What did people think about Shakespearean Jews?

Shakespeare's plays reflect the prevailing attitudes of his time, which were largely negative and stereotypical towards Jews. Jewish characters in Shakespeare's plays are often depicted as villainous, deceitful, and greedy. For example, in The Merchant of Venice, the character of Shylock is portrayed as a ruthless and vengeful moneylender who seeks revenge against the Christian merchant Antonio. These negative portrayals of Jews perpetuated existing prejudices and contributed to the negative perceptions of Jews in Elizabethan England.