The Merchant of Venice (Folger Shakespeare Library)

Book Description

Folger Shakespeare Library

The world's leading center for Shakespeare studies

Each edition includes:

• Freshly edited text based on the best early

printed version of the play

• Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play

• Scene-by-scene plot summaries

• A key to famous lines and phrases

• An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language

• An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play

• Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books

Essay by Alexander Leggatt

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs.

Customer Reviews:

Much more than meets the eye.......2007-06-02

What exactly was Shakespeare attempting with The Merchant of Venice? Was Shakespeare anti-Semitic? Does the play promote anti-Semitism? What was Shakespeare's purpose in writing such a work?

As the play opens, the eponymous Antonio's dearest friend Bassanio laments his need of cash in order to seek the hand of Portia, the heiress of a noble Venetian family. Antonio is depressed, but it is only as the play progresses that we come to guess the reason for his depression: the marriage of this dear friend will, as such events always do, change the nature of their friendship and make it less intimate. As Antonio shows no other romantic interest in the play, and is alone and lonely, this depression possibly suggests that Antonio is homosexual.

But how would the cash enable Bassanio to engage in this pursuit? In fact we never learn precisely why the money is needed. There seems to be some kind of wealth or social class requirement for playing the game whose prize is Portia's hand and Bassanio needs to purchase the trappings that would, meretriciously, enable him to appear a member of the aristocracy.

As a successful merchant, Antonio is in a position to provide his friend with the desired funds. He doesn't have the cash on hand, however, as his wealth is tied up in his trading fleet at sea. But this fleet provides collateral, and the Jewish moneylender Shylock has access to the ready cash from his own store and from that of his friend and fellow Jew and moneylender, Tubal. But why should Shylock entertain a request from Antonio, a Christian who has reviled him and spat on him in the most public space in Venice for being a Jew, a public humiliation of the most egregious sort, as well as sadistically maligned him in a number of other ways, and now touts his moral superiority by noting that he lends to his own friends without interest. Responding to Antonio's sneering arrogance, Shylock offers to lend the money at no interest -- but demands an awful penalty should the borrower default -- the famous pound of flesh. And why should he not, in the unlikely event of Antonio's default, revenge himself?

Meanwhile, Antonio's and Bassanio's friends help their friend Lorenzo assist his lover Jessica, Shylock's daughter, in running away from her father's home, which she does, stealing a substantial sum in jewelry, including Shylock's most treasured possession, his late wife's gift to him.

Bassanio passes the test of the three boxes and wins the beautiful Portia's hand.

Antonio's ships are reported lost at sea and, defaulting, he is subject to the exulting Shylock's revenge. Shylock proceeds to have the default ajudicated, but the judge fails to appear. Portia arrives, dressed as the out-of-town judge whose fairness and erudition are well-known, and proceeds to play the unsuspecting Shylock with all of Antonio's contempt, to the delight of the vindictive Jew-hater Gratiano, depriving Shylock of his revenge. The "court" relieves Shylock of half his wealth and requires him to convert to Christianity. Antonio, who defaults, pays no penalty, and in the end his ships all complete their voyages to his substantial gain.

In this play, Shakespeare both mirrors the Jew-hatred of his contemporary society and, interestingly, portrays the implicitly parallel society of Venice and its Christian characters with an undeniable condemnation hidden beneath a scrim of identification: the sneering supercilious Antonio who claims the mantle of the generous Christian; the deceiver Bassanio, who borrows a lot of money with which to appear wealthy in order to deceive his future wife; the gratuitously vicious racist, Gratiano; Shylock's daughter and future Christian Jessica, who steals from her father his most intimate keepsake; the angelic aristocrat Portia who mendaciously assumes the identity of a trusted judge and turns the law on its head for the benefit of her husband's best friend and engages in some sadistic Jew-savaging herself to the delight of all the non-Jews present (and apparently Shakespeare imagined that the audience would enjoy it as well).

