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THE REPRESENTATION OF ANTI-SEMITISM AND JEWS HISTORY IN "THE

MERCHANT OF VENICE" & "JEW OF MALTA"

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 TRENDS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES (TSS) 2019
Vol 1(3), pp.25-30 25
e-ISSN: 2637-0735

THE REPRESENTATION OF ANTI-SEMITISM AND JEWS HISTORY IN "THE

MERCHANT OF VENICE” & “JEW OF MALTA”

* 1Mamoon Khaled Alqudah & 2Radzuwan Ab Rashid

1English Department, University of Hail, Ha’il, 00966 Saudi Arabia

2Faculty of Languages and communication, Universiti Sultan ZainalAbidin,21030 Kuala
Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: mamoon.alqudah@yahoo.com

Received: 21 August 2019, Accepted: 21 November 2019

ABSTRACT

This article provides a review of Jews history and civilization of infamous English play Jew of
Malta and Merchant of Venice. It explores the status and representation of Jews and the scope
of Anti-Semitism by describing the important characters of Jews. Through his novel “The
merchant of Venice” Shakespeare attempts to civilize the character of Shylock to be accepted
by the Venetians citizens by considering the demands for justice and fairness. On the other
hand, “The Jew of Malta” by Marlowe’s is characterized as a Machiavellian in his chase of
revenge against the city of Malta (Halio, 2006). Through these two novels, the authors attempt
to bring cultural progress and civilization. This paper concludes that the novels are similar in
the way they portray the Jewish features and characteristics and the only difference lies
between the playwright style and the way they portray their villainous Jews identity.

Keywords: The Merchant of Venice, The Jew of Malta, Representation, Dynamic.

Cite as: Alqudah, M. K. & Rashid, R. A. (2019). The representation of anti-semitism and jews
history in "the merchant of venice” & “jew of malta”. Trends in Social Sciences, 1(3), 25-30.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

William Shakespeare was not mostly using the concept of stereotype in his play. He mostly
wrote such articles that the audience can sometimes relate to. When the audience saw a
conniving and snivelling moneylender plotting hideous revenge against the main character,
they mainly know what exactly this character of the play is a villain (Thompson, 2019). This
character of the play mainly fits on the profile of Jew which is most stereotypical. In
Shakespeare's play, Anti-Semitism is not a main feature of the play but despite this one cannot
escape it in The Merchant of Venice. In Shakespeare's play, Shylock is considered as a dynamic
character who is more passionate to take revenge than becoming outright evil. He was like this
due to the discrimination and mistreatment from Christian citizens whom he lived with. But on
the other hand, despite being a villain he makes himself such a person that the audience could
sympathized with (Schonfield, 2015). Moreover, it can also be said that It may be somehow

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Shakespeare's intention for the audience so that they feel sympathy with him. Shakespeare was
aware of the fact that there was plenty of fuel to fire up antisemitism (Ray et al., 2014).

"After a complex plot that involves his daughter and the son of the governor,
he turned to murder his child. Why? (Ray et al., 2014)"

2.0 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Involving Jews Elizabeth England produce two great plays that involve protagonists and a good
moral one is Shakespeare play Merchant of Venice and the other is Jew of Malta by Marlowe.
Although both of these plays were highly problematic but essentially defensible and crudely
anti-Semitic. The Merchant of Venice remains controversial and provocative with good moral
and conclusion. On the other hand, a Jew of Malta is considered as one of Marlowe's
masterpiece but not controversial. It is mostly considered as a crudely anti-Semitic and
therefore almost unperformable. The merchant of Venice is an anti-Semitic as it has a good
explanation and thinking about the problems of defamation, for instance, anti-Semitism and
islamophobia (Ramelli, 2016).

On considering the historical background of the play Shylock is one of the most
considerable characters of the play. Shylock is not a villain character but can be considered as
one of the fundamentally unsympathetic characters of the play. He is often seeming as a
vicious, caricature of grasping and a respectful Jew. The main activity of the play describes
clearly that Shylock is considered to be a bad character of the play because he is simply a Jew.
Due to this he and his whole community were treated very bad in Venice and subjected to be
malicious discrimination. So, it could be considered as one of a reason for his rage honesty. On
the other hand, in the play, the other two main characters Tubal and Shylock own daughter
Jessica should not be cast in a bad light. Shylocks hatred is personal rather than sectarian or
communal. The role of Tubal's is short and Jessica converts into Christian and steels Shylock
money (Philpott, 2015).

