The Ipremier Company Denial of Serivice Attack. Case Analysis Essay Example Essay Example

The Ipremier Company: Denial of Serivice Attack. Case Analysis Essay Example Paper The Ipremier Company: Denial of Serivice Attack. Case Analysis Essay Introduction The iPremier Compant (A): Denial of Service Attack Summary of the case: iPremier, a Seattle based company, was founded in 1996 by two students from Swathmore College. iPremier had become one of a few success web-based commerce, selling luxury, rare, and vintage goods over the Internet. Most of iPremier’s goods sell between fifty and a few hundred dollars, and the customer buys the products online with his or her credit card. iPremier’s competitive advantage is their flexible return policies which allows the customer to thoroughly check out the product and make a decision to keep the product or return it. The majority of iPremier customers are high end, and credit limits are not a problem. iPremier had contracted with Qdata, an Internet hosting business. Qdata provided iPremier with most of their computer equipment and connectivity to the Internet. Qdata was not an industry leader and was selected because it was located close to iPremier’s company headquarters and had been serving iPremier throughout the course of its new and developing business. Qdata did provide basic floor space, power, connectivity, environmental control, and physical security, and offered some high-level management services such as monitoring of web sites for customers and Internet security services such as firewall protection. On January 12, 2007, iPremier Web servers were brought to a standstill. A denial-of-service (DoS) attack had occurred. Hackers launched the attack on iPremier. Luckily for iPremier, this was only a denial-of service attack, possibly launched by a script-kiddie, or even a competitor trying to disrupt service. The Ipremier Company: Denial of Serivice Attack. Case Analysis Essay Body Paragraphs The attack could have been a lot worse. iPremier’s customers pay for their purchases with credit cards, and they keep a data base containing all credit card information on their customers. The credit card database is. However, it leaves them vulnerable to an attack by hackers. If a hacker had obtained total access to their system customer credit card numbers could have been in jeopardy. As the events unfold, iPremier managers discover problems with their plans for responding to crises and struggle to understand and control the situation. 1. How well did this company perform during the attack? The company did not perform as well as they should have been able to. There were multiple areas where problems arose, such as the technical architecture of the IT system, relying only on the 3rd party, Qdata, to monitor their IT infrastructure, keeping out of date manuals, and not maintaining their emergency procedures. However, some people trying to fix the attack did an adequate job con sidering the problems the company had. Joanne and Leon Ledbetter did everything in their power to restore the website and protect the customer data, which even included running red lights. Leon was so new that he didn’t know exactly what to do. Training for an emergency would have proven useful. The CIO, Bob Turley, knew of the emergency protocol and out of date manuals, but never did anything to alleviate these problems. This put the company in a significant disadvantage, and created a bigger problem than what was necessary. Faced with this problem, Turley was able to facilitate direction for the company as best as he could, which ended with the security breach stopping. Even after the attack, when the company did not know whether the customer information, which included credit card information, the company had no intention to announce the security breach to the public. This can be detrimental to the company if customers became impacted because of this issue. This is probabl y an unethical response to this event, and further shows how bad the company performed during this crisis. 2. What should they have done differently, before or during the event? One of their main problems was relying solely on Qdata to monitor their IT infrastructure. It sounds like Qdata was not keeping up to date with their investments in technology and adequate personnel. When Joanne was at Qdata, she made it sound as if the staff was uneducated and only allowed her limited access to resolve the situation. Their Website monitoring system and Internet security services did little to nothing to help resolve the situation. Another problem was iPremier neglecting to update their facilities and equipment because they wanted to focus more on expanding the company. This is a risky move because as the company grows the IT infrastructure needs to row to keep up with the greater risks a failure could cause. iPremier was not prepared for an attack; they could not even find their binder full of procedures in case of an emergency such as this one. They also had turned off their ability to log detailed information in case of an attack and Joanne believed that their firewall had not been set up properly. For this reason, they have no idea for why the attack had stopped. In some instances it may have appeared that they had panicked a little too much. They almost notified the police of the incident. They would have been a very hasty and unnecessary move. As far as I know, the police would have not been able to do anything to help the situation and at the same time the press would have access to the story. This would have hurt iPremier’s public relations and upset their executives and BOD. Their panic may also have caused an accident. Joanne was driving fast and running red lights. Again, if she got into an accident and the press got hold of why the accident occurred, there would have been a negative press release about the company. 