How do othello and shylock compare?

Question:I have an english essay and i was wondering what are similarities between othello and shylock.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I have an english essay and i was wondering what are similarities between othello and shylock.

Both are outsiders in Venetian society. Othello has a veneer of respectability, as he is a successful general and therefore accepted on that level. However the deepseated prejudices are revealed once he attempts to be accepted as an equal by courting and marrying Desdemona.
Shylock on the other hand is despised by the Venetians, although they are prepared to accept his money when it suits them. (See his monologue in Act 1 Scene iii).
Both are also betrayed by those they trust which, coupled with their flawed characters, leads to their downfalls. Othello, manipulated by Iago, is driven to jealous madness, destroying his love and life. Shylock is betrayed by his daughter, leading him to seek revenge on his persecutors.
Both are shown at the end of the plays to be base and broken men. However, the question arises whether they were also victims, destroyed by racial prejudice and the machinations of others.

both ended up miserably and both are victims of racial prejudice.