Shakespeare's use of the outsider, one excluded from society especially through the removal of his identity, serves to portray the cruel and selfish aspects of humanity. In The Merchant of Venice and in King Lear, the substandard treatment and lack of sympathy Shylock and Lear encounter, resulting in a loss of their sense of self, set them as outcasts and victims of their community. Thus, these experiences essentially shape their character. In Shylock's case, the treatment he receives, because he is a Jew in a predominantly Christian society, feeds his need to avenge the oppression and hatred he experiences. Lear, on the other hand, suffers from a mental breakdown as a result of his daughters' drastic actions to strip him of his power and their disregard for their father's wellbeing. In other words, the unsympathetic actions other characters take against Shylock and King Lear define their personality and their role as victims in each play as well as demonstrate society's heartlessness.
[...] Similarly, even Antonio, who is viewed as the saintly victim throughout much of the play, declares that he is likely to again call Shylock a “misbeliever, cutthroat dog, and spit upon [his] Jewish gabardine” -110). Such measures do not, however, compare to the fate the dominant Christians impose on Shylock at the closing of the play. It is towards the end, after he has been tricked, that Shylock is forced to “presently become a Christian” and upon his death “record a gift of all he possessed unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter” (IV -388). [...]
[...] Regan and Goneril, in denying Lear his servants, deny their father what defines him, that is, what he needs to be a human being. Consequently, those exiled from the kingdom, Kent, Edgar, and the Fool become Lear's only companions, thus showing his distance from the life of which once he was the center. Moreover, Lear recognizes what is occurring to him. Goneril's and Regan's refusal to his requests and their ability to strip him of what he regards as his self, his kingdom, and his power show that Lear is rapidly losing his authority. [...]
[...] Thus, in reality, the inferior treatment and lack of consideration Shylock faces essentially shapes and victimizes him. Similarly, his daughters' betrayal subsequently drives King Lear to madness. In the beginning of the play, Lear is strong and stubborn and holds the power to divide his kingdom as he pleases. As he decides to step down from his throne he commands, “Tell me, my daughters Which of you shall we say doth love most, that we our largest bounty may extend” 51-52). [...]
[...] All in all, Shylock and King Lear are two fundamentally different characters; although they both enjoy monetary wealth, Shylock is an outsider by birth merely because of his religion while Lear becomes a stranger to the kingly life he leads because of his daughters' self- interest. Nevertheless, both suffer immense loss as a result of the lack of consideration other's have for their needs as human beings. Moreover, Shylock and Lear lose their defining qualities because of this absence of sympathy. [...]
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