At the same time, Jew of Malta has acquired a perfectly dreadful status and reputation
for Anti-Semitism. Much of the enormous efforts have been expended to recuperate the
Merchant of Venice. On the other hand, the play Marlowe is fundamentally not anti-Semitic in
comparison to the Shakespeare play. The Jew of Malta seems to be as anti-Semitic more than
the Merchant of Venice because Barabbas is a stereotype and considered as an unscrupulous,
grasping, wealthy, unscrupulous, unscrupulous and avaricious Jew (Moss, 2016). He is also
despite the Christian community and further introduces as a follower of Machiavelli as a
symbol of amoral ruthlessness in Elizabethan England. He is also responsible for numerous
murders especially when a crime or a murder is committed against Christians. Furthermore,
various authorities were also against Barabbas. Barabbas is thoroughly a villainous character
of the play and when the play is unfolded Barabbas turns himself into anti-Semitism (Hutchins
and Lofgreen, 2015). From outside it is truly a villainous character with no abiding and positive
features at all. Due to this, he is often compared with Shylock as Shylock has many redeeming
features in comparison to Barabbas (Hutchins and Lofgreen, 2015).

3.0 JEWISH JUSTICE VERSUS CHRISTIAN MERCY

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The play Merchant of Venice is purely opposing Jewish justice and also against Christin's
mercy. Shylock as a Jew, demands impartiality and justice and rejects mercy. Portia, as a
Christian counter with the claim of mercy which favors justice. Therefore, the merchant of
Venice Justice and mercy are considered to be the most prominent features of the play. Shylock
talks to Christians and Jews by following their same expects and believes. When Antonio
acknowledged that he cannot repay his doubt, Shylock becomes keen for his justice and bound.
But despite all of these scenarios he never shows mercy even towards his daughter when she
converts into Christian and steels Shylock money. He said that "I would consider my daughter
to be dead at my foot and the jewels in her ear; would she was hearses at my foot and the ducats
in her coffin" (Horowitz, 2015). Therefore, for this reason, he was shown no kindness and
mercy when Antonio was set to his demands even when he begged for mercy and kindness. He
said that "I pray thee, hear me speak,". When Shylock shows no mercy and kindness for
Antonio and keeps on his bond. Solanio encourages Antonio by saying that Duke will not abide
by a contract of this nature. Antonio replied by saying that "The Duke cannot deny the course
of law," This is the main part of the play when the justice falls into play (Halio, 2006). When
Duke does not allow Shylocks pound of flesh to be taken, then the whole government and the
Venetian court would be disgraced. Furthermore, for the trail to be solved with justice and fair
the bond will need to be well satisfied (Gregg, 2015). Moreover, the religious prospective of
Jews in merchant of Venice is that if a Jew is somehow converted into Christian, he or she was
comprised by the arms of kind-hearted Christians. The example of this act can be clearly seen
in the play when Shylock were forced to do this act by this act the audience can say that in
Shakespeare play the concept of Anti-Semitism is an essential part of the play (Halio, 2006).

"Overall this century has witnessed an unspeakable tragedy, which can never
be forgotten: the attempt by the Nazi regime to exterminate the Jewish people,
with the consequent killing of millions of Jews. Women and men, old and
young, children and infants, for the sole reason of their Jewish origin, were
degraded, ill-treated, tortured and utterly robbed of their human dignity, and
then murdered very few of those who entered the campus survived, and those
who did remain scarred for life (Halio, 2006)"

