Examine some of the key principles of the argument for the...

Examine some of the key principles of the argument for the existence of God based upon religious experiences Religious experiences are experiences we have of the divine or God. These experiences may be Mystical experiences, conversion experiences or revelatory experiences. Paul Tillich states that religious experience is a feeling of ‘ultimate concern’, a feeling that demands a decisive decision from the one receiving it. He describes it as an encounter followed by a special understanding of its religious significance. The argument for religious experiences is based on 3 premises. Premise one states that the experience of X indicates the reality of X. One problem with this premise is that the experience of X does not always indicate†¦show more content†¦The problems with premise three can also be highlighted by looking at the religious experience of Mosses when he saw God in the burning bush. When God came to him, Mosses had just killed a man and run away into the desert. Therefore he could be experiencing extreme guilt which could cause him to have an illusion. Also if he is in the desert then he was most likely dehydrated which again could cause an illusion. Therefore other factors may be used to explain religious experiences. Another example to support premise three, and one that addresses the problem of the subjective nature of religious experiences, is corporate religious experiences. This is when large numbers of people all have the same religious experience at the same time. The fact that they are experienced by many leads to the fact that they can be objectively tested and the accounts validated adding further support for the argument. Those that argue that religious experiences are proof of the existence of God usually argue inductively. This means that they look at the subjective testimonies of individuals who claim to have had religious experiences in order to find similar characteristics and then draw the general conclusion that the experiences can only be explained in terms of the existence of God. For example Swinburne argued inductively supportingShow MoreRelatedPropelling Rational Thought Over Compelling Empiricism1459 Words   |  6 PagesThought over Compelling Empiricism Aaron Nicely Intro to Philosophy 02-09-2016 In this paper I intend to examine the rationalist philosophy of Rene Descartes and fundamental empiricism of John Locke’s philosophical arguments, in particular their ideas relating to the science of man, his identity and attempt to explain distinctions between the two. 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Compare and Contrast Essay on King Lear and Macbeth

Shakespeare had written many plays in his life time, some of them included various tragedies which included King Lear and Macbeth. All of Shakespeare’s plays had a theme which was used to help the story’s plot to advance further, making events much more interesting. King Lear and Macbeth both have a common theme of madness that is apparent throughout the play which has been depicted differently. They are both written in different ways but still share a same purpose. The essay will be broken down into three parts; firstly we will look at the way madness is viewed in Macbeth. Secondly, we will look at the way King Lear portrays madness lastly we will compare the two to see how differently madness is displayed. While both plays share this†¦show more content†¦Ross responds to him, What sights, my lord (III.iii.118). The Insanity of Macbeth is shown in these quotes. Shakespeares description of Macbeths thoughts visibly reveals the theme of madness. Shakespeare portrays madness among many of his characters, and he returns to the theme again and again. Indirect characterization in the form of Lears mad speeches allows Shakespeare to convey the theme of madness. For example one of Lears first speeches after things started to go bad for him, Poor naked wretches, wheresoeer you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, How shall your house-hold heads and unfed sides, Your loopd and windowd rag-gedness, defend you†¦ (III.iv.35-38). Lears insanity increases throughout the play, demonstrated to the audience through more speeches, until his emotions overthrow his reason at the climax of the play. Lear randomly shouts in to the storm, Rumble thy bellyfull! Spit, fire! Spout, rain! Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire are my daughters. I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness. I never gave you kingdom, called you children (III.ii.14-17). The example of Lear invoking the storm to destroy the seeds of matter along with many other absurd statements illustrates that he has anShow MoreRelatedEssay Prompts4057 Words   |  17 PagesAP ENGLISH LIT AND COMP FREE RESPONSE QUESTIONS 2004 (Form A): Critic Roland Barthes has said, â€Å"Literature is the question minus the answer.