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In William Shakespeare's the Merchant of Venice, anti-Semitism plays…

- - - - What many people don't know is that all Jewish people were banned from England in the year 1290 by King Edward up until the year1656. William Shakespeare who lived throughout the years 1564-1616 wrote the Merchant of Venice around the year 1596. This means Shakespeare never actually had personal contact or experiences with Jewish people himself leaving characters such as Shylock to be created based on biased opinions of the people of England.
- - - - During it's prime time in Germany, many productions of The Merchant of Venice hired extras to sit in on the performance and taunt Shylock's character whenever he appeared on stage. They hoped that eventually the audience would join along, creating more attention and embedding a more profound hatred towards the “Jewish Villain's” character as well as the Jewish religion in general.
- - - - Shylock:
        “How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Christian, But more for that in low simplicity. He lends out money gratis and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice. If i can catch him one upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. He hates our sacred nation, and he rails, even there where merchants most do congregate, on me, my bargains and my well won thrift, which he calls “interest”. Cursed be my tribe if I forgive him!” (1.3.41-52)
        (Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616)
        
        Throughout The Merchant of Venice, Shylock's character is greatly looked down upon bringing negative attention to his character. During this quote Shylock claims he hates Antonio simply because he is a “Christian”. The merchant of Venice makes the Jewish character seem anti-Semitic towards the Christian religion when in reality it was the opposite way around during this time era. This portrayal of Shylock's character could had been used by Hitler as a propaganda tool to turn the German literati against the Jewish religion.
        
        Shylock:
        “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, 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?” (3.1.49-61)
        (Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616)
        
        To many, Shylock's character may come across as cruel, grotesque and stubborn on the surface. But underneath, Shylock's character also carries an extreme amount of emotional baggage. Many who watch or read over the play focus too much on the negative aspects to the character rather than the character's inner emotions and feelings dying to come out. At the end of the play we get a glimpse of who the guilty party truly is when Portia forces Shylock to abandon his Jewish religion and convert to Christianity. By the end of the novel it is clear to see why The Merchant of Venice was so highly praised upon by Hitler and his Nazi party. This is because Shylock (the Jewish “Villain”) is defeated by the knights in shining armor (the Christian's). Many of the productions rewrote the play to adjust it accordingly to their standards. This line in particular could had been taken out in order to hide Shylock's true identity and use the play for propaganda.
- - - - An important scene could had been used to increase the level of anti-Semitism takes place in the Venetian court where Shylock is seen as a “non citizen”. This accusation is proven when Portia enters the court and asks, “Which is the merchant here, and which is the Jew.” (4.1.171. Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616)
        This quote represents a strong form of anti-Semitism when Shylock is seen as a Jew and nothing else, implying that Shylock could not of had a profession because of his religious background.
        
        The Merchant of Venice continuously implies that the Christian religion overpowers and is greater than the Jewish religion which is why the Nazi's were able to use the play to promote their anti-Semitism sentiment.