The Merchant of Venice Many people are villainous in the way they act, and their villainous acts may be rooted in the desire to destroy others, or in the hopes of elevating themselves. Many people may only act "villainous" in reaction to the way they have been treated in the past. Shylock the Jew is the villain or antagonist in the play "The Merchant of Venice". Shylock mistreats Antonio the Christian, his daughter, Jessica and …showed first 75 words of 663 total…

…showed last 75 words of 663 total…towards all Christians, especially Antonio. He is such a villain that even his daughter and servant are eager to escape him. Villains are oftenly antagonists in story plots and normally are a threat to the main character. Villains normally have motives behind their evil doings. <b>Endnotes:</b> <li>1. Shakespeare, William. Merchant of Venice. (Washington Square Press, New York, 1957) p. 30 <li>2. Ibid p. 29 <li>3. Ibid p. 30 <li>4. Ibid p. 46 <li>5. Ibid p. 13 <li>6. Ibid p. 44