Ecumenism Denuded in Stratford's 'Merchant'

Anti-Semitism Seen Inevitable in Shylock Role

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
STRATFORD, Ontario — In the
closing seconds of the dramatiza-
tion of "The Merchant of Venice,"
as the flighty Jessica who had be-
trayed her father Shylock and the
Jewish people is leaving to join
her Christian husband Bassanio,
she turns with a rebuking glance
At Antonio. •
It may be the least noticed
directorial accusatory gesture
toward the man who had, by
his hatred for the Jew, inspired
Shylock's craving for vengeance.
Perhaps, also, it is the only evid-
ence of implied compassion for the
aggrieved and spat-upon Jew. But
it does not atone for an otherwise
unjust interpretation of the Shakes-
pearean theme and for the manner
in which the audience reaction is
drawn by the portrayal of the vil-
lainous Shakespearean character.
Shakespeare's Shylock is not
changeable, but he is interpretable.
What a director does to him con-
trols the sentiments and the think-
ing of the audience. Jean Gascon.
who directed the play, created a
colorful trial scene. In the Strat-
ford tradition, it was marked by
impressive environmental factors.
But by turning it into a mob scene.
by causing the emphatic mocking
of the "Daniel come to judgment"
comment and the constant shout-
ing at the Jew by the cast, there
emerges something akin to a hell
Hitler chant that brings prolonged
applause.
It is not only the shouting stage
mob that causes concern and
gives evidence of poisoning the
minds of the audience. It is the
form that Antonio takes. Gascon
dresses him in a drab garb with
chest totally bared, his hands
stretched to give the impression
of a Christ-like martyr about
to be crucified. It is the cruci-
fixion role that, during the refer-
ence to "Christian blood" creates
a pogrom atmosphere. Is it any
wonder that the audience cheers
the mocking of and the jeering
at the Jew?
Indeed, there is no changing of
Will Shakespeare. He did not know
the Jew: there were no Jews in
England in his time. His themes,
of the pound of flesh and the three
caskets, were borrowed. They
were improved upon by the great-
est of all dramatists in world his-
tory. But they were based on the
frequent Shakespearean emphasis
on the Bible, his quotations from
Scriptures. When these quotes are
a means of mocking, they also
negate the ecumenism of the pre-
sent and the desire for good will
in past Christian-Jewish relations.
So. since Shakespeare is not to
be changed, and since his Shylock
is a despicable character, the play
itself must not be turned into a
despicable performance. Gascon
has not helped ecumenism.
There have been many efforts
to indicate that Shakespeare had
compassion, that he personally
was not an anti-Semite and that
his portrayal of the Jew was a!
reaction of his time. In an effort
for a sympathetic interpretation,
at the National Theater in Lon-
don last month, the audience
heard the chanting of the ka-
dish when the betraying Jessica
who robbed her father and aban-
doned her faith left the stage.
We do not expect it at Stratford.
But neither do we expect Antonio
who mocks the Jew to be dressed
for a crucifixion. This, in the
Canadian performance, is deplor-
able, debasing, causing an arous-
ing of hatred. It denudes truth
and ecumenism.
Truth? Indeed, Shylock as he
appears here is not a genuine Jew. I
He craves for the 2,000 ducats.!
But he rejects an offer of 20 times
that sum when he is inspired to
vengeance. But he is not shown as
the traditional Jew who sits Shiva
for his daughter when she aban-
dons faith to marry a Christian. ,
There is distortion in the reference
to synagogue. While Shylock him-1
self is dehumanized, his people are

maligned by the introduction of the
desire for a pound of flesh in pay-
ment of a debt, as part of a bond;
and it is un-Jewish to insist upon
living up to a vow which is imper-
missible by Jewish law. But since
you can't change Shakespeare, it
all depands on how you interpret a
theme that was written without
actual knowledge of the Jew. Did
it have the intent of yielding to
mob psychology of hatred for the
Jew in Shakespeare's time? And if
it did, would it be justified in our
time?
We do not expect Gascon to
do what was done for Lawrence
Olivier at the London National
Theater, where the noted actor
donned a Taint in final prayer
of mourning and atonement
when, at the judge's ruling, he
was robbed of his wealth and
ordered to become a Christian.
But the mocking of the court
mob, the sackcloth on Antonio
as the victim of the Jew the
crucifier, are deplorable.

