the Merchant of venice

Name

Instructor

Course

Date

The Merchant of Venice

What judgment shall I dread , doing no wrong

You have among you many a purchased slave

Which , like your asses and your dogs and mules

You use in abject and in slavish parts

Because you bought them : shall I say to you

Let them be free , marry them to your heirs

Why sweat they under burthens ? let their beds

Be made as soft as yours and let their palates

Be season 'd with such viands ? You will answer 'The

slaves are ours ' so do I answer you

The pound of flesh , which I demand of him

Is dearly bought 'tis mine and I will have it

If you deny me , fie upon your law

There is no force in the decrees of Venice

I stand for judgment : answer shall I have it

- Shylock , The Merchant of Venice (Act IV , Scene I

In this scene , Antonio has been brought to the court of Venice to answer for his failure to pay his debt to Shylock . Shylock will not have any other resolution but to cut off a pound of flesh from the breast of Antonio . The Duke of Venice asks Shylock his reason for such hatred for the young man , and replying "So can I give no reason , nor I will not More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing / I bear Antonio (4 .1 .58-60

In the chosen dialogue , Shylock justifies his demand for Antonio 's flesh by comparing it...