I believe that Shakespeare wants to portray Shylock as the antagonist in the story, The Merchant of Venice, who raises a lot of problems and creates a lot of controversy. Early in the story, Bassanio seeks a loan from Shylock. Shylock agrees to the loan with Bassanio. Once he agrees to the meeting, Shylock confesses his hatred for the Christian man. However, he continues to agree to give Bassanio the money and continues to go about his business. As he is figuring out the interest on Bassanio’s loan, he remembers all of the times Bassanio has cursed and soiled his name in the past. He goes on to say “…If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.”
I believe that Shakespeare is introducing Shylock this early in the story for a reason. He wants the reader to believe that Shylock conflicts Bassanio and are going to create conflicts later in the story. I think he wants the reader to see that name in the book and have the reader think, what conflict is Shylock going to create now? The way Shakespeare set up the way Shylock asked for a pound of flesh in return for his loan, it really portrays Shylock as a monster. What kind of a human being would do that? I believe this is exactly what Shakespeare wants the reader to think.