3. What should they do in the after math of the event? Premier learned the hard way with this web’s attack that they needed to find a more effective outsourcing client. iPremier needs to realize the importance of security, especially in the e-commerce world where there is unlimited access through the Internet to valuable customer information. Security needs to be the top priority of any e-commercial company. They should make some changes to effectively solve their security problem. First of all, their existing contract with Qdata needs to be renegotiated. This will allow employees at iPremier to act as consultants for Qdata and help them upgrade their existing system. The consulting time will be an added cost, however it is far less expensive to consult rather than hiring another outsourcing client. Second of all, iPremier need to separate its web server from its critical system; this will help to eliminate access to important information by a hacker. No system is totally safe from an attack but the separation of systems will help to deter amateur hackers. Beside, iPremier needs to develop a plan of attack if they undergo a DoS again. By doing so, they can have a strategy to implement before, during, and after a denial-of-service. If their plan is effective the system then down time ill be decreased, and vital information will be secure again in a timely manner. Also when an attack occurs iPremier needs to have an expert to call to effectively walk top-level executives through the process of getting their system up and running. Finally iPremier’s current firewall needs to be updated with the addition security for example filter or sniffer, to successfully inhibit information packets that will initiate a DoS attack. 4. What, if anything, should they say to customers, investors, and the public about what has happened? iPremier’s made had no plan to announce the attack to customers. This may be a costly mistake. Because iPremier does not know the extent of the attack, or what was targeted, they do not know the extent of the risk to their customer. Officials of the company feel that making the attack public could risk their reputation from a public relations standpoint. However, not informing customers of the attack could be more costly. iPremier must quickly determine how they are going to approach this problem from an IT standpoint: will they hire another firm to research or will they work with Qdata to investigate the event? Next, iPremier should make a public announcement concerning the potential risk of compromised customer credit cards. Premier should also announce that their plan to remedy this problem and inform customers of how they will keep customer information safe in the future. Finally, iPremier should make a statement to reflect that they made every attempt to notify the public immediately after the attack to prevent any potential fraud to occur on customer credit cards. A similar event occurred with major retailer, TJ Maxx, several years a go. TJ Maxx did not discover the information leak for several months, and did not inform the public for some time after that. Not only did this create a public relations nightmare for TJ Maxx, there were also legal ramifications to their decisions. iPremier is correct in assuming they may lose customers in this process. However, the alternative approach, to remain silent, could prove more detrimental. Many customers will appreciate the honesty and the opportunity to close compromised credit cards immediately. On the other hand, if iPremier takes no action, and customer cards are compromised, they will face strong customer dissatisfaction and potential legal ramifications as well. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ipremier Company: Denial of Serivice Attack. Case Analysis Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Ipremier Company: Denial of Serivice Attack. Case Analysis Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Ipremier Company: Denial of Serivice Attack. Case Analysis Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Special Needs Prisoner Essays

Special Needs Prisoner Essays Special Needs Prisoner Essay Special Needs Prisoner Essay Special Needs Prisoner David Thompson University of Phoenix Special Needs Prisoner The American penal system is comprised of every element of society imaginable. There are people from all walks of life being held in one prison or another across our great country for crimes they’ve committed or allegedly committed against mankind. Be it at the state, federal or county level, the U. S. prison system does not discriminate with regards to those who are physically challenged. Be it a prisoner who is mentally challenged or one whom is confined to a wheelchair, if they have committed a crime and are found guilty of such, they will be sentenced to facility that under most circumstances are equipped to handle prisoners with special needs. Take for example the criminally insane or those suffering with various kinds of mental illness: Round about 1955 the number of mental institution experienced a drawdown of types, in that they were not building any new facilities, despite the fact that approximately forty of the existing one’s had been shut down or were scheduled to be shut down. This change prompted the prison system to take over the role of caring for mentally ill inmates. As more and more prisons grew so did the role of the prison system to care for the influx of the special needs prisoners. Prisons were able to house and care for some 45,000 prisoners including those who were mentally ill, compared to that of a mental institutions ability to house some 3000 in a mental