Mariyam Posted May 4, 2011 Posted May 4, 2011 Funnily enough' date=' this thread is back on topic with discussions about the Merchant of Venice. Probably the only instance of the bard reinforcing a stereotype and adding to it through his caricature of the usurious jew.[/quote'] True. Shylock was the stereotypical Jewish moneylender. But is this the only instance of stereotyping by the bard? What about Othello the moor? He is portrayed to be lecherous, manipulating and lying. Or that is what I understand from reading it. Been a very long time ago, so I could be wrong.
Prakat Posted May 4, 2011 Posted May 4, 2011 True. Shylock was the stereotypical Jewish moneylender. But is this the only instance of stereotyping by the bard? What about Othello the moor? He is portrayed to be lecherous, manipulating and lying. Or that is what I understand from reading it. Been a very long time ago, so I could be wrong. Good point. I don't recall the finer points myself. Maybe the racism in his texts are more a consequence of his milieu? A case that is often made for Mark Twain and the portrayal of non-white characters in his works. It could also be said that through the character of Shylock, Shakespeare was taking the gentile's fears and parodying the stereotype to an extreme absurdity and in doing so was helping to rid them of it. A literary conceit; much in the manner that I've see you do yourself in some of your more accomplished posts. ;)
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