极端：一方面，他是一个残忍的恶棍，一个贪婪的守财奴，一个令人鄙视的小丑；同时，他又是一个经营有道的商人，尽职尽责的父亲及一位犹太民族正义的代表。第二部分主要从宗教﹑经济和政治三方面分析夏洛克这个可怜人物的双重性格的形成原因。第三部分主要揭露了夏洛克双重性格背后的民族歧视﹑宗教迫害及社会地位的差异等社会现象。本文深刻分析了夏洛克复杂多变的人物性格，有助于人们意识到人人生而平等，每个人都赋予不可剥夺的生存权力，从而为建立和谐社会，和谐世界而努力。

关键词：双重性格；原因；犹太民族；正义代表

Abstract
Shylock, a negative character, serves as a contrast to the protagonists in The Merchant of Venice, who has always been regarded as a vicious, selfish, avaricious merchant. However, with the development of time, people begin to hold different opinions on him. This paper tries to analyze Shylock’s dual character from the following parts: The first part discusses the two extremes of his character: On the one hand, he is a brutal scoundrel, an avaricious miser and a contemptible clown. On the other hand, he is also a successful merchant, a responsible father and a brave warrior; the second part analyzes the reasons of this poor character, Shylock’s dual character from religious, economic, and political perspectives; the third part discloses some social phenomena behind Shylock’s dual character, such as racial discrimination, religious persecution, different social status and so on. Through the analysis of Shylock’s complex and changeable character, this paper is conducive to making people realize that all are born equal and everyone has the inalienable right to exist so that we can make every effort to build a harmonious society and world.

Key words: dual characters; causes; Jewish race; a righteous representative

Table of Contents
诚信承诺书 I
摘要 II
Abstract III
Table of Contents IV
I. Introduction 1
II. Shylock’s Dual Characters 3
2.1 The Vicious Aspects of Shylock 4
2.1.1 Shylock as a Mean, Cruel Moneylender 4
2.1.2 Shylock as a Cruel and Atrocious Avenger 5
2.2. The Good Aspects of Shylock 5
2.2.1 Shylock as an Intelligent and Diligent Merchant 5
2.2.2 Shylock as a Good Father and Husband 6
2.2.3 Shylock as a Righteous Representative of Jewish Race 7
III. Causes of His Complex Character 8
3.1 Religious Factors 8
3.2 Economic Factors 9
3.3 Political Factors 10
IV. Realistic Significance of Shylock’s Character 10
4.1 Eliminating National Prejudice 10
4.2 Building a Harmonious Society 11
V. Conclusion 12
References 13