hospital. Perhaps one of the biggest drawback or downfalls related to this concept is that of the ability to rehabilitate the mentally ill. Because the prison system was/is not geared for actions such as this, many of those who are diagnosed with a mental illness usually find themselves serving their time, only to return to confinement a few years later, due to the prison systems inability to adequately treat and card for their sickness. But let’s not throw this all on the prison system, as the private sector has just as much responsibility for this shortfall/s as does the penal system. Many communities simply do not have the funds necessary to open and operated programs to take care of the mentally ill. For those that do have something in place to combat the problem, their efforts seem to fall far short of the need. There seems to be far more people in need of help than the help that is available, and the more we look into the problem the more we see that this is not just limited to adult men and women, but children as well. The end result of which is the criminally insane sometimes find themselves back on the streets, as does many of the mentally ill. While incarceration may be somewhat more difficult on someone with a mental illness, prison officials try and combat this by housing the mentally ill in separate wards, to reduce violence, combat stress, and maintain order. Prison officials today try and provide specialized training and equipped to those who work with the mentally ill. Although improvements have been made, there is still much to accomplish as some patients do not transition well into some of the rehabilitation programs made available to them; for example the Drug and Alcohol program, many officials think that mentally ill patients can and does usually become extremely disruptive, during counseling sessions, which causes setbacks and limits the progress of others. Therefore, many of the disable, mentally ill, or otherwise hard to reach inmates/patients are turned away from rehabilitative parts of the program built around small group settings. Honestly speaking, there is very little room for care of the mentally ill within the prison system, as few places are equipped with the staff and specialist needed to care for these special patients. Try as we may, we can’t effectively make the connection needed to make a difference in these individuals lives. Not to mention the attitude/s the outside community takes towards those suffering with mental handicaps. The lack of compassion, care and concern towards these less fortunate individuals does little to help the situation inside or outside prison walls, as we’re all struggling to make the best of a bad situation. We must stay focused and be extremely flexible as we seek to make changes in this area, in particular in that every failure has the potential to have widespread affects on everyone, including the department, and the community into which some of these people may be released. Taking a lackluster attitude towards helping these people rebuild their lives simply will not work. We must be committed to the care of prisons with special needs just as if they were able to afford whatever treatment is available. Combating mental illness is not easy, but in most cases it can be done. References: The Sentencing Project (Washington, DC), (2002), Mentally Ill Offenders in the Criminal Justice System: An Analysis and Prescription, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation http://nicic. gov/Libary/017558

Architecture Essays Baroque Architecture Characteristics

Although many things influenced the Baroque period it was besides influenced by faith every bit good as the states political relations. Architects were interested in the infinite of the unfolding existence every bit good as the workings of the head and attempted to portray passions of the psyche through facial looks. Features The characteristics of the Baroque epoch showed long, narrow naves that were replaced by a broader, or on occasion with round signifiers. It displayed dramatic usage of visible radiation that could be either strong light-and-shade contrast ( known aschiaroscuro) effects ; or they used unvarying lighting by agencies of several Windowss. Another characteristic was deluxe usage of decorations ( puttos made of wood ( frequently gilded ) , plaster or stucco, marble or fake coating ) , they used large-scale ceiling frescoes and Baroques external facade is frequently characterized by a dramatic cardinal projection, nevertheless the inside is frequently no more than a shell for picture and sculpture which was seen in the late Baroque period. Baroque features besides include illusive effects like trompe l’oeil and the blending of picture and architecture and in other states such as Bavaria, Czech, Polish, and Ukrainian the Baroque manner contained, pear domes that were are omnipresent. Features The chief features for the Baroque epoch were energy, great sums of tenseness and a sense of motion from the edifices. Its picture, sculpture and architecture evolved from idiosyncrasy and broke off from the regulations of modern-day architecture, they demanded freedom to program, design and adorn their edifices with what they wanted. Columns had twisted shafts which were placed in forepart of pilasters surrounded by valances and covered with curving and broken pediments. They contained â€Å"over the top† and frequently unsuitable inside informations with carven ornament. Insides had gilded sculptures frequently in awkward airss ; the architecture was noted for its curving lines. Many of Baroques add-ons were finished in bronze, marble, gold and Ag. Baroque had a dynamic expression and experience to its design ; it was a utile categorization for insulating the inclinations