Why were Jews discriminated against?

Shakespeare’s play the merchant of Venice was made in 1596. Many of the scenes in the play have anti-semetic speeches. Even though Shakespeare was born in Stratford upon Avon on the 26th of April 1564 he based his books on Venetian reality. For instance both in Shakespeare’s book and in real life Jews were forced to where distinct clothing to show their religion when leaving the ghetto which was the confined space where only Jews lived. In reality Jews wore a yellow scarf which is represented as wearing a red hat in Shakespeare’s play.

The Christians problem with the Jews was purely based on religion. Christians therefore had disputes with the Jews, there where cases of spitting on Jews which in the play is re-in acted . An example of this is when Shylock reminds Antonio of the time he spat on him “you that did void your rheum upon my beard”. Evidence of this was taken off spark notes and Jewish virtual library.