Shylock's Humanity by John R. Cooper – Summary
Short summary In his 1970 article "Shylock's Humanity" John R. Cooper presents his reading of the character of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. His analysis centers on Shylock's "Hath not a Jew eyes" speech. Cooper argues that the purpose of this central passage is to capture the conflict between justice and mercy that is inherent in the play. Shylock's insistence on exacting his legal revenge represents the belief in strict justice and the sense of self-entitlement as ultimate values. The Prince of Morocco and the Prince of Arragon represent this paradigm as well, as they feel that they deserve Portia. This world view is juxtaposed with the value of mercy, as represented by the Christians who urge Shylock to abandon his revenge. This juxtaposition of paradigms, notes Cooper, is illustrated further by the differences between Belmont and Venice. In Venice law and justice reign supreme, whereas in Belmont mercy does, as represented by the favoring of mer...