Essay The Merchant of Venice Shylock Villain or Victim

Shylock, Villain or victim? The Merchant of Venice June 8th, 2011 In the play The Merchant of Venice Shylock is supposed to be the protagonist, the definition of protagonist is; the leading character or a major character in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text. But the way Shylock is portrayed is more along the lines of being both victim and villain. Shylock is out for one pound of Antonio’s flesh which will in the end kill Antonio and the flesh will do him no good anyway. But he also gets called cruel names and is pushed around and spit on in the public by Christians, Antonio and all of Antonio’s friends. And farther on into the play Shylock is betrayed by his own daughter who stole from her father and became a Christian.†¦show more content†¦Therefore Shylock is greedy and will refuse to lose a fight when he is involved in one. â€Å"Ill have my bond; speak not against my bond. I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond. Thou calldst me dog before thou hadst a cause; But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs: The duke shall grant me justice. I do wonder, Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond to come abroad with him at his request. (3, 3, 4-10) Lastly Shylock is shown as a victim when his daughter Jessica lies and betrays her father, when she waits for her father to leave for dinner with some Christians. She has a message delivered to her by one of her father’s workers. Lancelot tells her to look out the window because her Christian lover will be there waiting to rescue her. So Jessica dresses as a male torchbearer, steals all of Shylocks jewels and money, including Shylocks former wife Leah’s wedding ring and runs away from her father to elope with Lorenzo and become a Christian. Later on when Shylock finds out he is very upset and feels betrayed because Jessica was his only daughter and she stole Leah’s ring and has traded it for a pet monkey. He goes on to say he would not have given it up for a wilderness of monkeys. That shows Shylock’s sweet sensitive side and shows he is not only victim to being harassed and spit on, but also aShow MoreRelatedThe Character of Shylock as a Victim or Villain in The Merchant of Venice1527 Words   |  7 PagesThe Character of Shylock as a Victim or Villain in The Merchant of Venice Do you consider the character of shylock to be a victim or villain in the play The Merchant of Venice? Shylock is one of the most interesting, memorable and debated characters in the play â€Å"The Merchant of Venice†. In many ways this is because he is both a victim and a villain. Shylock was made a laughing stock of and is ridiculed by the Christians because he was Jewish. The Jewish communityRead MoreThe Merchant of Venice: Is Shylock a Villain or a Victim? 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`` Promise, By Romeo Santos Featuring Usher - 1283 Words

There are many songs that can have can absolute value to an individual and at the same time be another persons â€Å"habitus† with relative value. The song I have chosen to analyze is â€Å"Promise†, by Romeo Santos featuring Usher. This song portrays such a situation. This specific song is one in which I self-consciously fell in love with no particular reason other then the fact that I love the music and the lyrics. In this essay I will be discussing how â€Å"Promise† can resemble absolute value to me but can be somebody else’s â€Å"habitus†, I will also brush upon DeNora’s concept of â€Å"aesthetic reflexivity† and how â€Å"promise† plays a huge role in it. The song â€Å"Promise† has huge absolute value to me, as well as a sense of ot being valued in and of itself. It is not fundamentally a sign of something else a cultural position, a style, a social status, it is a thing whose enactment makes possible the realization of a non-contingent sense of value. It is not relative to anything else, it just is valuable in and of itself (Johnson, 2002) Relating the Johnson’s idea of absolute value, I admire this song because of it’s music. With light piano music starting off the song right before Romeo’s entry, later introducing three more layers of instruments as Usher joins into the song. This song portrays a tropical theme, it very calming but up beat at the same time. This Latin American song is very romantic and passionate, perfect for partners is get up and dance the traditional salsa. This song comes