Christian liberals have joined
with Jews in demanding a change
in the Oberammergau production
which is, admittedly, anti-Semitic.
Yet in portrayals of Shylock there
is an actual continuation of that
theme when the play becomes rac-
ist, as it does here in Gascon's
arrangements in the court room.
Donald Davis is an excellent
actor. He plays the part of Shy-
lock well in the first act. Then he
falls flat as the cringing fellow
whc suddenly accepts defeat with-
out indicating either resentment or
the feeling that overcomes a Jew
when he is robbed of his faith. No
Jew, depicted as Shylock is here.
would so readily accept conver-
sion. Gascon fails to give Davis the
role he could act so well in the
second act.
r

Stratford presentation of "The Mer-
chant of Venice" as it was directed
by Tyrone Guthrie, as Shyieck
was acted by the late Frederick
Valk, who was a refugee from
Nazi Germany.
Now there are many who feel
that the present interpretation is
much worse, that Valk was a
more sympathetic Shylock.
This is hardly possible. How
could a Shylock be thoroughly
sympathy-evoking as long as the
directors do not attempt to elim-
inate the anti-Semitic atmosphere?
Shakespeare wrote an anti-Semi-
tic play, yet it is believed that he
wanted his Jew not to emerge less
than human. How else could he
have written "Hath not the Jew
eyes, ears? .. . if you prick us do
we not bleed? .. ."
But, the play is an anti-Semitic
tract, and the insistence that it be
taught only to higher classes in
our schools where the theme can
be discussed and dissected in its
true medieval background must be
continued. And perhaps there
should be a battle against the stag-.
ing of the play, because there is
no controlling directorial passions
which often deteriorate into pre-
judices.

,

We were not alone in our infuria-
tion when "The Merchant" first
was portrayed by Frederick Valk
under Tyrone Guthrie's direction.
In his column "Sincerely Yours"
Frank Tumpane then wrote in the
Toronto Telegram:
The Merchant of Venice, by
William Shakespeare, is the
most blatantly anti-Jewish piece '
of writing ever to attain great-
ness in the English language.
That is what is known as a
forthright statement. And I'm
not prepared to back up an inch
from it, either.
At the National Theater in Lon-
The Merchant of Venice has
don, the chief characters in the
been a cause of controversy in
newly depicted "Merchant" show
these parts in recent months.
Shylock and his antagonists carry-
First, it was produced at Strat-
ing briefcases, they appear in
ford at the Shakespearean Fes-
striped trousers, with top hats,
tival. Then it was produced by
joking about the pound of flesh. It
the
Earle Grey Players in To-
becomes a comedy in new style,
ronto. Now it will be produced
and Shylock is not thoroughly
by the Earle Grey company for
derided as the Jew. We do not ex-
school children in Toronto and
pect it in the Canadian atmosphere
other Ontario centers.
because we must have the glamour,
the costumes, the colorful pageant-
Each time that the play has
ry that has made the repertory
been criticized as spreading
theater here one of the best if not
anti-Semitism, its defenders have
the very best in our time.
recoiled as if their own virtue
were being impugned, and I'm
But neither do we expect Gas-
tired of them and their woozy ,
con to create a prejudice in ad-
thinking.
vance with his director's note in
When some of them get through
the program in which he writes
analyzing 'The Merchant of Ven-
about the usurer Shylock. If Shy-
ice," it not only loses its anti-
lock is the usurer and not the
Semitic character but becomes !
recognized money lender of his
something of a paean in praise
time—he would be the Wall Street
of Jewish qualities—a pro-Jewish
financier in our day — then the
tract, in fact, whomped up by
bias emerges at once.
k.
.1.
the immortal Mr. Shakespeare to
compare the actions of sadistic
Would that we had transcripts of
views exchanged among the many
Christians with those of the noble
hundreds who cheered the triumph-
but heart-sick Jewish money-
ant Christians in the mob scene
lender.
during the trial when it was the
Why don't they just say in-
Jew, the man who invoked the
stead: "Sure, it's anti-Semitic
Daniel judgment, was derided!
but the good of its value as liter-
ature outweighs the evil of its
There was one such exchange
anti-Semitism. Therefore it ought
right back of us during the first
to be produced."
act. The husband said something
If they said that they mightn't
about the Jew . . . The wife com-
be right, but at least they'd be
mented: "I am with him!" The
honest.
husband mumbled something else,
Shakespearean sch o l a r s can
and the wife pleaded: "Don't say
burrow into the text to their
that, dear! I feel for him!"
heart's content and try to prove
There was a demonstration for
the lines mean other than what
Donald Davis who acted the Shy-
they seem to mean. The public
lock role. He is a great actor. lie
isn't fooled. The public through-
performs excellently in "Hedcia
out the centuries has known what
Gabler" as Judge Brack, and for a
Shakespeare meant and what
man to take two leading parts in
Shylock stood for.
two different plays during a chal-
Millions who have never read
lenging Stratford theatrical season
"The Merchant of Venice" or
at once proves his genius as an
seen it produced are aware of
actor.
Shylock. What does he epito-
Gascon does him injustice. Ile
mize? Ile epitomizes Jewish in-
would have emerged a compassion-
famy—the most sordid, cringing,
ate figure — perhaps Shakespeare
usurious, revengeful type of in-
intended it as such—if Gascon had
famy.
directed the court scene towards
justice for the Jew as much as
Shylock is a villain whose name
has become a synonym for vil-
respect for the law.
lainy and a particular Jewish
type of villainy at that. What's
In 1955 we were outraged by the

the Point of trying to shut your
eyes to that? The fact that
Shakespeare was a genius can-
not change it. In fact, it under-
lines it. If Shakespeare had been
a hack, Shylock would never
have endured.
Offhand, I can think of only
one other monster in English
literature who has impressed
himself upon the public con-
sciousness to the same degree
as Shylock. And that is Simon
Legree.
But the difference in effect is
this: Legree may give a dis-
torted impression of Southern
slave-owners but there are no
longer any Southern slay-own-
ers.
There are, however, still plenty
of Jews.
And the contention that Jews
shouldn't object to Shylock be-
cause the Scots do not object to
Macbeth. for example, is com-
pletely specious. Let me put it
less politely than that. It's il-
logical bunk.
Shylock has one magnificent
Passage in the play, the one be-
ginning: "I am a Jew. Bath not
-a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew
ears? bath not a Jew hands,
organs, dimensions, senses, af-
fections, passions?"
This passage is always trot-
ted out by those seeking to
escape the anti-Semitism of the
Play and held up as proof that
Shakespeare intended to show
that Jews are the same as any-
body else.
But it won't hold up. It is over-
powered by what goes before and
what goes after. The Christians,
freed from the monstrous re-
venge proposed by Shylock, re-
act shamefully, it is true.
But what of Shylock?
The court strips him of half
his fortune and what does he do
to save the other half? He aban-
dons his own faith and agrees
to turn Christian. In other words,
a Jew will do anything for
money.
Shakespeare, that great archi-
tect of the English language, has
done his share to keep anti-Semi-
tism alive for the past 300 years.
And "The Merchant of Venice"
is a great play—a great, anti.
Semetic play.
This view remains incontrover-
tible. The great Shakespeare's
Shylock evokes anti-Semitism. A
great producer can create an at-
mosphere that does not echo a hell
Hitler shout. At Stratford we felt
as if the Nazis were in power
again when the jeering met An-

tonio's assertion he would spit at
Shylock again opportunity permit-
ting it, when the Jew was forced
into an abnormal cringing charac-
ter—especially when many in the
packed house applauded the un-
ecumenical atmosphere. We were
uncomfortable because we were
hurt. And then we began to wonder:
why, instead of cheering the anti-
Semitic court scene, weren't there
Christians in the audience to shed
tears over their historic guilt? We
began to believe that new errors
are being omitted in the name of
ecumenism.
There is a Shylock also in "The
School for Scandal" that was di-
rected by Michael Langham. Moses
(Powys Thomas) is the money
lender. But he is not an unpleas-
ant figure.
In "The School for Scandal,"
Stanley Silverman is the musical
director.
In spite of the regrettable flaw
we see in staging "The Merchant,"
Stratford Festival Canada retains
glory well earned in the totality of
its efforts.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
18—Friday, June 19, 1970

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