† Choose a novel or play and, considering Barthes’ Observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question the work raises and the extent to which it offers any answers. Explain how the author’s treatment of this question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary. You may select a work from the list below or anotherRead MorePlay Macbeth11985 Words   |  48 PagesAt the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a respected general, a devoted husband, and a loyal subject of the king. The first of the witches prophecies bring out his ambitious nature, but he struggles with killing the king. By attacking his manhood, Lady Macbeth convinces him to committ the first of his evil deeds. Macbeths evil deed causes him to suffer from fear and guilt, which leads to even more evil crimes. Then Macbeth becomes paranoid, suffering from hallucinations and sleeplessness. He becomesRead MorePlay Macbeth11979 Words   |  48 PagesAt the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a respected general, a devoted husband, and a loyal subject of the king. The first of the witches prophecies bring out his ambitious nature, but he struggles with killing the king. By attacking his manhood, Lady Macbeth convinces him to committ the first of his evil deeds. Macbeths evil deed causes h im to suffer from fear and guilt, which leads to even more evil crimes. Then Macbeth becomes paranoid, suffering from hallucinations and sleeplessness. He becomes

Underground vs. Commercial Rappers free essay sample

Nevertheless Imaginations tree trunk they are trying to refurbish hip hop and shift it towards mainstream as it once was. Which if you were to ask my opinion, exactly what the industry needs. The talented mainstream artists is varied apparently, but its the lyrical content that is missing. Thats why a majority would say the underground is a better field. When we grow a bore of the same things we hear on the radio they look for more resources. I reflect back to listening to the radio shows Id wake up to, and got hooked to it.Now kids mind the new they want and place it on their pod, and they find out that at times the underground has better music. Some people would say they dont like rap music period. Others who argue that they dont like either the commercial artist or underground artist. The first thing I ask when I hear either argument is why? The most common answer I hear is its horrible! However anyone who says rap is horrible has only heard the horrible music they over play on the radio and MAT V. If you ever heard anyone rap that actually has lyrical skills, you quickly begin to see he poetry behind us not that Im not a fan of any of the famous rappers like IL Wayne, T. L, Gucci Mane, Notorious B. I. G, Tuba, etc. Its simply because I relate, and tend to show respect to those that rap about other issues other than what sells. Id rather listen to things that are more realistic. The theory of selling out is farfetched from where think the underground music affiliation is at this phase.Before the internet, artists were selling music at an all time high. The problem of music indefinite is something that has no value to most and is non consumable. The ideal of selling out hasnt ran across my mind after all these years, because just dont know if thats a possibility. Changing your music for whatever purpose being money or fame is up to you. Now and days, an artist can hardly live off of their music unless they tour endlessly, along many Other situations. How can some participate when they have a job they have a dedication to? I have no idea. Hind it is a dated notion with the way things are conducted today and becoming more impossible in the industrial scene seeing as we have never been that commercially feasible since the ass anyway. Eve made observed, and made my decision of the underground industry throughout a time frame of about 7 years (not a long yet enough) and Im aware that there are plenty of individuals that have become more appreciative when it come to the types of Hip Hop and music in general after being part of the underground industry and constantly listening to underground music.I have to agree that some people become ignorant to one or the other. However, it is not just in underground or commercial, but in all aspects of music period. My perception on commercial vs.. Underground is that each genre has its win purpose in the music industry. What set apart besides from style (instrumentals, delivery, etc. ) is the lyrics. Most often, lyrics meaning goes past a shallow phase in underground and is more attractive to me when artists connect personally with their content and is not spruced up to fit any artist.But when its all said and done, I enjoy a mix of music whether it is mainstream or underground. I have been an underground (independent artist, signed to small independent labels or no label at all) artist since the sass, when my oldest brother introduced me to rap music. M a supporter of the underground hip-hop movement. Being an aspiring artist, to tell the truth, their vocabulary and topics are well thought about, felt, and delivered than commercial artist. Where in the world are you going to get linguistic dexterity in any other music? Gucci Mane is one of the most common underground artist out now. He has made a three sixty from an underground to commercial artist. Some of his first reviews people would say his rap music is bad, and hypocritical. Now that hes a commercial artist you hear how he raps about how hard life is, yet he ivies in a fifty million dollar home. His music doesnt have any flow or real structure. Real music takes talent and anyone can rhyme to a beat.Ask yourself, is only fulfilling advertisement in his contract? The point is, if you arent made for it, you probably will not have an opportunity to go commercial. Back when Tuba and Biggie where both commercial artist, they also had respect, Back then a guy from New Jersey ardently defended Naughty by Nature, because he didnt like Trench, so I think some commercial artists still do have street credibility, depending on how immemorial they are. On the opposing hand, accent diluted his material for the mainstream.Commercial