Creative Written Expression - The Shakespearean Way (Continued)

You would have had the chance to mull over the following extract from Shakepeare's The Merchant of Venice and come up with your own interpretations and thoughts about the piece.

Shylock:

O father Abram, what these Christians are,

Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect

The thoughts of others! Pray you tell me this:

If he should break his day, what should I gain

By exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man's flesh taken from a man

Is not so estimable, profitable neither,

As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say

To buy his favor I extend this friendship,

If he will take it, so; if not, adieu.

And for my love I pray you wrong me not.

Here are my thoughts:

Shylock is being very crafty here.  He, in brushing off their suspicions of his motive and appealing to their logic by saying that there is no material benefit in getting a pound of human flesh as opposed to animal meat, is attempting to put Antonio and Bassanio at ease.  He leads them to think that the request is illogical, preposterous, of no benefit and hence, harmless.  Coolly, he claims that he is doing it to befriend Antonio and ends by telling them not to think ill of him when all he wants is to extend his affection.

Shylock is successful in getting Antonio to accept the condition on signing the bond.  And the rest of the story...?  Well, pick up Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice to find out!

Happy reading!