and merchandises of stylistic alteration. It was seen as broad, superb, theatrical, passionate, animal, enraptured, deluxe, excessive, various and ace. It was an age of enlargement following on an age of find, its enlargement led to still farther find about architectural design and ornament. Section A: Insides S.Maria Della Salute ( 1631-1682 ) The inside of S.Maria Della Salute is a really good illustration of Baroque Architecture and design. It displays the Baroque kernel in a manner but is non wholly over ornamented nor does it incorporate any unsuitable inside informations. Marble is chiefly used in the columns and the base appears to be gilded in bronze. Sculptures are carved from marble and stand high in the unit of ammunition of the dome. An communion table can be seen and one might presume it is besides gilded in bronze. It is an graphics in a manner but it is non â€Å"over the top† in any manner which can be seen from this position point. S.Pietro ( 1656 – 1667 ) The S.Pietro is another great illustration of Baroque architecture and design. In this exposure we can see the bronze communion table that stands merely in forepart of the apsis, we can see pictures that are decorated with gold lodgers, marble columns and high walls, the domes contain gilded ceilings. Walls are decorated with sculptures in free standing places in the walls besides made of marble. Light is given through high standing Windowss and the chief dome from above through a sky visible radiation. Versailles ( 1660 – 1685 ) The Palace of Versailles is the most good known piece of Baroque Architecture and design known to day of the month. It defines what the Baroque period was approximately. It was excessive, animal, dynamic, passionate ( pictures ) , various and deluxe. Decorations were non silver but pure gold. Soft cloths, bright colorss and beautiful sculptures decorated the insides of the Palace. In the Hall of Mirrors as seen in figure 8 sculptures themselves were cast in gold high Windowss offered light and glass pendants hung from a ceiling decorated in picture and gilded gold lodgers. In the Queens Chambers as seen in figure 7 one can state that non even the sleeping rooms were unbroken simple. Gold was besides used and to an extent it was excessively used. The focal point of 1s oculus is led to the gold ornament and non the architectural values of the edifice. The outside as seen in figure 6 one can see that the balcony railings were gilded in gilded ornament as the Sun makes this easy to see. Marble is besides used on the facade of the edifice but it is chiefly decorated in gold. Rich vivacious colorss can be seen throughout the castle as seen in figure 7 of the Queens Chambers. Section B: Interior Design Although the Baroque epoch contributed to the great edifices we see today, one can non bury about the insides. Although extravagantly decorated the insides are really good designed to suit certain facets. Architects need to believe like that in order to obtain a good sense of what works and what does non. I believe interior design does really suggest about it along the lines. We design what we think the client would wish and so acquire an thought if the client likes it of non, if non we merely do a few alterations to acquire a better feel and a better position of what they want. It is the same now as it is so. Interior interior decorators design the infinite in which the client will be in every twenty-four hours. It requires a great trade of penetration and a cognition about a individual, one might see reading your client by speaking to them, when you do that you can acquire better thoughts. Simple designs frequently make better designs in these yearss nevertheless in the past if it was large, broad and contained munificent ornaments it was classified as good. Decision So from looking at the Baroque architecture one can state that it played a great function in the design of edifices today. Many people who obtain an over and above wage sometimes have one or two suites that give recollection to the Baroque manner. It was surely munificent, dynamic and â€Å"over the top† ornaments were decidedly a spot much for today’s modern society. Bibliography Tansey, R.G A ; Kleiner, F.S. 1954. Chapter 24.Gardener’s Art Through The Ages: 10th edition. United States of America: Ted Buchhloz. Pages 816 – 904. Gardener, L. Chapter 10.Gardener’s Art Through The Ages: 4th edition.United States of America: G.Bell and Son Ltd, London. Page 397 onwards. Honour, H A ; Fleming, J. 1982. Separate 3: Chapter 13.A World History of Art.United Kingdom: RB Macmillion. Page 426 onwards. Wikipedia. 2008.Baroque.[ online ] . [ Accessed August 20, 2008 ] . Available from universe broad web: lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wikipedia.org gt ; Versailles.[ online ] . [ Accessed August 20, 2008 ] . Available from universe broad web: lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bc.edu/bc_org/arp/cas/fnart/arch/versailles.html gt ; History of Baroque Architecture.[ online ] . [ Accessed August 20, 2008 ] . Available from universe broad web: lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/org/orion/eng/hst/baroque.html gt ; Baroque Age.[ online ] . [ Accessed August 20, 2008 ] . Available from universe broad web: lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //library.thinkquest.org/16545/data/low/baroque.html gt ;