On the other hand, the Jew of Malta appeared to be stereotypical and immoral due to
the evil character of Barabbas and the contrast with the Merchant of Venice. It is a more
nuanced portrayal of Shylock who can be and now usually shown kindness (Goldstein, 2014).
No sympathetic performance of Barabbas is believable. Therefore, the key feature in the Jew
of Malta is that other characters in the play are even better. All in the play prove to be at least
as bad if not worse than Barabbas. Moreover, the Slave of Muslim which was purchased by the
Barabbas proves more murderous, immoral and vicious than his master even though much less
intelligent. In this perspective, the Turks have made a master plan by continuously invading
and the purpose of their plan is to turn the entire Maltese population into galley slaves. In the
play, the Christians at every stage proved to be surpassed by both of the Jews and the Muslims
in hypocrisy, avarice, sheer unmitigated and violence. Nuns and the monks are portrayed as
engaging in merciless revels of sexual depravity (Bradizza, 2014). Moreover, two friars behave
in the most disgraceful manner to entice Barabbas by following their orders. This may help
them in gaining wealth and prosperity. Furthermore, the behaviour of Malta's Christian
governor is certainly the most dishonest in comparison to any of the other characters. In his
character, he shows no mercy and no opportunity for the exercise of the murder, theft, self-
aggrandisement. This is especially for the Jews and the Turks. Even when the Barabbas
requires Christian's mercy, he has been continuously reprimanded throughout the play for the

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reason for not showing himself. Due to this, he receives nothing even from the Turks and from
the Christians (Biberman, 2017).

Additionally, Barabbas, daughter becomes religious at first to support her father in securing the
treasure he has hidden throughout his estate, which turns into a religious community.

"Then were my thoughts so frail and unconfirmed,

And I was chained to follies of the world;
But now experience purchased with the grief,
Has made me see different things.
My sinful soul, alas, hath paced too long
The fatal labyrinth of misbelief,
Far from the son that gives eternal life (Ateek, 2014)"

4.0 CONCEPT OF ANTI-SEMITISM

Shakespeare through his novel The Merchant of Venice tries to identify the anti-Semitic theme
by the character Shylocks. When Shylock opposes Antonio on matters concerning the latter's
loan he said the “I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you and so
following: but I will not eat your drink with you, nor pray with you” (Abulafia, 2014). In this
part, Shylock renounces that bearing bread, engaging in any of the religious activity, suggestive
of communication is considered to be a Christian. These emphatic and forthright statement
associates that Shylock harbor's anti-Christian sentiment, in arrears to his repugnance towards
interacting on a spiritual level with Antonio. Furthermore, when Shylock comes face to face
with Antonio, Shylock astringently remarks that “I hate him for he is a Christian…. Cursed be
my tribe/if I forgive him”. These unconcealed judgments against Christians characterize
Shylock as a wicked and as a fanatical man. Thus, Shakespeare's representation of Shylock
implicitly suggests inherent immorality and transitivity associated with the Jewish race because
his central identity was indisputably tangled with his Jewish (Thompson, 2019). Moreover, one
if the shylock servants Launcelot Gobbo confirms his identity to his father, old Gobbo by
declaring himself “Launcelot, the Jews man”. From this, is quite clear that Launcelot uses the
word Jew to mention and identify Shylock instead of his name (Schonfield, 2015).

Shylock identification as a Jew reinforced when Launcelot, whilst considering whether

or not to escape from his master, mentions “the Jew” once again, this time going so far as to
articulate “Certainly the Jew is the very devil incarnation”. According to these words of
Launcelot’s support reveals an anti-Semitic tone and, hence theme owing to his direct
definition of the Jew as the evil spirit (Schonfield, 2015). Even Shylock refers to himself as a
Jew many times, especially can be noted when he says that “I am a Jew”. Thus, by these words,
Shylock can be identified as a Jew and also can be identified by his Jewishness. Likewise,
Launcelot's previously mentioned statement can be made as a specific to Shylock, it includes
all Jews by transitivity, due to the Jewish identification of Shylocks. By insulting Shylocks
through identifying him as a greedy man, Shakespeare tries to predict an anti-Semitism theme.
Furthermore, when Shylock recaps Antonio’s caustic affronts in response to the latter’s request
for a loan through this Anti-Semitism theme is further implied, he said that “You call me to
misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine, And all for use of that which
is mine own” (Ray et al., 2014). Antonio’s belligerent and offensive swearing desensitises
Shylock and affects the image of Jew, therefore further supporting the anti-Semitic theme.