Shakespeare appears to be playing both sides of the coin here, both playing to popular Jew-hating, and creating a plot which not only exposes the amorality of the Christians but also depicts Shylock as a sometimes truly sympathetic character.

The play's structure is very familiar and guaranteed to please. Evil character plots to destroy innocent protagonist, but with the help of friends the evil character is outsmarted or outmaneuvered and gets his comeuppance, while the good people live happily ever after. Shakespeare though has created a curious drama indeed. The good folks are really quite distasteful characters, though Shakespeare puts beautiful words in their mouths. And the "villain" is in fact much more than an evil stereotype. Shylock is no paragon of decency, but he is the most fully realized human being in the play and commands the careful reader's or auditor's sympathy.

Shakespeare portrayed the Christian Venetians as corrupt characters while on the surface presenting them as the sympathetic actors in a more or less conventional drama of good Christians and bad Jews. A recent book bringing together current research on the life of Shakespeare notes that the most likely identity of the "Dark Lady" to whom Shakespeare wrote a number of passionate sonnets was a Jewish woman. This book (Shakespeare, by Michael Wood) notes that Shakespeare worked in a part of London in which he must have seen Jews frequently. Wood also notes that this play was written quickly at the time of Shakespeare's liaison with the Dark Lady. Interestingly, while Shakespeare was certainly aware that he was portraying the Christian characters as corrupt, he was also treating them, as the "good guys". He was playing a very strange game, both sympathizing with the Jew Shylock, contemning, in a less than explicit manner, the Christian characters, and at the same time portraying Shylock as the evil Jew and the Christians as the beneficient characters he expected his audience to identify with.

The case can be made that, far from producing an anti-Semitic play, Shakespeare wrote a play that, while pandering to the anti-Semitic prejudices of his audience, condemns the hypocritical ethically-compromised Jew-haters of Venice, and, by extension, London.

Another romantic comedy........2007-05-24

Yes, this is a romantic comedy, and yes, it is Shakespeare, so that in itself makes it a wonderful play. But this one stands out for me because of the characters. I love Shylock the most. It's a very moving play, that embraces a large number of different dramatic styles. And who can resist Portia? Who doesn't hate Shylock. It has an interesting and fast-moving plot that captivates audiences.

Romantic comedy by the pound........2006-08-21

I recently re-read THE MERCHANT OF VENICE prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Shakespeare (1552-1616) produced this comedy on an uncertain date between 1594 and 1597 and published it in the First Folio in 1623.

The play tells the story of a merchant, Antonio, and the more famous villain, Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. When a young Venetian, Bassanio, requires money to travel to Belmont to court the beautiful Portia, he approaches Antonio for 3000 ducats. Because all of Antonio's ships are at sea, he approaches Shylock for a loan. Shylock, resentful of Antonio because he spat on him previously, proposes a malicious condition on the repayment of the loan: if Antonio is unable to repay the loan on time, Shylock will be entitled to take a pound of Antonio's flesh. Antonio accepts the abhorant condition. Bassanio leaves for Belmont, and Antonio's ships are then lost at sea, leaving him unable to satisfy the bond, and exposing him to Shylock's revenge. (Meanwhile, Shylock's daughter Jessica flees his home, converts to Christianity, and elopes with Lorenzo.)

In a romantic subplot, at Belmont, Portia's numerous suitors are required by her late father to choose one of three caskets for an opportunity (i.e., Portia's portrait) to marry Portia. Each suitor must agree, if he chooses incorrectly, to live out his life as a bachelor. After two suitors choose incorrectly, Bassanio makes the correct choice and wins Portia's hand in marriage.

The drama between Antonio and Shylock is resolved in the court of Venice, where Portia (disguised as a "doctor of the law") successfully nullifies the agreement between Antonio and Shylock just as Shylock is about to cut Antonio with his knife. Not even Bassanio recognizes Portia. By the end of the play, all wrongs are righted, and all couples are united by love and happiness. Antonio learns that his ships have returned safely after all.