rap is not the problem, just a helping hand. The problem is the industry; it is because the industry that someone like Aims can drop a rhetorical rhyme about being hot and then telling us to move speaking of the rapture like Anita Baker, such garbage. The same industry that buries artist leaving them stuck putting out mix tapes because they wont play nice and conform with the game. Some artist may have ticked off some executives and other artist they were behind.Whats crazy about our music today is that its sort of hard to distinguish the quality. Besides, when compared to what the charts use to consist of just two or so years back, its hard to see the things that are accepted as top forty or the genre is horrible. Yet, when you conceder this generation as one with what was, there is a great difference. However lets say the President passed a music care, and we had to make an option of one generation of music sound to start today with and take off from there.What choice would you make, to discontinue all of todays music mounds and try it all over with the asss or even asss sound, or would you choose to not bother with it at all and just let things continue as is? Which generation would you choose to represent us, based off prior knowledge weve had to deal with in old music? Would we want do what was once done, or would we rather see how the current unravels? I say its complex to decide what is horrible. I wouldnt choose to turn my back on todays sound and go back to those days of music, in spite of the fact thats where some o f the best sound of our time is.If the president were to cancel out all the immemorial trends and make the underground sound the new commercial trend, can it still be considered as good as it was when it was underground? A big issue overlooked, is a problem with the commercial rappers is once theyve gone commercial, many of them lose the hunger and fight which allowed them to ascend to such a level in the fist place. Also the corporate influence allowed many of them to take their art to a different direction compromising their integrity for a few extra sales. Perception and personal stances on music definitely factor in a major ways.

The Merchant of Venice Is Shylock a villain or a victim who deserves our sympathy Essay Example

The Merchant of Venice: Is Shylock a villain or a victim who deserves our sympathy Essay The Holocaust was a period of time from the late 1930s to the middle 1940s where Germany, who had just lost the war, decided to try to make Germany pure, and in doing so, exterminated 6 million Jews. Their idea of a perfect person was one who had blonde hair and blue eyes. However, the hatred and anti-semitism towards the Jews didnt start here. It started a long time back, around the time of the 11th century. Near the end of the 11th century, the Christian church taught its followers that usury was morally wrong, and that Christians were forbidden from doing so. Jews, not included in that rule, but barred from most other professions, turned towards usury as a way of earning money. The Christian church, a lot different to what it is today, taught that Jews should be despised for their rejection of Jesus, to do with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. The persecution of the Jews was at an early stage when Christians, after being influenced by the Church, spread lies about Jews, saying that they killed Christian children during Passover, and used the blood to make unleavened bread, which in its own way was morally wrong, and something Jesus did not teach to his followers. We will write a custom essay sample on The Merchant of Venice: Is Shylock a villain or a victim who deserves our sympathy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Merchant of Venice: Is Shylock a villain or a victim who deserves our sympathy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Merchant of Venice: Is Shylock a villain or a victim who deserves our sympathy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The term blood libel led to such travesties as the mass-suicide of Jews in York in 1190, and many anti-Jewish riots during the 12th century Crusades. After several kings had imposed heavy taxes on Jews, probably because they were Jewish firstly, and secondly to increase Royal Revenue, Edward I was the king who would get rid of most of the Jews who lived in England, in 1190, and those who remained were forced to wear a badge of identification from 1220 (similar to the time spent in the ghettoes during the Holocaust). The opportunity to be anti-semetic (towards Jews) was rarely let by, as during the 14th century, as Europe was gripped with fear due to the Black Death, Jews were blamed for these deaths because they poisoned wells because as the argument goes the superior hygiene of the Jews, along with their better diet, meant they were less like to catch the disease, and therefore did this out of hate, a ludicrous theory. Even during the period of the 14th to 17th centuries, when Jews were largely absent, anti-Jews stereotypes were created by the church. You can see a major difference from the Church now, to the church only 400 years ago Two or three years before the first showing of The Merchant of Venice, a controversial event happened, possibly bigger than any other of the events I have noted in this introduction, bar perhaps the Holocaust or the mass-suicide in York in 1190. A Portuguese Jew, Dr Rodrigo (or Ruy) Lopez, who had converted to Christianity already, was accused of trying to poison Queen Elizabeth. The trial was