The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare shows the result of someone pursuing ambition, can turn them into a monster. The story goes through several themes like love, friendship or trust. But one theme that stand out most is the theme Revolving around the Jewish merchant Shylock, and his thirst for revenge. His part of the story is how he made a deal, and how he wishes nothing more, but a pound of flesh of his rival, Antonio whom he despises the most. Through Shylock's merciless determination of getting the pound of flesh from Antonio, has others think he is some sort of wild animal.
Shylock has high amounts of anger towards Antonio, to a point where he has little to no mercy to what he wants, and what he is determined to get, which is a pound of Antonio's flesh. Shylock yells in rage of what he wants, rather than thinking about mercy towards Antonio, "I'll have my bond! I won't hear you speak! I'll have my bond, say no more. I'll not be made soft and stupid fool: Shaking my head, relenting, sighing - and yielding to Christian entreaties!" (3.3.12-15) This is obvious evidence that Shylock, without a doubt will stop at nothing to get a pound of flesh from Antonio, despite his cries of mercy. It doesn't matter about his money anymore it seems, he is just determined about the deal to be made, which is Antonio's flesh, only that would satisfy him in his eyes. Despite everyone telling him to yield, and to Antonio mercy, Shylock still wants to get the pound of flesh from Antonio,"Till you can rant the seal from off my bond, you are merely damaging your lungs in shouting so loud. Mend your wit, young man, or it will collapse in ruins, beyond repair! I stand here for justice." (4.1.139-142) Shylock doesn't even care to what others have to say or think, because to him, it's just pointless ranting. He see's this opportunity for revenge as "justice" as he keeps mentioning he's justifying for the better good by doing an action such as this, cutting off an entire pound of human flesh.
People hate Shylock more, after seeing what he wants to do with his end of the deal. Shylock's thirst for revenge upset Gratiano to an extent where he called Shylock a wild animal,"Damn you, you unyielding dog! Justice is to blame for letting you live. I almost doubt my faith and share Pythagora's theory that the bodies of animals inhibit men. Your cur-like spirit comes from a wood whose soul, when he he was hanged for killing humans, fled into the womb of your damned mother, and mingled itself in you! Your desires are wolffish, bloody, mean and ravenous! How Shylock sees this, is completely different of the other people of the courtroom. Shylock's determination for Antonio's flesh goes to show how inhumane human ambition can be when they want what they want, even if it's the death of the person they hate, they will stop at nothing to get what they want. Even Jessica, Shylock's very own daughter goes against Shylock, due to the type of person he is,"Alas what a grievous sin it is in me to be ashamed to be my father's child! I may be a daughter of his blood, but I'm not related to his life-style." (2.3.15-18) Even Shylock's own daughter dislikes Shylock, because of the type of person he is to to others to an extent to be called the devil himself. Shylock's own ambition has many people, even his own daughter, to dislike him, not because he's a Jew, but simply of what he wants and what he does to others.
So, someone can turn into a wild animal or a monster because of their own ambition. Due to Shylock's determination for getting revenge over mercy, he will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if it would kill someone. And surely, people involed with the situation will have to say something about it too, calling him an animal, or the devil himself. Shylock, although he made a deal between Antonio between having three thousand ducats, or a pound of Antonio's flesh, he stopped at nothing to get Antonio's flesh after news of bankruptcy. He brought him to court, to truly show how his ambition can be a nasty one. But in the end, he was brought down by the law, against his will to do anything, and not even being able to get a pound of Antonio's flesh. There is something to learn from this, definitly. Following ambition for the wrong reason can cause others to hate you, and sometimes, it doesn't go as the way most expect it to be. It's ok to have some sort of motivation or determination for something, but using it for the wrong reason will only get you so far.
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