Sleepy Inn Mote Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sleepy Inn Mote - Case Study Example This is a mistake because guests should be getting breakfast in their rooms. The results of the study have also not been taken seriously by Huang which is giving great insight about the visitors. Lack of marketing is one of the biggest shortcomings in the strategy of Sleepy Inn Motel. Signs and Brochures are not nearly enough and more should be done in this regard. Below we will step by step evaluate the present strategy of Huang and will suggest what should be done. In the end the decision Huang should take will be given based upon our discussion. Firstly Sleep Inn Motel should look closely to the research findings given by regional tourist bureau. The low cost approach of Sleepy Inn Motel is the main problem. The findings clearly state that only 13 percent of the visitors have family income of less than $27,000 per year. This makes perfect sense because if a family is earning less than $2250 a month then probably they will be looking for a new job rather than a vacation. The low co st approach of Sleepy Inn Motel is not working because customers do not want lower costs only. They also demand services which the motel is not providing. People who come on vacations want to enjoy and have fun. They may be price conscious but still they want to enjoy. A motel that is offering basic services and no food, except breakfast, is not something people would want. This is why many people return from the parking lot of Sleepy Inn Motel. The services are not appealing the customers and that is why they do not want to stay in the motel. Restaurant is a need for guests because they come back to the motel for the night. The findings of the research reveal that more than 66 percent of the visitors stay in the same area at the same location for more than 3 days. This is an amazing insight for the Sleepy Inn Motel. Huang is not investing in a restaurant because he feels that that it will cause more problems than benefits but this will not be the case in reality. When visitors will return to their rooms they would prefer having dinner after they are fresh and cleaned up. This is an opportunity Huang can avail and can increase motel’s profits. Study also reveals that 78 percent of visitors were conscious about their choice of accommodation. This means that they do not just find a resort by chance and stay there, rather they actively search for a good place to stay. This is another reason why Huang should invest in services at his motel. Huang was under the impression that guest could find their way to the motel themselves but he is actually wrong. Visitors need advertisements to know about the motel and the facilities it has to offer. This is lacking in the Sleepy Inn Motel and because of that potential guest return from the parking of the motel. There are also 40 percent of visitors who reserve the rooms in advance. Sleepy Inn Motel is currently not even targeting these 40 percent visitors. The motel does not have a site nor is it marketing its motel t hrough tourist magazines or sign boards. The services of the motel are not worth remembering so customers are also not telling other potential customers about the motel. All in all there is not marketing done by the motel and it is hurting the business of the motel (not saving costs). 68 percent of guests are also couples according to the study and this information can also be used to design services that suit guests. For example double beds should be kept in rooms and there should be a small closet as well. Moreover everything

Non-Human Animals Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Non-Human Animals - Term Paper Example He finishes it off with the fact that nonhuman wildlife can be regarded as no more than machineries with chunks brought together in complex ways. Centered on Descartes’ underlying principle, human beings have a very little accountability to other natures or the natural world, unless their behavior has an emotional impact on other humans. (Hergenhahn, 2005, pp. 164). Rene Descartes, seemingly believed that wildlife were, as a matter of fact, vague from nonliving objects in that animals were not emotional —they were purely not creatures who were sensible, had individual and perceptual mindfulness, or were able to suffer pain and misery. As a consequence, they were not animations who had happiness; that is, they did not have favorites, needs, or wishes (Wilsher, 2010). La Mettrie suspected Descartes’s thoughts on God were a veil for his true feelings and to keep himself safe from persecution. In actuality, La Mettrie was of the opinion that Descartes believed humans to be automated like machines and all other non-human creatures (including animals). Descartes presented his thoughts on God and soul as such that they would match with the thoughts of the clergy. He did this mainly to be accepted by the clergy, because otherwise, he would have to face persecution in the case of differing from their thoughts. La Mettrie on the other hand, realized Descartes’s quandary, and knew that he thought humans to have no soul, and were in fact machines. Hence, La Mettrie was of the opinion that Descartes was more of a mechanist, even when it came to the theory of humans. (Shank, 2002, P. 75). La Mettrie on the contrary had a different view on humans. He thought that every being consisted of matter and no other substance, like humans; hence he was considered a physical monist. But La Mettrie was not a physician; he was only a philosopher, so his thoughts and his studies can only be backed by his philosophical background. For La Mettrie, the thought of humans or any other creature having an immaterial soul was bizarre. (La Mettrie, 1996) So to be sure of this concept, the argument would have to be backed by both fields, i.e. philosophy and physician. La Mettrie’s argument hence, would prove to be weak in front of Descartes’s argument, because Descartes’s thoughts were supported by evidence from philosophical and physicist backgrounds. There is evidence, however, of mental states like the soul, depending on physical aspects of humans. If someone accepts this fact then they would be accepting dualism, i.e. the belief of mental aspects depending on non-mental aspects. However, by the end of his life Descartes accepted that animals can suffer bodily pains. The next important fact of difference Descartes had with the Scholastics was his rejection of the theory that all facts must come from feeling. The Scholastics were dedicated to the Aristotelian principle that everybody is born with a spotless slate, and all tha t intellect material must be felt. Descartes, nonetheless, reasoned that as the senses occasionally trick, they cannot be a reliable basis for understanding. What's more, the fact of plans based on feeling is unsurprisingly problematic and the proposals, consequently, are undecided evidences when used in wiles. Descartes was profoundly displeased with such uncertain

