In the Venice of Shakespeare's day, Christians could live pretty much anywhere they wanted in the city. Jews like Shylock, on the other hand, were forced to live in a ghetto, in a specially designated part of town. Indeed the word "ghetto" is thought to derive from Venetian dialect. Shylock is allowed out of the ghetto each day to practice his business as a moneylender. After all, if he couldn't, then Christian merchants, traders, and other individuals wouldn't be able to get their hands on some much-needed cash, and the whole Venetian economy would soon grind to a halt. But once night descends upon Venice, Shylock must return to the ghetto, where the gates are locked to prevent anyone getting in or out. As well as nighttime, Jews were also confined to the ghetto on Christian feast days. It was thought that allowing Jews to walk the streets on such holy days was deeply sacrilegious.
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