I. Introduction
The Merchant of Venice, one of the famous comedy of Shakespeare, was written in about 1596-1597 years, when Shakespeare changed his writing style from comedy to tragedy. It is the time that the country was ruled by the queen Elizabeth, especially in 1588, when the British defeated the Spanish, the Britain came into its flourished time when the trade of merchant usurer developed so quickly. Besides, at that time, there were so many social problems, especially the racial discrimination. Jewish race was thought the lowest races in the world. And Jewish people suffered a lot of insults and lived a very hard life. They did not have official jobs and several of them succeeded in becoming moneylender. Aristocrats had adjusted to living a lavished life, so they became the victims of the moneylenders, just like Antonio. So is the same with the dispute between the capital class and those Jewish usurers. In this play, we know Shylock is a mean, cruel and inhuman usurers, who puts money in the first place. And the contradiction between Antonio and Shylock is the same with the racial problems.
For a long time, people seem to fail to take good aspects of Shylock into account, and regard him as a vicious villain. So this paper just wants to discuss Shylock’s characters in an all-inclusive way.
The Merchant of Venice, a masterpiece of William Shakespeare, plays an important role in English literature. And, shylock in this play, a distinctive and controversial character, has been always on the mouth of people. In most people’s eyes，he is always a brutal scoundrel, a greed miser, and a contemptible clown. But with time goes by, some people are beginning to talk about Shylock’s character in a more complex perspective. So this paper tries to share the author’s opinion with others in a different way and to analyze the reasons why Shylock has such dual characters and tragedy life from the religious, economic and political factors. Besides, As modern citizens, we need have an updated eyes to see everything equally and rationally. Survival in this ever-growing society, Most of us fail to remember what we really need and are prone to seeking money without even thinking about the means. That is not the right way in which people treat persons and things. So this paper sincerely hope that after talking about Shylock’s dual characters in a more rational way, we can have a better understanding of this world, and love each other as well as build a more harmonious society.
Being finished in 1596, The Merchant of Venice is a brilliant comedy and the masterpiece of the second period of Shakespeare’s works. The story whose theme is extolling kindness, friendship and love happened in Venice in the 16th century. The general plot is as follows: In Venice, a merchant named Antonio invested all his wealth in merchandise and ships for foreign trade. So when his close friend Bassanio, a poor gentleman he always helps generously, wants to borrow money to court Portia, a rich heiress who lives in Belmont, Antonio has no ready money for him. Thus, Antonio asks Shylock, a Jewish usurer for a loan. In fact, Shylock has been bearing him a grudge for a long time, just because Antonio often reviles him in the Rialto and once called him a misbeliever, cut-throat dog as well as spat at him due to their different religious beliefs. Shylock thinks the opportunity of taking revenge is coming, so he says yes to Antonio’s request to borrow three thousand ducats, however, the condition is that Antonio would loss a pound of his flesh if he is not able to return them before the deadline. Antonio is very confident and signs the bond.
With the money, Bassanio went to Belmont. To marry Portia is not easy, because although Portia’s father has died, he left three caskets used to choose husband for her. The first casket is made of gold, the second of silver, and the third of lead. Among the three caskets, only one contains Portia’s portrayal and the person who chooses the casket can marry Portia. All the other suitors either refuse to solve the puzzle or choose wrong ones, but Bassanio chooses correctly and wins Portia. When Bassanio and Portia are immersed in the joy, bad news comes that none of Antonio’s ships arrive safely and a pound of flesh will be taken from his body. Portia left her husband Bassanio and take her dowry which is worth six thousand ducats to go to Venice. She wants to buy off the Jew.
When the case is heard, the Duke advises Shylock to forgive Antonio and Bassanio offers to repay him six thousand ducats, but he refuses both of their proposals. When Antonio is about to die, Portia arrives, disguising herself as a doctor of laws. At first, Portia pretends to stand by Shylock and earns Shylock’s praise. However, just when Shylock is about to cut into Antonio’s flesh, Portia stops him. She points out that Shylock must cut exactly one pound of flesh without shedding a single drop of blood. Otherwise, he will earn the wages of sin and all his possessions will be taken by the state, because he as a Jew commits the crime of murdering a citizen. Shylock realizes that he cannot succeed. So he tells the Duke that he agrees to accept the six thousand ducats and tries to leave at once, but Portia doesn't let him go on the ground that he intends to attack Antonio and the intention has become a crime. Although Shylock is free from death, half of his wealth is forfeited to Antonio and half to the state. Antonio, of course, shows his generosity ,who is willing to renounce his half provided that Shylock converts to Christianity and gives his money to his daughter Jessica and Lorenzo, the gentleman who “stole’’ his daughter. After the trail, a letter comes saying that the rest of Antonio’s freights came back, which makes him once again wealthy. The play ends with the failure of Shylock and the happiness of three Christian couples.
II. Shylock’s Dual Characters
Among the works written by Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice is the most contradictory one. And among the figures in this comedy created by Shakespeare, Shylock is the most contradictory one. Therefore, he is always the target on which many literary critics comment. Traditionally, people define Shylock as a sheer villain, together with Abagong, Plyushkin, Eugenie Grandet, they are called the world’s four major stingy people. However, as time goes by, people begin to hold different opinions. Some people even adopt a completely different attitude towards him. For example, there are writers emphasizing that Shylock is a hero who fights for his personal dignity and national dignity (Jiang Chuhua & Jiang Chubo, 2008, p. 44).
Every coin, however, has two sides. Although these opinions have some rationality, they just revealed one aspect of a contradiction. It’s difficult to say the character is totally kind-hearted or vicious. This paper supports that Shylock is a many-sided figure which should be looked at from different perspectives so as to get a comprehensive understanding of the artistic image. There are two sides in Shylock’s character: on the one hand, he is a greedy, cruel and inhuman usurer, on the other hand, he is a diligent merchant, a good husband and a brave warrior fighting for his race and religion. His cruelty and inhumanity let the readers feel hatred towards him, but the insults, pains and unfair treatment imposed on him also arouse readers’ sympathy for him. Considering the religious, economic and racial factors of that age, it can be concluded that he is not a natural born monster, but a pitiful victim of that age.

