Anti-Semitism in “The Merchant of Venice” Anti-Semitism in “The Merchant of Venice” Throughout the play, “The Merchant of Venice,” William Shakespeare portrays anti- Semitism through many of its characters. Today's audiences may interpret the play as offensive, whereas people in Shakespeare's time would have accepted the play as part of everyday life. The majority of the population of London at the time was anti-Semitic because there were very few Jews living there. Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice supports anti-Semitic actions and thoughts and is therefore an anti-Semitic play. Anti-Semitism manifests itself very strongly through the character of Antonio. It is clear that Antonio is prejudiced against Jews. Shylock confronts Antonio for spitting on his gabardine, calling him a "dog" and scolding him at Rialto about his money. Antonio responds: “I would call you that again, spit on you again, despise you too” (1.3.140-141). Antonio does not deny his actions and instead of apologizing, he says he will do them again. He does not hide his feelings for Shylock and, in a broader sense, his feelings towards the Jews. In the second act, Launcelot wonders whether or not he should look for a new employer. His problem is that he works for Shylock, who is Jewish. Launcelot says to himself: “The Jew is certainly the very incarnation of the devil” (2.2.24). Ultimately, he decides to run away from Shylock rather than continue working for a Jew. He then presents the argument: “I am a Jew if I serve the Jew any longer” (2.2.104) to his father. Before accepting the new job, Antonio discusses the matter with his father and remembers that Bassanio is much poorer than Shylock, but that he would much rather work for a Christian than a Jew. Lorenzo severely insults Shylock when he tells Jessica that if her father ever makes it to heaven, it is only because Jessica converted to Christianity and this is described through the phrase: "If ever the Jew her father comes in heaven it will be for the good of his sweet daughter” (2.4.36-7). Lorenzo describes Jessica using the word sweet. The word meek in Shakespeare's time can also be pronounced gentile, meaning against Judaism. In this quote and later in the play through the line "Our house is hell and the merry devil" (2.3.2-3), Shakespeare informs the reader that Jessica does not love her father and that the house that 'she has to live with him, it's hell.