Shylock's downfall Shylock, in the play; The Merchant of Venice, is partially responsible for his downfall. The trickery of the Christians, the legal savvy of Portia and the highly technical nature of the bond were all major factors contributing Shylock's demise, which, as evident in the play, could not have been avoided by Shylock. Shylock's hunger for revenge, his un-planned arrangements, in regards to the legal proceedings and his dealings with the Christians, and his …showed first 75 words of 2717 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2717 total…upon the Christians especially Portia and Antonio. The major factor in Shylock's demise was, however, society and it's assumptions about Jews. This heavily reflects the sentiments during Shakespeare's time and his portrayal of the Jewish character in the play; The Merchant of Venice also is consistent with the stereotypes. Shakespeare uses Shylock to show society their own mistreatment of minorities and hence Shylock can be thought of as the hero, a martyr, of the play.