The pound of flesh which I demand of him Is deerely bought, 'tis mine, and I will have it.?

Question

Was Shylock over the top with his quest for the Pound of Flesh and should he have been given the right to exact his rightfull payment.

Answer 1

He should have got his pound of flesh d*mm it!! He was ripped off!!!

Answer 2

It is difficult to answer this question without addressing some of the important issues of Shakespeare's time.

First, in Shakespeare's England, Jews were understood to be villains, plain and simple - just as bastards were understood to be villains, plain and simple. Thus, simply by making the Jewish character the one who demands the pound of flesh, Shakespeare is assuming that his audience is going to understand that it is an unreasonable demand.

Second, it needs to be understood that usury (money lending, more specifically charging interest for money lending) was largely considered to be a crime. You'll note that usury was considered to be a crime not just against man, but against God. Thus, Shakespeare's audience would be aware that Shylock's demanding anything beyond the money he lent back was unreasonable.

So, no matter what we, as citizens of the twenty first century, might think about the rightness or wrongness of Shylock's quest and how he is ultimately treated, in context of Shakespeare's time, he is clearly a villain and, thus, is going to far in demanding his pound of flesh.

Answer 3

Its Shakespeare - Merchant of venice- there are two schools of thought ...the first being when a man has the right to what he lawfully owns and the rules that apply should not be morally bound and the second would be that a man is morally bound to his conscience aand laws should not even enter the equation. However, i feel that shylock was simply a portrait of society and its need to be fuffilled in such away that proves every man/woman is correct in their views/opinions. Which ever way you understand it, may you be morally binded....

Answer 4

A pound of flesh just doesn't go as far as it used to.

Answer 5

He was over the top. There is nothing that can justify his demand. Contracts mean nothing, they just prove that there was a deal they don't enforce it. He could have accepted the refund.

Answer 6

Well,you know those jewish stereo types....poor Shylock.

Answer 7

No way ! Considering it costs an arm and a leg to borrow money thees days.

Answer 8

Isn't that from the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"?

Answer 9

what now?...