MY FIRST TATOO Essay Example For Students

MY FIRST TATOO Essay I HAD MADE THE DECISION AND THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK. AS WE PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT, I REALIZED HOW INSIGNFICANT THE BUILDING WAS IN COMPARISON TO THE PAIN IT HELD INSIDE. AND YET, I HAD DETERMINED MY FATE WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR TO COME HERE. LIVING ARTS, WHAT A WONDERFUL AND INTRIGUING NAME FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO CAUSE ITS PATRONS INVITED PAIN. WITH A DEEP BREATH AND SOME ENCOURAGING WORDS OF MORAL SUPPORT FROM MY COMPANIONS, I ENTERED THE FRONT DOORS OF THE TATOO PARLOR. ONCE MY EYES ADJUSTED TO THE DIM LIGHTING, I STOOD FIXED IN THE DOOR WITH AMAZEMENT. I WAS IN A WAITING AREA THAT WAS OBIVOUSLY DESIGNED BY REJECTS FROM INTERIOR DESIGN SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE. THE FURNITURE APPEARED TO BE REFUGEES FROM THE 1970S SELECTION OF THE LANDFILL. I COULDNT HELP BUT TO THINK THAT THESE MUTATED FORMS OF ONCE VITAL LIVING ROOM SUITES WOULD BE BETTER OFF IF THEY HAD REMAINED BURIED. ONCE I REGAINED MY SENSES, I SLOWLY SCANNED THE CHEAPLY PANELED ROOM IN HOPES TO LOCATE ANY FAMILIAR ITEM FROM THE PRESENT DECADE. WHAT I FOUND WAS TWO WALLS LINED WITH POSTER SIZED FLIP FOLDERS. I WALKED OVER TO THE FIRST ROW OF FOLDERS AND STARTED TO THUMB THROUGH THEM. MY EYES GLAZED OVER AS WHIRS OF MULTI-COLORED CREATIONS SWEPT PAST THEM IN INDISTINGUISHABLE BLURS. THEN, LIKE A SHOT IN THE DARK, A TINY YELLOW FORM CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. I BLINKED TWICE TO PULL MY EYES INTO FOCUS AND THERE IT WAS MY FIRST TATOO. IT WAS THE MOST PERFECT SUNFLOWER I HAD EVER SEEN. I HURRIED TO THE COUNTER TO TELL MY SKIN ARTIST WHAT MY PERMANENT FLESH PAINTING WOULD BE. WHEN HE WENT INTO THE BACK TO FIND MY TREASURED DESIGN, I GLANCED INTO THE PRINT COVERED GLASS CASE I WAS PROPED UP ON. INSIDE THE BLUE TINTED CASE WERE TWO SHELVES LITTERED WITH TINY SILVER HOOPS OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. THERE WAS A SIGN IN THE RIGHT CORNER THAT READ IF YOU HAVE IT WE WILL PIERCE IT. MY ONLY THOUGHT WAS NOT ME! MY TORTURE PROFESSIONAL RETURNED AND SAID IT WAS TIME TO GET STARTED. I SUDDENLY FELT WEAK, AND THROUGH SOME UNKNOWN FORCE OF WILL, I FOLLOWED HIM INTO HIS STUDIO. I WAS BLINDED BY THE NEON GLOW OF THE OVERPOWERING FLORESCENT FIXTURES. AFTER BEING IN THE DUSK LIT WAITING ROOM, MY EYES HAD FORGOTTEN REAL LIGHT. THE SNAP OF RUBBER GLOVE BROUGHT ME OUT OF MY TRANCE AND THE ARTIST POINTED TO HIS CHAIR. WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT I DROPPED MY PANTS AND SLID INTO A BARBER TYPE CHAIR WITH WORN ARMRESTS. I WATCHED THE FINGERS OF THE ARTIST AS HE SKILLFULLY ASSEMBLED HIS TATOO GUN AND CHECKED THE CURRENT FROM THE BATTERIES. WITH A LIMBER MOVEMENT HE FILLED TINY POTS WITH HIS MIXTURES OF PAINT AND ALCHOL. I SLIPPED INTO A DREAM STATE AS THE GUN WAS BROUGHT DOWN TO MY LEG. IT WAS AS IF I COULD SEE THE TINY NEEDLE PIERCING MY FLESH OVER AND OVER, LIKE A TINY SWORD TEARING THROUGH MY EXPOSED NERVES. I FELT AN INTENSE FREEZE IN MY MUSCLES AS THEY FOUGHT TO RELIEVE THE SCORCHING FLESH THAT ENCASED THEM. AND AS THE HEAT ENGULFED MY UPPER LEG, MY EARS PICKED UP ON THE SINSTER DUET OF THE HUMMING LIGHT FIXTURE AND THE CLOD BUZZ OF THE TATOO GUN. MY LIP AND BROW WERE COATED WITH A THIN SHEAN OF SWEAT. RIGHT WHEN I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD DIE IF HE WNT ON, THE BUZZING STOPPED. I SLOWLY LOOK DOWN TO MY LEG AND SAW A BRIGHTLY COLORED PAINTING WHERE THE PAIN HAD BEEN. AS THE FLESH COOLED, I NOTICED A CLEAR LIQUID BEGAN TO RISE UP FROM THE WOUNDED MEAT. I FELT THE COLOR RUSH TO MY FACE ALONG WITH A SENSE OF SATISFACTION. AS MY COMPANIONS PRAISED MY FOR MY NEWEST TRIUMPH IN PERMANT STUPIDITY, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF HOW GLAD I WAS THAT IT AWS OVER. IN FACT, I REALIZED THE PAIN WAS NOT TOO ENTIRELY BAD. AT LEAST IT WASNT INTENSE ENOUGH TO STOP ME FROM GETTING TWO MORE TATOOS.