Ducats O’er Daughter

In the play, Jessica, Shylock the Jew’s daughter, runs off with Lorenzo, a Christian, to get married; she takes all of her father’s expensive jewels and other riches. Upon learning this information, Shylock seems to be more concerned over losing his money than losing his own daughter. He begins his rant “My daughter, O my ducats, O my daughter!/ Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!” (II. viii. 15). At the beginning of his rant, he seems equally concerned with each of his problems, which could be perceived as negative, for he should probably be more concerned with his daughter being gone rather than his riches. He continues with more complaints about how his daughter ran away with his ducats, not that daughter is gone. He only wants to find his daughter so that he can find his ducats. Many could agree that Shylock’s concern with his money and not his daughter is wrong.