Romeo and Juliet movie comparison Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet movie comparison Essay The timeless tale of Romeo and Juliet has been told again and again; the similarities and differences between the films are endless. Two movies were made based on the classic love story, Romeo and Juliet. The first movie was made in 1968 and the second was a much more modern remake of the classic tale which was made in 1996. These movies told the romance in similar, but still in different ways. Both movies can be easily compared and differentiated because they were both alike and different at different times. Although both movies told the same story the time period was set in unlike eras, but they still had their resemblances. The older 1968 version was set in the time period when William Shakespeare actually wrote the play. The newer 1996 version was set in the modern era of the 90’s. Although the newer version was set in the 90’s the same dialogue that Shakespeare wrote was still used in the new film. In the older film the dialogue matched the time era the movie was set, unlike the newer version. Scenes like the balcony scene showed various differences and similarities. The modern version suggested a more modern time set due to the pool, elevator, and security cameras the guards were watching; in the older version the balcony scene was on an actual balcony, Juliet’s and Romeo’s clothes suggested a more renaissance time set. The balcony scene led to the same events that happened later on, and also showed Romeo and Juliet’s intense and outrageous love fo r each other. The time period is a big difference between the movies, but another scene that showed similarities and differences was the time where Romeo and Juliet spent their last moments together, the death scene. Within the death scene there are countless similarities and differences that can be revealed. In the modern version Juliet wakes up and witnesses Romeo die. In the older version Romeo drinks the poison and dies then Juliet wakes up. Both scenes show Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other and what they are willing to do to be together forever. The monument Juliet was in had her dead ancestors inside it as well as Juliet. In the new movie there are no dead bodies to be found. This scene has it’s differences but the major similarity that appears is Romeo and Juliet’s intense and extreme lengths they would go to for their love. The classic tale of Romeo and Juliet forbidden love has been told several times since it’s been written. The two movies that were made based on the story presented numerous similarities and differences. The time period revealed differences, although the dialogue revealed a similarity. Scenes such as the balcony scene and the death scene showed differences and similarities based on the time period, structure of the scenes, and order of events. Romeo and Juliet is a tragic and timeless tale that revealed numerous similarities and differences through the movies that were created.

Shylock as Villian in Shakespeares Merchant of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

Shylock as Villian in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice In Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice the antagonist of the play is Shylock. Shylock is a wealthy Jewish moneylender. Shylock is probably the most memorable character in the play because of Shakespeare's excellent characterization of him. Shylock is the antagonist in the play because he stands in the way of love, but this does not necessarily make him the villain of the play. Shylock can be seen as both the villain of the play and as a man who is very human. The villain that we see in Shylock is the greedy moneylender. Shylock charges high interest rates and when he is not repaid he insists on revenge. In the play Shylock loans Antonio money, and out of jest he suggests that should the loan not be repaid in time Shylock may cut off one pound of flesh from Antonio's body. Soon after Shylock's daughter runs away from home with Lorenzo, a Christian, and takes her father's ducats with her. When Antonio's ships do not come in and he is not able to repay the loan Shylock is no longer interested in getting his money back. Shylock want revenge for the loss of his daughter through the fulfillment of the bond. In court Shylock is defeated because of his selfishness. Shakespeare also shows the human qualities of Shylock throughout the play. Shakespeare brings out these human qualities by causing us to feel sympathy for him. After the loss of his daughter Shylock ran through the streets crying "My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!" as children followed him, mocking him. This causes us to feel sympathy for Shylock, even though we may feel him to be a villain. Besides the loss of his daughter and his ducats, after the trial Shylock also looses his property and his religion.