Analyzes religious books, fiction, comic magazines, songs, burlesque pieces, political statements, and representative newspapers and periodicals. In the religious sphere, Jews were seen as the murderers of Christ, but hostile religious images diminished considerably by the end of the century. Literary caricatures and the press depicted the Jews as pawnbrokers and peddlers, with an overwhelming concern for wealth. Discusses the Shylock image which was less venomous than the European version. On the other hand, Jews were also depicted as industrious, honorable, law-abiding, family-centered, and intelligent. Concludes that political and ideological antisemitism was not characteristic of 19th century American society - the ambivalent attitude reflected contradictions in the goal of building an open society while rejecting and excluding aliens.