G. Merritt

The Mercy Speech.......2006-05-13

However venial Shakespeare's characters may appear in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE their venialty does not hold a candle to that of the inane Paris Hilton and her cohorts. When I was a sophomore at Xavier (a Catholic girls school in Phoenix) we produced the MERCHANT OF VENICE. The "mercy speech" had such an effect on me that I have never forgotten it. "The quality of mercy is not strained; it droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven upon the place beneath. 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes the throned monarch better than his crown..." We should all remember this speech and take it to heart in these times. All of us should have this type of mercy. Don't like our President? Fine. He is still our President. Pray for wisdom. Remember the Mercy Speech! Buy the book!!!

The Venetian Merchant.......2006-04-26

I fully understand that some people have problems reading anti-semitic works (which the merchant of venice appears to be). for me though its not unusual. extensive study of Western Philosophy will certainly introduce you to plenty of Anti-Semitism. my take on this classic play is thus: it is along with Julius Ceasare my favorite shakespeare play.

short and full of plot twists this is a book you could easily envelope yourself in for a few days, and a great introduction into shakespeare as it allows for internal debate about the nature of racism, and who you relate to most.

for me the true hero of the play, and along with Cassius has some of the best dialogue, is Shylock. Shylock represents to me the knowing that not everything is a happy ending. which is something that we can all relate to. struggle and strife based on ones background is a topic that is always modern.

I wanted things to not work out for Shylock and when i found out he was screwed again, my sympathy and understanding for this character came full circle. he represented all the things that go wrong in ones life, no matter how certain or optimistic one may be. and just because he wanted revenge on antonio does not make him inhuman it actually makes him more human than any other character in the play.

the most important thing is that this was a terrible time in Shylocks life, but it was only three months. Shylock lives, becomes more humble, and still has the rest of his life to find happiness in whatever he percieves it to be.

The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare Made Easy)

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Another Shakespeare Classic
Mercy Versus Justice
Shakespeare's Worst Play
Shakespeare's Worst Play
Shakespeare Comes to Life!

The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare Made Easy)
William Shakespeare , and Tessa Krailing
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0812035704

Book Description

Here are the books that help teach Shakespeare plays without the teacher constantly needing to explain and define Elizabethan terms, slang, and other ways of expression that are different from our own. Each play is presented with Shakespeare's original lines on each left-hand page, and a modern, easy-to-understand "translation" on the facing right-hand page. All dramas are complete, with every original Shakespearian line, and a full-length modern rendition of the text.

Customer Reviews:

Another Shakespeare Classic.......2006-03-24

I read the "Merchant of Venice" after reading "Romeo and Juliet", another of Shakespeare's masterpieces, and I thoroughly enjoyed the play. The "Merchant of Venice" is an excellent play that explores moral and ethical issues of what is right or wrong, good or bad, vice or virtue. It teaches that ultimately good will win over evil, love over hate.

Shakespeare powerfully brings out the characters in his play in a compelling and unforgettable way. Portia is shown to be the perfect woman, full of wisdom and wit, loving with all her soul, and submitting with all her heart to Bassanio.

Antonio was a kind and generous man who often helped people who were indebted to Shylock, the greed moneylender, to repay their debts. Antonio offers to go into debt for a loan to enable his friend Bassanio to have enough money to impress Portia, a woman he wishes to court and marry. The cruel Shylock demands a pound of his flesh if Antonio cannot pay back the loan. Antonio fails to pay the loan on time and it is only the clever and witty Portia who saves Antonio by pointing out in court that the agreement with Shylock requires him to take exactly one pound of flesh and that no blood has to be shed.

Among the various interesting sub-plots was where various Portia's suitors had to choose between three caskets. According to her late father's will, Portia's suitor must choose the correct of three caskets that contained Portia's picture (gold, silver, and lead), and then, if correct, he may marry Portia. The Moroccan prince arrives to woo Portia and learns that if he chooses the wrong chest, he must swear to never ask any woman to marry him. The Moroccan prince chooses a chest to open and he incorrectly chooses the gold one. The Prince of Aragon arrives and chooses the silver chest, also the wrong one. Bassanio, whom Portia loved, correctly chooses the lead casket and wins Portia's hand in marriage.