notable for the amount of anti-semitism in it, even the judge, supposed to be impartial, called him that vile Jew, and, despite Queen Elizabeth herself trying to stop the execution, Lopez was hung in June 1594. Venice, however, was a much safer place to be in if you were a Jew. Their strict, impartial laws gave foreign traders and people the confidence that they would be treated as equally as possibly. Unlike many other Christian countries, Venice did not accept the belief that Jews should be persecuted or hounded, and gave them certain legal right, at a monetary cost however. The life of a Jew in Venice was a nice one. They had been allocated a district, the Ghetto Nuevo (new iron foundry) where they could run what happened in that certain section of Venice. However, there were drawbacks to this. They had to be locked up in the ghetto at night and on Christian holidays, and were obliged to brick up any windows facing outside of the ghetto. Jews were also made to wear a yellow spot, or when covered, a yellow hat or turban, to identify themselves. This reminds us of the Star of David worn on the arms of the Jews during the Holocaust. However, during Shakespeares time, most of these restrictions were lifted, and Venice had the Jews to thank for making them a more reputable place, for reasons such as learning, money-lending for the poor, and for bringing a great deal of trade to the city Shylock: Villain or Victim? In Act 1, Scene 3, we get our first introductions of Shylock, a money-lending Jew, currently living in Venice. He seems to be a good person when discussing the loan with Bassanio, showing a peaceful kind of man in him, and complimenting Antonio, although his compliment was a sarcastic one, Bassanio might not have got this. Shylock explains that his interpretation of a good man in Antonio was that he had enough money to repay the loan, although is aware of the doubts concerning his finances. He comments on how he has squandered his money somewhat, but, despite all this, he is still rich enough to pay back the bond. He feels reassured about getting his money back, but when Bassanio asks to dine with him, he refuses, because he knows there will be pork there, and Jews are forbidden to eat pork. When Antonio comes in however, his attitude changes a bit, and, talking to the audience, he sounds his displeasure towards Antonio, not only for being a Christian, but for lending money without interest, and therefore making his business suffer. He thinks about the bond, and notes that he cant raise the funds all by himself, but is willing to bring someone else in, Tubal, to complete it, to make it seem he is going the extra mile of sorts to get the money Bassanio needs. He questions Bassanio with Me thoughts you said you neither lend nore borrow / upon advantage, showing a witty and clever side. He explains his motive for usury with a religious example, with the lines When Jacob grazed his uncle Labans sheep This Jacob from our holy Abraham was, As his wise mother wrought in his behalf, The third possessor; ay, he was the third. Antonio questions Was this inserted to make interest good? Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams? Shylock says that he cannot tell, because he makes the money bred as fast, meaning that his money increases all the time due to the interest. From all that I have written so far, he seems to be a clever person. Shylock doesnt react angrily to Antonios comment of him as a devil, one of many times he does this, he simply reminds him of how harshly Antonio has treated him in the past, stating to Antonio that You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine. Hew now brings into play the fact that the shoes is on the other foot. We now see Shylock twisting Antonio round his finger of sorts, saying all the bad things he has done to him, such as You, that did void your rheum upon my beard And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur and Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last; You spurnd me such a day; another time You calld me a dog, then, although he knows he will, contemplates whether he will actually give him the money, saying What should I say to you? Should I not say Hath a dog money? Is it possible A cur can lend three thousand ducats? , then again reminds him of the horrible things he has done to him, with Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last; You spurnd me such a day; another time You calld me a dog; and for these courtesies, Ill lend you thus much moneys? Antonio makes another threat to Shylock, saying that I am as like to call thee so again, To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too then, about the loan, says If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not As to thy friends; for when did friendship take. Shylock portrays the friend again, with, I would be friends with you and have your love, Forget the shames that you have staind me with, Supply your present wants and take do doit Of usance for my moneys, and youll not hear me: This is kind I offer. Bassanio asks if this were kindness, to which Shylock responds; with a penalty issued in it This kindness will I show. Go with me to a notary, seal me there Your single bond; and, in a merry sport, If you repay me not on such a day, In such a place, such sum or sums as are Expressd in the condition, let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body pleaseth me. Antonio and Bassanio sign to this, eventually, and the scene ends. After Act 1, Scene 3, Shylock, villain or victim? Victim Shylock, in