The Merchant of Venice and Frankenstein’s

Representation of the Human Experience.

The representation of human experiences in literature provide a universal truth for readers,

and the motions of emotions such as identity, isolation and insecurity, and through external

influences such as xenophobia and religious intolerance. He constructs an exaggerated

representation of profound experiences in order to create a commentary on the relationship

between intrinsic human qualities and the human experience, and how these deeply effect

emotions and actions. This is why the beauty and impact of Shakespeare’s representation of

the human experience in his works is felt all across the world today, thousands of years after

their original penning. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein parallels the ideas of Shakespeare’s, with

a thematic core of finding your identity in human qualities, just as Shylock grapples with his

religious identity.

The disparity between the acceptance of Shylock and the Venetians’ respective religious

dedication creates the perfect symbolism to communicate Shylocks redeemability as a

‘villain.’ Shakespeare’s, arguably limited, knowledge and representation of Jewish culture

and history, amalgamated into the character of Shylock, is a profoundly anti-Semitic

sentiment. A money lender, Shylock is portrayed as the stereotypical greedy Jew, who is

constantly belittled with his Christian enemies’ religious intolerance, and their disagreement

toward his usury, a depiction of his Jewish greed. Throughout his language, Shakespeare

utilises many biblical allusions as an extended metaphor in order to create contrast between

the characters religious dedication. When discussing the arrangement of the loan,

Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony further extends the segregation and victimisation of

Shylock’s character through the use of an allusion to his similarities to the devil: ‘An evil soul
producing holy witness, is like a villain with a smiling cheek, a goodly apple rotten at the

heart, oh, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!’ (1, 3, 97-100). The consistent biblical

references in Antonio’s vernacular help to portray his connection to his faith – just as

Shylock is connected to his. However, Shylock is ridiculed for his dedication to Judaism, as it

does not align with the Venetian’s Christian values. A representation of how humans are

hostile and resentful toward things they don’t understand. Antonio’s insinuates his hateful

actions, such as his verbal abuse, and spitting upon his traditional Jewish garments, ‘sp[it]

upon [his] Jewish gaberdine’ (1, 3, 110), will continue: ‘I am as like to call thee so again, to

spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.’’ (1,3, 125.) Shakespeare’s utilisation of zoomorphism

and illustration of animalistic imagery in order to construct Shylocks character as a:

misbeliever, cutthroat dog (1, 3, 109), is not a valid representation of the Jewish community.

Through the characteristics of Shylock, Shakespeare constructs the titular ‘villain’ in the

Merchant of Venice whose tainted reputation in the play is illustrated by his expressions of

insecurity and isolation, as he has been vilified by the Venetian community for years. These

literary examples are what culminate into Shakespeare’s representation of the human

experience; Shylocks’ internal struggle with his identity and insecurity that fuels his pursuit

for vengeance – his subsequently warped perception of ‘justice.’

Shylocks mistreatment is at the crux of his search for revenge, his resentment toward the

Venetian community, and his stoicism toward the bond. Shakespeare constructs a very anti-

Semitic representation of the Jewish community, and aids in fortifying the racial prejudice

exhibited toward Shylock throughout the play. He mentions he has been repeatedly disgraced

and discriminated against, through his triumphs and tribulations he has not been able to earn

the mere respect of the Venetian people – solely because of his religious background.

Shylock fruitlessly exclaims his hardships ‘He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a
million; laughed 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. (3,1,

62-67). He is aware the only reason his character is disgraced is because of his religion; the

Venetians constant referral to him as only ‘Jew’ makes him painfully aware of his flaws in

the eyes of his peers, and diminishing him to nothing more than his religion – fuelling his

quest for revenge.

In a pivotal act of redeemability, Shylock appeals his humanity to the court, whilst losing it in

the process. Shakespeare’s language of Shylocks character show that through relentless

vilification and religious intolerance, Shylock has been forced to forego a vital aspect of his

personality and ensuing humanity. As an extended metaphor, he utilises many biblical

references throughout the play. He uses the Biblical story Jacob and Laban to defend his

usury (1, 3, 66-91), and befittingly evokes "heaven"' in his defence when he calls for law and

justice in the final scene, also mentioning Scriptural passages and arguments familiar to an

Elizabethan audience. Shylock is then forced to convert to Christianity, a final nuance

symbolising the loss of everything in his life, his daughter, his money, and now his faith. The

Duke says to Shylock, “We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.” (4, 1, 35). He means he expects

Shylock to show the mercy of a gentile, more specifically a Christian, who would show

mercy to Antonio and waive the bond. However, the Venetians vituperation toward Shylock

is what has made him resentful, encouraged his isolation and is what fuels his quest for a

bond of flesh. Anti-Semitism aside, this is a morsel of validity in Shakespeare’s

representation of the human experience. A sad but true example of how intolerance and

prejudice take an internal toll on those effected.

‘othered’ figure. Frankenstein’s Monster is utilised as an illustration for humanities tendency

to vilify things they do not understand, and consequently shape them into outcasts – to label

them as monsters. Shylock and the creature are both exemplars of how prejudice, xenophobia

and verbal abuse can inspire bouts of resentment, and fuel a desire for vengeance against the

society that has ridiculed them.

Both characters seek revenge when they are not loved by their peers. The creature notices and

comments upon his isolation – ‘When I looked around, I saw and heard of none like me. Was

I, a monster, a blot upon the earth from which all men fled and whom all men disowned?’

(Pg. 83). This quote parallels that of Shylocks speech, ‘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 resemble you in that.’ (3,1). The use of rhetorical questions in these passages

further accentuate their internal turmoil and identity struggle as a result of consistent isolation

and oppression, simply for their differences. The creature’s journey is similar to that of

Shylocks; years of oppression and abuse has necessitated violence and hostility toward their

peers, in order to survive - ‘If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear.’- Frankenstein.

Frankenstein’s monster serves as a beautiful symbolism for society’s view upon what we do

not understand – when things are foreign, the human instinct is far from love, or even

tolerance. Ergo, it is not the characters that are wholly evil, but it is at the constraints of

society that they falter.

This is a sadly true aspect of the human experience, one where there is an absence of

tolerance, and lack of acceptance discloses the worst in humanity.

The Merchant of Venice, and similarly Frankenstein, portray a perfect example of an

exaggerated human experience, in order to communicate the severity of human emotions –

representation of the Jewish experience is not entirely accurate, or devoid of prejudice, he

does however create an excellent commentary upon how prejudice can affect humanity. As

for Frankenstein, Shelley’s iconic work parallels that of Shakespeare – a timeless classic that

creates a likeness between the capability of humanity and the supernatural. This is why the

beauty of these pieces representation of the human experience is so prolific – readers are able

to find even the smallest part of themselves in these characters, through their strengths, but

more often, through their flaws.