The one aspect of this play that mars an otherwise perfect play is the characterisation of Shylock, the Jew to be a caricature of Jewish usury and greed versus Christian mercy and kindness.

Mercy Versus Justice.......2002-12-27

William Shakespheare in the Merchant of Venice, explores again, like so many of his other plays, the difference between vice and virture, the noble and ignoble. This time out he compares the hero Antonio's acts of mercy with the villian Shylock's desire for justice, the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law. Shakespheare shows throughout the play that he is very confident that Christianity and its followers are superior to Judaism and its followers and quite frankly, his portrayal of the Jewish moneylender Shylock is anti-Semitic and leaves out none of the negative stereotypes. The play seems to be a Christian polemic with its theological interest in Christianity's mercy versus Judaism's justice, as Shakespheare sees it. It may have also been a warning to its audience about the moneylenders of Shakespheare's time.

The story is one in which Antonio offers to go into debt for a loan so that his friend Bassanio can have enough money to impress Portia, a woman he wishes to court and marry. Antonio goes into debt to Shylock, a moneylender who demands a pound of his flesh if he cannot pay back the loan. Shylock hates Antonio because Antonio has payed off many loans of his indebted clients and also has badmouthed him as an unethical loan shark, trying to damage Shylock's business.

It is the tension of hate between the two, which give the play an intensity, especially at the climax when Shylock is about to take a pound of his flesh. Also the fear of losing flesh to the moneylender makes for good drama. The character Shylock has some juicy vitriolic lines during the scene. And there is a certain glee Shakespheare builds into the play to see Shylock's "justice" turned against him.

There is also a subplot involving Portia and her various suitors who have to choose between 3 caskets of gold, silver, and lead. Choosing the correct casket will make them the husband of Portia. It was interesting to read about the different reasonings that each suitor has for their choices. Portia also disguises herself as a judge during Antonio's trial in which she helps to set him free of the charges and his friend Bassanio is persuaded to give up his engagement ring to the judge out of gratitude, which gets him in trouble with Portia later who does not tell him she was the judge as she asks him what happened to the ring.

This is a good, tightly constructed play with none of diffuseness of King Lear. It had more drama too.

Shakespeare's Worst Play.......2002-12-06

This is one of the worst plays ever published. I thought Shakespeare was a fool after reading this complely pointless play. Do not wase your money on this book because it is completly worthless. A total waste of time to even read any of this play.

Shakespeare's Worst Play.......2002-12-06

Shakespeare Comes to Life!.......2002-07-27

I really enjoyed having the side by side version...I found myself reading most often in the original text first, and glancing over at the modern text for clarification of meaning and humor. It made it very quick and enjoyable to read. High recommendation!

The Merchant of Venice (The New Cambridge Shakespeare)

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Great Edition
The Dangers of Revenge.

The Merchant of Venice (The New Cambridge Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521532515

Book Description

Charles Edelman focuses on the play's sexual politics and recent scholarship devoted to the position of Jews in Shakespeare's time in this new edition. He surveys the international scope of theatrical interpretations of The Merchant in the 1980s and 1990s as well as different ways of tackling the troubling figure of Shylock. First Edition Hb (1988): 0-521-22156-0 First Edition Pb (1988): 0-521-29371-5

Customer Reviews:

Great Edition.......2007-03-14

I really recommend this edition of "The Merchant of Venice" -- in fact, all of the New Cambridge Shakespeare. They are easily readable editions, and the extensive frontmatter -- introduction, commentary, background to the play, performance history -- are all wonderful, and add a lot to the experience. I recently purchased this edition of "The Merchant of Venice" along with the Arkangel CD of the play, and listened along while reading. It was a wonderful way to approach the play. And when I saw the recent production here in New York with F. Murray Abraham in the role of Shylock, I was very well prepared. Having read and listened to the play before seeing it made the whole experience much deeper.