his next scene, is in his home, with Launcelot, to do with Launcelot leaving his service and joining the service of Bassanio. Shylock warns Launcelot that there will be difference between the two, although one thing wont change, that Launcelot will still sleep and snore and ruin his clothes, just that he will be in worse company. When Launcelot calls for Jessica, Shylock tells him off somewhat for this. Even though he is not really in his service any more. When Jessica comes in, Shylock tells her that he is going to dinner, but it is not a dinner with a friend , more as with a business partner (Antonio, business partner because of the loan he needed to repay), and to keep the house safe by locking it up, showing a sense of safety, but mistrust of Christians, maybe a fair mistrust due to the hatred Christians have shown to Jews in the past. He doesnt really want to go, but he will do, even though he thinks he will have bad luck (ironic because Jessica, an intricate part of his fortunes, escapes from his household, so in some ways he was true). He tells her not to look at the windows, and not To gaze on Christian fools with varnished faces,, also not to let any sounds get in and perhaps tempt her to leave, and tells Launcelot to come with him. From here he seems to show protection, maybe a little too much, for his daughter. He catches Launcelot talking, and asks What says that foot of Hagars offspring, ha? , probably thinking something might be up, which Jessica denies. Shylock berates Launcelot again, saying The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder; Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day More than the wild-cat: drones hive not with me; Therefore I part with him, and part with him To one that would have him help to waste His borrowd purse. After Act 2, Scene 5, Shylock is a: Victim In this scene, Shylock doesnt have anything to say, but is a main focus of the conversation. , Upon finding out his daughter is missing, and crying (according to The Merchant of Venice film), he gets the Duke to search for her, showing that he wants to find her, and will take great measures to do so. He was too late, which caused him to make a big scene down the streets of Venice. He said the following, after Solanio and Salerio again call him a dog Jew, which is so prominent in the film; My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! The law! My ducats, and my daughter! A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, Of double ducats, stolen from me by my daughter! And jewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones, Stolen by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl; She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats. This could be seen as the beginning of Shylocks transformation into a villain, as he is showing more care about money than his daughter, which is morally wrong. After Act 2, Scene 8, Shylock is a: Victim, but nearer to villain than before In Act 3, Scene 1, set in a street in Venice, Solanio and Salerio are confronted by a rather angry Shylock, who accuses them of knowing about the plan to take Jessica away. Salerio and Solanio admit to this, but say that And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledged; and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam. This means that Shylock knew that Jessica was ready and fully fledged, and ready to leave the house and make her own decisions. Shylock damns his daughter, not a very nice thing to do, and also notes that his deal with Antonio was a bad one, due to the fact Antonio is in financial trouble, but says that he must pay the bond, or else the consequences will be felt (pound of flesh off Antonio). He makes his big, sympathetic speech in this scene. He lists all the things he has suffered, although gaining an Elizabethan audiences disrespect with the use of the word Revenge. This is his speech, probably the most important one he makes; 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? A modern day audience would feel sympathy, but back then, this would be more comedic, and respect and sympathy would be lost. Upon hearing that they have not found his daughter, Shylock has a whine, complaining about how he is the only one to have suffered, although this is completely untrue, and a very selfish thing to say. He also says, distastefully; I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! Would she were hearsed at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! , meaning that he wishes his daughter were dead, and the ducats be in her coffin. In my opinion, this completes the transformation to a villain for Shylock. Tubal notes that other have bad luck, including Antonio, which immediately puts a smile on Shylocks face. When he hears that he is in financial trouble, he is happy, but then gets a bit angry at hearing that Jessica traded the ring to a man, for a monkey, explaining that his (deceased) wife, Leah, gave it to him, and that he would not have given it away for anything. He is more complimentary at the end to Tubal, because he brought the news of Antonios sudden downfall in riches After Act 3, Scene 1, Shylock is a: Villain This scene is set in a jail (note that the Narrator called Shylock the Jew). Shylock seems to be only interested in revenge, and not in the bond, due to everything he claims Antonio has done to him. Antonio makes a soft, sympathetic plea for himself, making Shylock look more merciless than he already is. He forces onto them the agreement he has from the bond, and using the insults he has been