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The Merchant of Venice: Shylock - Victim or Villain


In 1594 the Earl of Essex, an English Nobleman who lived during the
Elizabethan period in England, was actively involved in the persecution and
trials of Roderigo Lopez. Lopez was a Jew of Portuguese descent, who was
wrongly accused of attempting to poison the Queen of England, for reasons never
fully explained. Lopez, being the Queen's royal physician, was in no position
to defend himself once he was accused. Essex, who provided the evidence also
presided over the trial of Lopez, leaving Lopez little chance of survival. The
innocent Jew was hanged, drawn, and quartered in Tyburn, England for all to
witness.
The story of Roderigo Lopez is similar to the story of Shylock, although,
Palmer tells us "It is not suggested that Shakespeare in portraying Shylock, had
any political or social intentions" ( 112-13). Both Jews were placed in time
where "anti-Semitism was in fashion" (Palmer 113), and both thrown into court
where they......

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Approximate Word Count: 2619
Approximate Pages: 11 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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