The Dangers of Revenge........2006-07-21

More than anything, this play of Shakespeare's points out that revenge is a dangerous action that can very well lead to destruction. (Hollywood never seems to be able to figure this out.) Moving on, we meet Antonio. While there is no proof, it explains a lot if he is gay, and in love with Bassanio. He seems sad and is it a coincident that Bassanio desires to win the love of Portia (a woman)? Well, Antonio (perhaps out of what love he can give a dear friend) goes with Bassanio to a lender named Shylock. (Bassanio can not exactly look like a beggar if he is going to ask Portia to marry him.) We later learn that Shylock is a widower. Shylock and Antonio don't like each other. Nevertheless Shylock lends money upon condition that if Antonio can't pay, he gets a pound of Antonio's flesh. Bassanio naturally knows they should take their business elsewhere. But Antonio agrees to the dangerous deal. (Could it be that Antonio losing his love interest to Portia makes him unfearful of death?) Well, we soon meet Portia herself. Like other romances, this play too has its flaws. Portia is a sort of prisoner. Following the will of her dead father, she can only marry if a suitor chooses the correct of 3 caskets. This is nothing short of absurd. (Especially considering that Shylock's daughter Jessica runs off with a man her father does not approve of. And Jessica's father is very much alive!) But it does seem that when romance is involved, people are willing to accept absurd elements. To make a long story short, Bassanio chooses the right casket, and the 2 can happily be together. Moving back to the main plot, Shylock's daughter Jessica runs off with Lorenzo. As in other romances (including Shakespeare's) the young lovers run off with disrepsect towards involved parents. Shylock is of course sad about his daughter making off with part of his money to marry a man he does not approve of. (Typical Romance formula.) Though interestingly, Shakespeare adds one below the belt action. Shylock is a widower. Jessica stole and traded a ring that was a gift from Shylock's dead wife to him. Shylock is not as simple as people make him out to be. He is the villain of the story, but he is MUCH closer to Macbeth (who has a conscience) than Richard III (who is a psychopath). The truth of the matter is that Shakespeare may give in to some extent to the bigotries of a time, but he also reminds the audience that they are bigoted against human beings. Something is wrong with a person who could laugh at Jessica stealing a precious gift to Shylock from his dead wife. But moving on, things start to look black for Antonio. Shylock is delighted at the thought of being able to kill Anotnio legally. But here is the crux of the situation that most people overlook. ANTONIO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WRONGS SHYLOCK HAS SUFFERED! Antonio had nothing to do with Jessica stealing Shylock's money and running off with Lorenzo! To be sure, Antonio had some contempt for Shylock, but the feeling was mutual. In the desire for revenge, people often forget who has done them wrong. (But Hollywood will probably never understand this.) Moving on, there is the trial scene. Portia (being far from a mere romantic like Juliet, Imogen, Thaisa, Mariana, Perditia etc) resolves herself to save the best friend of her new husband. She disguises herself as a man and acts as a lawyer. It is interesting that Antonio never seems to fight Shylock's wrath. (Again, this may prove the theory that Antonio was gay, decided to do the right thing for Bassanio, and lost the will to live.) We probably have not forgotten the wrongs that Shylock has suffered, but his actions here are unacceptable. He declines the offer for 6,000 ducats (to release Antonio). Now Antonio's debt was 3,000. And the extra 3,000 would have pretty much replenished what Jessica stole. And when he says that not even 10 X the amount (30,000 ducats) will save Antonio, that is the last straw. Any sympathy we would have had for him is now gone. His revenge proves his undoing as Portia points out that if he can't get his pound of flesh without spilling blood, his lands and goods are forfiet to the state. Antonio himself then pleads for Shylock to retain half his wealth upon condition he convert and become a Christian. And Shylock realizes that 1/2 his wealth is better than nothing. And in the context of the times, we can see that Shylock will perhaps mend his ways. Shakespeare ends the play with the triumph of young lovers. All in all, it's a great play that emphasizes the dangers of revenge.

