A Venetian merchant by the name of Antonio agrees to help his friend Bassanio travel to the wealthy heiress Portia to take her hand in marriage. While Bassanio is away, Antonio defaults on a large loan to a Jewish moneylender, Shylock who insists he must pay it back fully. If Antonio is to fail in complying with Shylock's demands, severe consequences await the Antonio. "The Merchant of Venice" revolves around the idea of idealistic versus realistic. While man understands what is just and what is moral, the inclination ...
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A Venetian merchant by the name of Antonio agrees to help his friend Bassanio travel to the wealthy heiress Portia to take her hand in marriage. While Bassanio is away, Antonio defaults on a large loan to a Jewish moneylender, Shylock who insists he must pay it back fully. If Antonio is to fail in complying with Shylock's demands, severe consequences await the Antonio. "The Merchant of Venice" revolves around the idea of idealistic versus realistic. While man understands what is just and what is moral, the inclination towards personal benefit trumps our more idealistic instincts.
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Add this copy of Merchant of Venice to cart. $13.61, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2019 by East India Publishing Company.
Add this copy of Merchant of Venice to cart. $49.95, new condition, Sold by EB-Books LLC rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Rockford, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2019 by East India Publishing Company.
"The Merchant of Venice" is often condemned for its look at the Jewish community during Shakespeare's day, but it is sadly accurate to that time: antisemitism was rife across Europe and the feelings expressed by characters are ones that were felt by most of the non-Jewish society. It may disturb readers on this side of the Holocaust to read a play that portrays the Jew as the stereotypical hard-nosed banker, but it must at least be recognized that the sentiments expressed here were, however wrong, accurate to the age.
As for the rest of the play, it has some memorable characters (such as Portia, the heroine), a light-hearted brand of romance, and a few parts of comedy that lighten up the story considerably. The style was enjoyable and, if you can view the antisemitism without taking too much offence, the play is worth reading.
Welly
Nov 8, 2007
Political Incorrectness
In recent years it seems to have become almost obligatory for those who would wish to be thought 'right-minded' to condemn this play as 'racist'. It is not. This is a play ABOUT racism and racial hostility. Shakespeare never approves or condemns what his characters say; he is only interested in why they say what they say.