suffering against Antonio, says But since I am a dog, beware my fangs. Shylock has no wish to listen to Antonios reasonings as he is fuelled only by revenge. After Act 3, Scene 3, Shylock is a: Villain This scene, one of the most important in the play, is in the Court of Justice, where Shylock wishes to exact his revenge. He says that by our holy Sabbath have I sworn To Have the due and foreit of my bond. He tells the court that they must wonder why he wouldnt want money over A weight of carrion flesh, but that he wont answer those thoughts. He notes that some men have strange reactions for strange things, his case being exacting revenge on Antonio, using examples such as Some men there are love not a gaping pig, Some, that are mad if they behold a cat; And others, when the bagpipe sings I the nose, Cannot contain their urine: for affection,. He tells the Duke that he cant give reasons for his desire for revenge, apart from his obvious hatred of Antonio. When Bassanio says that This is no answer, thou unfeeling man, To excuse the current of thy cruelty. , Shylock responds with I am not bound to please thee with my answers. Shylock says, after being offered six thousand ducats, that If every ducat in six thousands ducats Were in six parts, and every part a ducat (36,000 ducats), I would not draw them; I would have my bond! , showing that no amount of ducats could sway him. When the Duke questions How shalt thou hope for mercy, rendering none? , Shylock comes back with What judgement shall I dread, doing no wrong? You have among you many a purchased slave, Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules, You use in abject and in slavish parts, Because you bought them: shall I say to you, Let them be free, marry them to your heirs? Basically, Shylock says that he should not have to hope for any mercy, when the Duke himself has many slaves himself, and therefore Shylock asks whether they should have mercy as well. He asks whether they deserve to get the worst accommodation, why they should be treated badly, why they should have the worst jobs, even though they are human beings like himself and the Duke He says that their reasons are because The slaves are ours, therefore the pound of flesh deserves to be his, and whether he may have the flesh no. When Shylock is asked why he gets his knife out so quickly, he explains it is to get the pound of flesh from Antonio (That bankrupt there! ). When Gratiano gets into a rant and rave about this, Shylock comes back with Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond, Thou but offendst thy lungs to speak so loud: Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall To cureless ruil. I stand here for law. Basically, until Gratianos words can remove the seal from his bond, then he is only wasting his breath. When the clerks (Portia and Nerissa) come in, and ask Shylock what his name is, he peacefully does so, saying Shylock is my name. When told that he should be merciful, Shylock asks On what compulsion must I? Tell me that. , asking why should he show mercy, and to give a reason. When given an explanation from Portia, he says that he will accept the consequences of his actions, and that I crave the law, The penalty and forfeit of my bond. When Portia says something backing up Shylocks views on law, he instantly commends her and compliments her, with lines such as A Daniel come to judgement! Yea, a Daniel! O wise young judge, how I do honour thee! and Here tis, most reverend doctor, here it is, but that he has to keep his oath, as it is in heaven, and that he will not go against the heavens, not for Venice. Portia notes that the bond is forfeit, but asks for Shylock to take three times the bond (9,000 ducats), he refuses, once again stamping on his feeling of not letting go of his bond. After another two compliments, he is told he can go ahead with the cutting of the flesh. When asked whether a surgeon is at hand to look after Antonios wounds, Shylocks distasteful response is Is it so nominated in the bond? , and will not do it out of any kindness, as he seems to have none. He makes more note to his hate of Christians, saying that Christians would not be worthy of his daughter, and that he would rather have any relative of Barrabas as a husband. After more compliments, that wouldnt have been viewed greatly by Elizabethan audiences, he finds out that he cant shed a drop of blood, and, instantly, his attitude changes, and he wants the money, but Portia says that this must go ahead. Shylock, nervous now, asks for the money and for him to let go, and is refused, he says that he wishes to be no part of this debate any longer. He knows that in failing, he will lose everything, and says Nay, take my life and all; pardon not that: You take my house when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house; you take my life When you do take the means whereby I live. , showing that his fortunes are more important than his life, that his life revolves around what he owns. When Portia finally shows mercy, he takes the bond, and leaves. Throughout the play, we see a complete change in the character of Shylock. From the start, he appears to be the victim, who is being mistreated and is living a hard life, however, as the play progresses, Shylock brings upon himself the transformation from victim to villain, and eventually is a fully fledged villain who seems to not want to take any prisoners, however, in the end he loses. Shylock starts off as a victim, but as the play progresses he slowly turns into a villain, and ends up as a villain