Shylock's speech to his wife about his suffering in The Merchant of Venice

Speech From Shylock From the Merchant of Venice to His Wife About What He Been Through

[Shylock limps home, falls on his bed and stares at the wife's portrait on the table and is unable to stop his tears]

"Good thing you were not around, Girlie, to see me humiliated so. First was the problem with that cussed Antonio. Then your Daughter! I wonder if she is your daughter at all, Dame! How could you bring about such a creature to shame me? Me, a devout and very pious Jew? How could that be? How did I loose the family and the money and my revenge all at one time? First you die off on me, letting me tend to the house, cook and all that. Servants are costly and the rogues may steal you know. Then you are good for nothing, daughter not only lets her old man do the chores, but also is always out, in the company of no goods. I had great ambitions for her. I wanted her to marry Finalock, the great merchant moneylender from Austria. You know that person. He brought you a silk scarf, and is now the biggest lender in that city. What great thing that would have been! He is our own kind. Now how will I go to the Synagogue? Will not the others laugh at me? My daughter runs away with a Christian!

You were not there anyway when it all began. You must know Antonio, yes that miserable son of the Merchant. The dog had the temerity to call me a miserable cur, and taunt me now and then. Worse he had the guts to nearly ruin my business. Imagine that! He lends money without interest and takes the Paws from my shop. How's a honest money lender to live, let me ask you? So I was fuming, wife, and praying God to get the pest off my back. Then I did rant and rave and ask him once, 'I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer and so on, the thing is' wrong us, shall we not revenge?' (Shakespeare. Mit. The Merchant of Venice)

Then he comes to me and borrows money on his ships! What a windfall? That is when I decided to get him! You know what I did? I wrote out a perfect contract where if he failed, he pays with a pound of his flesh! Aha! What a scheme, wife, I know you would frown on that, but then you frown on all I do. You were always nagging me, were you not? You had no respect for money and wanted so many things! I have saved on many expenses now. Anyway, it was a best scheme, because if his ships did come, the man returns me my money with profits, and then will never be able to taunt me again. Once a man borrows, he continues till he becomes a pauper. I knew that. Well ships sink, I hoped all his would. Then the pound of flesh I would have gleefully taken from his heart, I would have plucked it out!

I was happy, and even gave one small offering to god! But that was a waste. The day came and his ship never came, and so I went to his Grace the Duke. You would chuckle if you got to see the Duke's face that day! He read the contract, got the biggest men and most learned of them find fault with it. No. It is Shylock's contract and the Duke knew that he had to get Antonio. So they sent the Bailiff and ordered to have him summoned. Now, I expected him to come and plead for time. The miserable man! But there comes this Lawyer Balthasar., Pluck out his eyes! He argues against me. The Duke asked me why I was cruel. Cruel! I remember what I told the Duke: "Now, for your answer: So can I give no reason, nor I will not, more than a lodged hate and a certain loathing I bear Antonio that I follow thus: A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd?" (Shakespeare. Mit. The Merchant of Venice)