The Merchant of Venice (1596–7)

The Merchant of Venice is best known for its complex and ambiguous portrait of the Jewish moneylender Shylock-and of European anti-Semitism. Fascinating in its engagement with prejudice, the play is also a comedy of cross-dressing and disguise, and a dramatic exploration of justice, mercy, and vengeance.
This volume contains the full text of the play with explanatory footnotes and marginal glosses for contemporary readers. An extensive introduction and well-rounded selection of background materials not only illuminate anti-Semitism in early modern England but also provide context for other facets of the play, including its comic plot of love and marriage, its examination of commerce and international trade, and its themes of revenge and the law.

About the author

Julie Sutherland is an Instructor at Cape Breton University.

Product details

• Authors: William Shakespeare
• Assisted by: Julie Sutherland (Editor)
• Publisher: Broadview Press Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 08.01.2015
• EAN: 9781554812127
• ISBN: 978-1-55481-212-7
• No. of pages: 170
• Dimensions: 140 mm x 217 mm x 15 mm
• Weight: 236 g
• Subject: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies