Shylock is a Jewish money lender and antagonist in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice. He is portrayed as greedy, vengeful, and tyrannical. While astute in business, he is also cunning, hypocritical, and cruel. Shylock intends to take his revenge on Antonio by demanding a pound of his flesh when Antonio defaults on a loan, showing his villainous and unmerciful nature. Though some view Shylock as a tragic figure for the way he is treated by Christians in Venice, he is largely seen as a villain in the play due to his actions and mistreatment of others.