Shakespeare's Shylock - villain, victim or both?

Shylock remains one of the most problematic of all Shakespeare's hundreds of characters.It's not just that the Jewish stereotype he represents is offensive. People remain divided over whether Shylock is the villain of The Merchant of Venice, demanding his notorious pound of flesh from a debtor, or the victim of a biased legal system. In his solo show Shylock, British actor Guy Masterson delves into the money-lender's intentions and examines 400 years of Shakespearean interpretations. Lynn Freeman asks - is Shylock a villain or victim? Guy Masterson's performing Shylock at the Otago Arts Festival next week along with his solo version of Under Milk Wood - he's also touring them to Auckland.