From The Merchant of Venice: How is Shylock's relationship to the dominant Venitian culture represented and/or developed throughout the play?

I have gone on a Shakespeare reading venture ever since my friends and I got together to watch film adaptations of his plays. It's something they mostly wanted since I was never really into them in high school and university. In reading The Merchant of Venice, I know that there is controversy surrounding Shylock's character, and it interests me, specifically because I don't see him as completely villainous.

My thoughts, however are somewhat convoluted as I try and piece together how Shylock's character relates to the dominant culture of the society in which he lives. I sometimes think that that may have a connection to how I could perceive him as one of Shakespeare's creations. When I think of Shylock at the end of the play words such as submission (Shylock's forced conversion), rejection (Shylock towards dominant culture and vice versa), triumph (Venetian culture over Shylock) and ambivalence (contradictions within the play) come to mind in answer to my above question... but it all ... more.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.