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Whilst, on the other hand, the second story "The Jew of Malta", the play opens with an
anti-Semitic preface by the character Machiavel. The Jew of Malta represents a Machiavellian
relationship of the Jews, Christians, and Turks as they claim against the righteousness, but they
exploit religion for their secular desires and believes. As the author, Marlowe is highly critical
about some of the religious facts as hypocrites who exploit to achieve their materialistic and
secular needs. During the middle of the sixteen centuries, the Christians stated that “Marlowe
is highly critical of some of the religious figures as hypocrites who exploit one another to
achieve their secular needs” (Ramelli, 2016). During this century, Christians sated that England
should consider the Turks and Jews atheists because of their denunciation of the religion of
Christians. Through his play Marlowe have tried to establish such a fact that removes all kind
of racial discrimination for this he announces that “Christians hold the same wicked principles
as the Turks and the Jews because of their hypocritical practices and believes”. Furthermore,
in the middle of the sixteen and the seventeen century, Protestant State that all of the countries
should allow and gives such opportunities so that every individual can easily follow their
cultural prospective for instance: religious hypocrites and spies of gathering and ensuring and
power of the other faults. Through Jew of Malta, Marlowe represents all of the religious values
by considering the followers of Portrays so that they can follow their religious authority for
instance: money worshippers. Although, by representing, Jews as money worshippers and
deceivers it does not make much sense that Marlowe describes anti-Semitism in his play. But
then by considering the religious perspective and some of the deceptive and evil methods of
the Jews one can make an assumption and can relate that Marlowe uses the concept of anti-
Semitism in his play. Furthermore, in the play, the Barabbas and the Jews consider deceptive
of the Christians who was poisoning and killing their pastors and nuns justifies and claims that
the Christian's use the same method of them against him. In the same way, the Turks
represented by ithamore confiscate the money of the Christian’s (Philpott, 2015). Moreover,
through the Jew of Malta, Marlowe shows disappointment with deceitful behavior for such
characters who use and represent religion as a tool and of dishonesty and deception to achieve
the related purposes and desires. According to Hutchins and Lofgreen, (2015)

“For Marlowe’s play, current events only exacerbated the Anti-Semitism of the
play, but just as Marlowe’s audience could be swayed by current events, so too
is a modern audience influenced by contemporary events”

Additionally, the novel of Marlowe is considered to be a great cynic of all the time. In
his novel, he mostly focuses on the value of culture art and believes. By seeing his novels one
can say that he has an extraordinary talent to represent art and culture and still be remembered
as a great artist. Side by side this he also focuses on the fundamental corruption of human
existence. Similarly, in Merchant of Venice Shakespeare tries to establish ethical flexibility by
considering Jewish ethics and believes in “The quantity of Mercy”. The play of Marlowe
identifies and establishes an important concept of human goodness (Horowitz, 2015).

"Even though there were no Jews left in England, the Stereotypes and fears
remained in Shakespeare England. Jews were immensely wealthy- even when
they looked like paupers and covertly pulled strings of an enormous intellectual
network of capital and goods. Jews poisoned wells and were responsible for
spreading the bubonic plague. Jews secretly plotted an apocalyptic war against
the Christians (McAlindon, 2017)"

5.0 CONCLUSION

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This article provides a systematic overview of the ethical concepts of Jews, Christians, and
Turks in Christopher. Through their play, both of the authors determine and try to eliminate
the multicultural tensions in Elizabethan England by considering the religious and ethical
homogeneity (Horowitz, 2015). Regarding this, both of the authors follow a two-fold direction
that mainly affects the social power forces. Through the concept of censorship and elimination
of rebellious elements Marlowe’s Jew of Malta supports the idea of supervision. On the other
hand, through the merchant of Venice Shakespeare supports the idea that subversion should be
considered through assimilation and absorption. In the end, it can be summed up by saying that
both of the authors mainly aim to spread humanity and eliminates the myriad's faults.
According to Bradizza, (2014) "The author of Merchant of Venice and Jew of Malta is an
idealist"

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the Satanic to the Effeminate Jew. Routledge.
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