Write a character sketch of Shylock from The Merchant of Venice that has at least 4 negative and 3 positive traits.

Although critics tend to agree that Shylock is
The Merchant of Venice’s most noteworthy figure, no consensus has
been reached on whether to read him as a bloodthirsty bogeyman, a clownish Jewish
stereotype, or a tragic figure whose sense of decency has been fractured by the
persecution he endures. Certainly, Shylock is the play’s antagonist, and he is menacing
enough to seriously imperil the happiness of Venice’s businessmen and young lovers
alike. Shylock is also, however, a creation of circumstance; even in his single-minded
pursuit of a pound of flesh, his frequent mentions of the cruelty he has endured at
Christian hands make it hard for us to label him a natural born monster. In one of
Shakespeare’s most famous monologues, for example, Shylock argues that Jews are humans
and calls his quest for vengeance the product of lessons taught to him by the cruelty of
Venetian citizens. On the other hand, Shylock’s coldly calculated attempt to revenge the
wrongs done to him by murdering his persecutor, Antonio, prevents us from viewing him in
a primarily positive light. Shakespeare gives us unmistakably human moments, but he
often steers us against Shylock as well, painting him as a miserly, cruel, and prosaic
figure.