Overview
Context
Shylock is speaking passionately to Solanio and
to read the context for this monologue from The Merchant of Venice and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Text
He hath disgraced me, and
hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses,
mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my
bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine
enemies; and what's his reason? 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, as
a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison
us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not
revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will
resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,
what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian
wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by
Christian example? Why, revenge. The villany you
teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I
will better the instruction.
Performance Tips
- Avoid a victim mentality; drive the list of
Emotional Beat Breakdown
1. Common Humanity
- What shifts: The
Videos
Related Learning Modules
More Monologues
All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.
Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only.