"Shylock's Downfall": Is Shylock responsible for his downfall in Shakespeare's play The Merchant Of Venice?

Shylock's Downfall: The Merchant of Venice By Raghav Kaushik [KorektPhool] In Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, the character of Shylock is partially responsible for his own downfall. Shylock is a victim of a society that values trade over human life; he falls foul to a city that regards Jews such as himself as inferiors; and even the intricate details of the law plays a part in his demise. It is true that Shylock feeds …

…ne in this act contains many jokes and neatly finishes the play. Shylock's downfall is caused by an openly anti-Semitic Venetian society that also prizes trade over human life. Shakespeare reflects English society at his time: with all the Jewish stereotypes. While Shylock can never be considered a true hero, (the Jew is a believable individual and had many faults of his own), he can be deemed as a martyr of the Jewish faith.