The Merchant of Venice (Signet Classics)

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Romantic comedy by the pound.

The Merchant of Venice (Signet Classics)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451529863

Customer Reviews:

Romantic comedy by the pound........2006-08-21

I recently re-read THE MERCHANT OF VENICE prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Shakespeare (1552-1616) produced this comedy on an uncertain date between 1594 and 1597 and published it in the First Folio in 1623.

The play tells the story of a merchant, Antonio, and the more famous villain (and the more interesting character), Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. When a young, charming Venetian, Bassanio, requires money to travel to Belmont to court the beautiful and wealthy Portia, he approaches his friend Antonio for 3000 ducats. Because all of Antonio's merchant ships are at sea, he approaches Shylock for a loan on Bassanio's behalf. Shylock, bitterly resentful of Antonio because he spat on him previously, proposes a malicious condition on the repayment of the loan: if Antonio is unable to repay the loan on time, Shylock will be entitled to take a pound of Antonio's flesh. Antonio confidently accepts the abhorant condition. Bassanio leaves for Belmont, and Antonio's ships are then lost at sea, leaving him unable to satisfy the bond, and exposing him to Shylock's revenge. (Meanwhile, Shylock's daughter Jessica flees his home, converts to Christianity, and elopes with Lorenzo.)

In a romantic subplot, in Belmont, Portia's numerous suitors are required by her late father's will to choose between three caskets for an opportunity (i.e., Portia's portrait) to marry Portia. Each suitor must agree, if he chooses incorrectly, to live out his life as a bachelor. After two unattractive suitors choose incorrectly, Bassanio makes the correct choice and wins Portia's hand in marriage.

The drama between Antonio and Shylock is resolved in the court of Venice, where Portia (disguised as a lawyer) successfully nullifies the agreement between Antonio and Shylock just as Shylock is about to cut Antonio with his knife. This utterly destroys Shylock. Antonio learns that his ships have returned safely after all. By the end of the play, all wrongs are righted, and all couples are united by love and happiness. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE is a fascinating play--a romantic comedy with the danger of a knife at its heart, giving it a dark side.

G. Merritt

Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)

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A Definite Grade Saver

Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
SparkNotes Editors
Manufacturer: SparkNotes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1586638505

Customer Reviews:

A Definite Grade Saver.......2006-08-29

The Merchant of Venice is perhaps one of Shakespeare's easier reads, but none-the-less, I don't think I could have gotten through it without this helpful guide. On one of the pages it is Shakespeare's original words, and on the opposite page it is translated into plain English so that the reader can better understand what is being said. You will be able to get through the play quickly and effectively without missing out on anything important. It helps to look at the plain English first and then read Shakespeare's original words, because along the way, you learn to understand what he is saying without having to read the translation. These no fear books are avaliable for many of Shakespeare's other works as well.

Aside from that, the story is an incredible one (warning, spoilers ahead). It is about friendship, love, betrayal, and mercy. In the end, good conquers evil, forgiveness is bestowed upon those who deserve it, and everyone finds and remains with their true love. No part of this play moved slowly, there was always something important going on so you aren't likely to get bored. I'm not usually a fan of Shakespeare, but perhaps with these no fear books, that may soon change. It's amazing how differently something can appear once you understand it.

Good luck to you all!

