Shakespeare's Jew.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 204, 1 September 1904, Page 4

Shakespeare's Jew.

CHARACTER SKETCH OF SHY

LOCK, Most people appear to think that must either be a demon or ,a saviour. Ho is, in truth, a mixture of both—the man—the Jew ! Once more the poet shows the im|*»rti a litj of -he judge in dealing with Shylock. He presents in him the vices as well as the virtues of his l race. Domesticity is one of the Hebraic virtues. The lovo of his daughter ,:onvmends him to our sympathies—anrn his vengeful a nd cruel nature commands our censure. It is, therefore,

ridiculous to present Shylock as a merely sympathetic character. Of course, the culmination of suffering creates sympathy with any man, and while laughing at Ms pretensions, we weep at his griefs. There can be no doubt that at the time Shakespeare wrote "The Merchant of Venice," the Jews were not regarded with high favour, and Shylock's first speech shows he is inflamed by the spirit of revenge. I do not deny that Shylock had just cause to be angry, and it has been said that revenge is a primitive form of justice. But just when we 'begin to think that Shylock is becoming the martyr hero of the play, and tilutt all our sympathies are meant for him, Shakespeare, the altruist, enters upon the scene and gives us the immortal speech on the quality of mercy, which, bursting the walls of the narrow court, preaches to humanity the eternal message of Christian lorgiveness. —Herbert Beerbohm Tree, in the Fortnightly Review.