Act 3 Scene 1

Shylock's speech is an attempt to vindicate his actions and his profession. He argues that charging interest is like breeding sheep, and he says that his greatest desire is that of revenge, something he'll achieve by manipulating their legal obligation (contract) in order to treat Antonio like a piece of meat, an animal carcass, that is used as food.

Shylock argues that his treatment of Antonio is no different than the treatment he's received (the Jews as a whole). He argues that there are no differences between Jews and Christians, and that they all behave in the same way. They're all human; they eat, they bleed, and they die.

Shylock is not a well liked character........... that's a certainty, and Shakespeare has certainly neglected to afford the character any likable traits.

"The Merchant of Venice abounds in imagery that centers on deception, vice, and human weakness–and fittingly so. After all, the central characters in the drama are deeply flawed or disturbed, exhibiting prejudice, hatred, greed, desire for revenge, depression, ignorance, and other negative qualities. Supposedly, the play has a happy ending, but the happiness of Bassanio, Portia, and their friends derives from their ruination of the Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although traditionally classed as a comedy, the play is in reality a tragicomedy, perhaps more tragedy than comedy. Following are examples of imagery supporting the interpretation of The Merchant of Venice as a tragedy, as well as other examples of imagery demonstrating Shakespeare’s command of language." (1)