The Merchant of Venice: Texts and Contexts (The Bedford Shakespeare Series)

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The unplayable play
Shakespeare's Comedy/Tragedy of Marriage and its Interrelationships
Context is the king of this comedy!
Reversing our point of view toward the 'Justice'
Time has made Merchant into a tragedy

The Merchant of Venice: Texts and Contexts (The Bedford Shakespeare Series)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0312256248

Book Description

If there ever has been a groundbreaking edition that likewise returns the reader to the original Shakespeare text, it will be the Applause Folio Texts. If there has ever been an accessible version of the Folio, it is this edition, set for the first time in modern fonts. The Folio is the source of all other editions. The Folio text forces us to re-examine the assumptions and prejudices which have encumbered over four hundred years of scholarship and performance. Notes refer the reader to subsequent editorial interventions, and offer the reader a multiplicity of interpretations. Notes also advise the reader on variations between Folios and Quartos. The heavy mascara of four centuries of Shakespearean glossing has by now glossed over the original countenance of Shakespeare's work. Never has there been a Folio available in modern reading fonts. While other complete Folio editions continue to trade simply on the facsimile appearance of the Elizabethan "look," none of them is easily and practically utilized in general Shakespeare studies or performances.

Customer Reviews:

The unplayable play.......2007-01-21

As Harold Bloom says, this has become an unplayable play after the Holocaust. This is only an additional reason why one should read it. The play is fantastic and gives us one of Shakespeare's most memorable characters: Shylock. Whether you see him as villain or victim, Shylock is unforgettable. As is his speech defending the Jewish.

Shakespeare's Comedy/Tragedy of Marriage and its Interrelationships.......2006-03-22

The New Folger Library of Shakespeare's Tragedies and Comedies are among the best pocket editions available for the student and the journeyman lover of the Bard.

Before the actual text of the play which is wisely presented on the right hand page with explanatory notes (metaphors, allusions, similes, etc.) facing on the left hand page (words and phrases are defined by scholars based on their usage during Shakespeare's time; if scholars are inconclusive as to meaning, the word `uncertain' is used to connote this disagreement), the usual `Reading Shakespeare's Language', `Shakespeare's Life', `Shakespeare's Theatre', `Publication of Shakespeare's Plays' and `Introduction to the Text' introduce the reader to the Shakespearean world. Following the text, an essay by Alexander Leggatt follows illuminating `The Merchant of Venice' for the modern reader. In addition, an eleven page `Further Reading' list pinpoints books and essays on topics like the play itself, Shakespeare, the time in which he lived and the Globe Theatre. Rounding out the vital information is a three page "Key to Famous Lines and Phrases" complete with speaker and verse notation.

As far as the play itself, I will keep my remarks limited, saying only that for the modern audience, Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" borders on the provocative. All with politically correct upbringing or today's cultural sensitivity training cannot help but focus on the reigning prejudice of the early Medieval and Renaissance time period, namely the exclusion of Jews from all forms of normal life since mainstream thought withheld that this race was primarily responsible for Christ's crucifixion.

Indeed, today's reader will pose the question as to whether or not this play should be deemed more tragedy than comedy and must remember that as a comedy, "The Merchant of Venice" focuses on marriage, couples (Bassanio/Portia, Lorenzo/Jessica, Gratiano/Nerissa) and their emotional and financial interrelationships and uses sly humor and innuendo to poke fun at Venice's societal `outsiders'(Shylock, Morocco, Aragorn and in a lesser sense Antonio) who do not form a Shakespearean couple per se. Looked at from this perspective, the character of Shylock becomes simply the play's foremost societal outcast, in spite of the famous speech where he asks seemingly so poignantly, "If you prick us, do we not bleed?"

Bottom line: Shakespeare is Shakespeare. If your modern sensibilities are offended by Shakespeare's treatment of Shylock the Jew, the Prince of Morocco and the Prince of Aragorn and question the unhappy and solitary Antonio's intense feelings for Bassanio, simply keep in mind that the world at that time looked at such things differently. Within the definition of comedy, this play with its multitude of lovely speeches and images works well indeed. The New Folger Library edition simply makes the play more easily accessible and understood on the various levels of language and scholarship. I recommend this series wholeheartedly.