2.1 The Vicious Aspects of Shylock
2.1.1 Shylock as a Mean, Cruel Moneylender
Shylock’s attitude towards money particularly shows his greediness. As a usurer, he always extracts the payment of the money he lent with severity. He works exclusively for profit. When Antonio asks him for money, Shylock uses a story—Jacob grazes sheep for his uncle Laban. The story shows that Shylock is not satisfied with the interest he receives from money-lending. He wants to take his wealth as ewes and hopes that they can produce money like ewes breed lambs.
To his myrmidon Launcelot, Shylock requires him to work hard like a slave and does not give him enough food to eat so that he is determined to leave Shylock to work for Bassanio. What’s more, Shylock’s comment on Launcelot is very caustic. He tells his daughter that Launcelot is a huge-eater and very lazy. He seems glad that Launcelot leaves him, thus he can save some money.
To his daughter Jessica, he even thinks money is more important than her. When Tubal tells him Jessica hasn’t been found, he just told Tubal “Why, there, there, there, there! A diamond gone, costs me two thousand ducats in Frankford!” (Shakespeare, 1998, p. 86). His words show that what he cares most is his costly diamond instead of his daughter’s whereabouts. Then Tubal tells him his daughter spent in Genoa, one night fourscore ducats, he replies that he wants his daughter to die in front of him at once. In his eyes, there is only money.
In court, when he hears that his wealth will be forfeited, he cries that taking away his money is equal to killing him. In his eyes, money is as important as his life, or even more important than his life!
Besides, Shylock is very cruel, for he is bent on getting a pound of Antonio’s flesh. His cruelty and inhumanity is intensively revealed in court. The Duke believes he will show his mercy and advices him to forgive Antonio, he refuses. Bassanio promises to repay him two times the debt, he not only doesn’t change his mind a slight but also says that even every ducat in six ducats becomes six ones, he will not accept and still requires to carry the punishment. Antonio compares Shylock’s stone-heart as “flood”, “wolf” and “the mountain pines”, which especially shows Shylock’s cruelty and callosity. Portia gives a long speech about mercy, he also doesn’t get touched. Shylock is so spiteful that he even whets his knife before Antonio.

2.1.2 Shylock as a Cruel and Atrocious Avenger
Shylock, at the same, is a cunning and tricky character. From above analysis, we know that Shylock is a miser who puts money in the first place. However, now that he knows Antonio’s trade is not running well, why he runs the risk to lend the money. In fact, he secretly plans to grasp this golden opportunity to set a trap for Antonio. Cutting a pound of flesh is equal to killing him. To the villain, for one thing, the desire of revenge can be satisfied. for another, as long as Antonio, a stone on his rode to wealth being moved, he can run his business more smoothly.  A kind of deed killing two birds with one stone!
In order to take revenge for Antonio, he refuses bassanio’s offer to pay him more times money that Antonio lent, and says that“If you offered me six times what you have just offered, I would still take my pound of flesh. Give me my pound of flesh!
In the court, he finally shows his true feeling and says“I ask for what is mine by law! He has insulted me, laughed me, scorned my nation , cooled my friends ,and what is his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew hands, organs, sense, affections, passions? If a Jew wrongs a Christian, What is his humanity? Revenge. Now, he, a Christian wrongs me, a Jew, What should I do? Of course revenge. That is what you teach me. I will execute it and shall go hard.”(Shakespeare, Act 12).
From Shylock’s different attitude towards Antonio, We can find at the beginning , Shylock has already set up a trap for Antonio and waits for the moment when he can pour out his grievances and puts on airs.
2.2 The Good Aspects of Shylock
2.2.1 Shylock as an Intelligent and Diligent Merchant
Shylock is very rich, but his wealth, which is evidence of his professional succes