Monologue of Shylock (The Merchant of Venice)

SHYLOCK:

He hath disgraced me, and

hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses,

mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted

my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies—

and what's his reason? 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? If we are like you in the rest, we will

resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,

what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong

a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian

example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me I

will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the

instruction.

My World's Melody