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Why shylock refuse to take the money at the first even if it was doubled?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Shylock only relents and says he will take the money when it becomes clear that he will not be able to enforce the contract. Portia has pointed out that if he takes a gram more than a pound of flesh, or any blood at all, he is exceeding his legal rights and will be convicted of murder. Obviously this is impossible, so Shylock says that he will take back his principal instead, with no interest.
Now, Shylock had earlier been offered the repayment of his loan with interest at a rate which would be illegally high. He didn't take it then because he hoped he would be able to cut out Antonio's heart, which would have satisfied him much more. (This clearly shows that greed is not a motivating factor with Shylock--it is revenge for the bigoted and cruel treatment he has received which he seeks)
The principle that is advanced is a principle which still holds at law. If an offer of settlement is made before trial and refused, it cannot be accepted should the trial prove unsuccessful. Shylock elected to take the effect of the bond rather than the money and since this is unenforceable he is estopped from going back and taking his election again.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoShylock had been teased all his life for being a Jew especially by Antonio. Therefore, he was not going to give up his bond for double amount of ducats. He wanted that revenge and he wanted it the way it was stated in the bond.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoIn modern contract law, a contract is not legally binding if it requires either or both signatories to do something that is illegal, and since a person who cuts out a pound of his or her own flesh would be seriously injured and would quite possibly die as a result (and in the historical period in which A Merchant of Venice is set, the state of medical science would have made it even more likely that such an injury would have been fatal) this would not be considered a legal act since suicide is illegal. Even non-fatal self-injury is legally dubious (a person who is a danger to himself or others can be committed to a mental institution). So from a modern perspective, the answer to your question is that the contract was wrong to begin with, and it should not be enforced. Shylock should not be given his pound of flesh. Of course, we would also say that the severe penalty which is eventually applied to Shylock is also excessive. There is a lot of excess cruelty in this play, by many different characters. Business should not be about harming the people with whom you do business, it should be mutually beneficial.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoRevenge. By taking a pound of flesh from nearest Antonio's heart he could kill him and get revenge on at least one of those Christians who had tormented and persecuted Shylock for years.
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What reason does Shylock give out loud for his hatred of Antonio?
Antonio was Christian and helped people with money without charging interest and deprived Shylock of his income as Shylock was shrew money lender.
What is the name of money lender in the merchant of Venice?
Shylock.
Does the word shylock come from the bible?
No. The name Shylock was created by WIlliam Shakespeare for the money-lender character in his play The Merchant of Venice.
Why did Antonio borrow money from Shylock?
Antonio borrowed the money from Shylock rather than lend it himself because his ships had not yet arrived therefore he had no money. He borrowed it for Bassanio, because Bassanio wanted to woo Portia.
Why does shylock hate antonio?
They were business rivals. However, Antonio's main business is that of a merchant, buying and selling goods and shipping them to other ports, whereas Shylock is a money-lender who makes money by charging interest on loans. This is not Shylock's job by choice--there were a limited number of jobs which Jews were allowed to do, and this was one of them. However, Antonio has been lending money to people without interest, which cuts into Shylock's business. It's rather like having a business competitor move in and start giving away the goods you are trying to sell. He's going to put you out of business. Antonio has other resources which enable him to lend money gratis, Shylock has not. On top of that, Antonio is rude and condecending to Shylock just because he is Jewish. He may not be the most rude and condecending person in Venice toward Jews, but the fact that he is lumps him in with the worst offenders in Shylock's mind
What reason does Shylock give out loud for his hatred of Antonio?
Antonio was Christian and helped people with money without charging interest and deprived Shylock of his income as Shylock was shrew money lender.
What is the name of money lender in the merchant of Venice?
Shylock.
Does the word shylock come from the bible?
No. The name Shylock was created by WIlliam Shakespeare for the money-lender character in his play The Merchant of Venice.
Why did Antonio borrow money from Shylock?
Antonio borrowed the money from Shylock rather than lend it himself because his ships had not yet arrived therefore he had no money. He borrowed it for Bassanio, because Bassanio wanted to woo Portia.
What was Shylock's occupation?
Shylock was a money-lender; in modern terms, the equivalent of a banker that gave loans.
Why does antonio hate shylock in merchant of Venice?
Shylock is a Jew and as such has always been forced to live on the fringes of society. In effect he has an understandable chip on his shoulder. He is not looking for revenge he is just trying to outsmart him.
Why does shylock hate antonio?
They were business rivals. However, Antonio's main business is that of a merchant, buying and selling goods and shipping them to other ports, whereas Shylock is a money-lender who makes money by charging interest on loans. This is not Shylock's job by choice--there were a limited number of jobs which Jews were allowed to do, and this was one of them. However, Antonio has been lending money to people without interest, which cuts into Shylock's business. It's rather like having a business competitor move in and start giving away the goods you are trying to sell. He's going to put you out of business. Antonio has other resources which enable him to lend money gratis, Shylock has not. On top of that, Antonio is rude and condecending to Shylock just because he is Jewish. He may not be the most rude and condecending person in Venice toward Jews, but the fact that he is lumps him in with the worst offenders in Shylock's mind
Why do the boatmen at first refuse to accept money from Franklin?
on account of his rowing the boat.
What solution does Portia offer in act 3 scene 2 in merchant of venice?
half of Shylock's money goes to Antonio and Shylock MUST become christianEither that or he has to DIE
Why do the boatmen at first refuse to accept money from Benjamin Franklin?
on account of his rowing the boat.
Why did Shylock want Antonio's flesh?
Because the process of getting it will have the effect of killing Antonio, which Shylock wants to gain revenge for the mistreatment he has suffered from Antonio and all the other anti-Semitic Venetians. The flesh itself is of no use to Shylock--when he is asked what good it would be, Shylock replies tersely "To bait fish withal."
Who is merchant of Venice?
The title character is usually understood to be the Loan-Shark Shylock, who is obviously a Jewish businessman. However, it actually refers to Antonio who borrows money from him. The "Merchant of Venice" is a play written by William Shakespeare in sometime in the 1590s. The story involves a merchant in Venice named Antonio, who borrows money from a Jewish money-lender named Shylock. Shylock wants revenge against Antonio because Antonio had insulted Shylock and spat on him for being Jewish, so he gets Antonio to agree that if the money was not repaid in time, Shylock would be allowed to take a pound of Antonio's flesh. Antonio needed the money badly enough that he agreed to the condition, which he did not believe would be a problem. When Antonio could not repay the money as agreed, Shylock insisted on taking his pound of flesh. A woman lawyer, Portia, defended Antonio before the ruler of Venice, who after hearing both sides ruled that.......(If you want to know the outcome, you'll have to read the play. Believe me, it is worth it.)
