Shylock, the Famed Character of Shakespeare’S ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Is a Three-Dimensional Character Who Remains an Enigma. He Is Loved, Yet Hated and Oppressed Time and Again By His Christian Neighbours. Antonio Holds a Deep Hatred Towards Him For Charging a High Rate of Interest For the Money Lent to His Fellow Christians. Shylock Is More Humane Than the Other Characters and Is Emotionally Pressurized By All Claiming Him to Be a Devious Usurer. Though Shylock Is an Antagonist In the Play, He Essays the Role of the Central Character, at Times Out Shadowing the Protagonist Antonio, the Merchant of Venice. Shylock Is a Man of His Word. He Is Deeply Hurt When His Beloved Daughter Jessica Elopes With Lorenzo, a Christian, Sells Her Mother’S Ring Treasured By Her Father and Ultimately Converts to Christianity. Money and Hatred Thus Plays a Vital Role In This Play – Money Is the Bone of Contention Between Antonio and Shylock, For Shylock Charges High Rate of Interest, Whereas Antonio Gives Money ‘Gratis’. Shylock Is Hated By All Basically Because He Is a Jew and Antonio Is a Respected Nobleman of Venice. the Court Scene In Act Iv, Scene I, Where Shylock Demands For His Pound of Flesh Reaffirms the Power of the Dominant Class. the Fair Portia In the Guise of the Lawyer Beats Him at His Own Game .I.E. the Letter of the Law. Finally, He Is Forced to Give Up His Money and Convert to Christianity. a Defeated Shylock Totters Out of the Court, Pained to Death By This Iniquity of the C ...