At the end of Act IV scene 1 things go very badly for
Shylock indeed, and not just in terms of his literal "fortunes." Having found the
loophole in the law that allows her to protect Antonio and to turn the tables on
Shylock, Portia is quite merciless in following the law to its "just" close: having
planned murder on another citizen, Shylock himself must now be held accountable. The
Duke initially states that Shylock must give half of his wealth to Antonio and the other
half tothe state. However, Antonio intercedes, asking for the punishment to be slightly
modified:
So
please my lord the Duke and all the courtTo quit the fine
for one half of his goods,I am content, so he will let me
haveThe other half in use, to render
it,Upon his death, unto the
gentlemanThat lately stole his
daughter.
Thus Antonio asks
for the state to relinquish its right to receive half of Shylock's goods under the
following conditions: Antonio must have half of Shylock's wealth to keep in trust for
Lorenzo and Jessica, Shylock must become a Christian, and, when he dies, Lorenzo must
inherit everything. There has been much criticism regarding the severity of this
punishment and whether this is a final act of cruelty from Antonio against his enemy.
Certainly, for a man whose identity is so bound up in his religion, forcing him to
convert would have been a terrible blow.
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