Diana F. Von Behren
"reneofc"

Context is the king of this comedy!.......2006-03-15

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE can be described as a tragedy only if one follows the modern definition of "tragedy" and not the Greek. The genre of tragedy in which Shakespeare wrote required that all of the players, or at least all of the main players, die at the end, à la ROMEO AND JULIET, JULIUS CAESAR, MACBETH, and HAMLET. In fact, MERCHANT OF VENICE can only be described as a tragedy if Shylock is seen as the main character and not Antonio. (Note, in the list of players at the beginning of the play, only Antonio is called a "merchant of Venice".) In sum, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE can only be described as a tragedy if it is completely removed from its historical context.

Shakespeare intended that the actions taken by Antonio, by Shylock, by Bassanio, and even by Portia be seen as comically extreme. Antonio goes to the lengths of seeking help from a man he despises to help a man he loves. Shylock demands nothing but justice, even when the demands of the agreement he made is met and even doubled. Everywhere in this play is there action taken to the extreme.

Only a refusal to acknowledge the historical context would be blind to the comedy. There are stage plays, television shows, and screenplays aplenty which follow the example set forth in MERCHANT OF VENICE, showing how comical people can be when their actions are taken to the extreme. If MERCHANT OF VENICE can be view in THIS context, then the comedy shines through.

As a writer, I find it comical that anyone would use MERCHANT OF VENICE to point the finger of "racism" at Shakespeare. Part of a writer's challenge is to present convincingly views even he or she disagrees with. The best writer would try to dismantle and disprove the very beliefs he or she holds dear. That Shakespeare has often been judged a racist based on his portrayal of Shylock serves only as testimony to the continuing success of this play. Shylock's speech, complimented by another reviewer, is ample proof that Shakespeare's own views are well hid. Shylock's speech demonstrates magnificently that Shakespeare was able to get inside the head of any man (or woman) in his stories and write the words which that man would speak, faithfully render the thoughts which that man would think, have that man act as only that man would act, and all of it be believable. Simply put, unless you knew beforehand a writer's views on any subject, it would be difficult to find the needle of truth in his or her haystack of fiction if that writer has done their job well, and in this case Shakespeare was damned near flawless!

It is true that the movie, starring Al Pacino, does not present this play as a comedy, but that hardly detracts from its excellence. It shows, in fact, that MERCHANT OF VENICE plays well as both a drama and a comedy. In our age, however, given the importance of religious tolerance, I'll admit that it is probably best played as a drama.

As for the Pelican series of Shakespeare's plays, they are an excellent resource for anyone wanting to read and study the Bard's work. I've several volumes in this series and hope to eventually own them all. Each volume contains two identical essays, "The Theatrical World" (which provides a good understanding of the historical context, as well as an idea of just how much we know about Shakespeare as an individual) and "The Texts of Shakespeare" (which gives more historical context and also discusses some of the difficulties which editors have experienced in presenting these plays in print to modern audiences). There is then an introduction to each play, which is best left unread until afterwards if you aren't familiar with the play. The footnotes are few, but well-chosen, and do help in understanding words and phrases whose meanings have changed over the centuries.

Reversing our point of view toward the 'Justice'.......2005-12-16

Anti-festive character who is Shylock on this play sacrificed unjustly. Shylock is a character who is legally invoking his rights as a money-lender among the community which experiencing transition from agriculture society to capitalistic society. Moroever, the character Portia's defending Bassanio as an disguised attorney is unreasonable in some ways and speech is crude, indeed.
In my opinion, to reach the axiomatically righteous conclusion, we should reverse pur point of view toward the 'Justice'. It is a transformation of way of our thinking. Therefore, I recommend rhis masterpiece for someone who aspire to ponder about our human being's viewpoint.

Time has made Merchant into a tragedy.......2005-12-06

Shylock is the only sympathetic character in the play. Modernity has altered the villain in "The Merchant of Venice" from Shylock to the entire cast of characters EXCEPT for Shylock. Any sense of comedy in the play died for those with a sense of religious tolerance, and Shylock comes off as merely oppressed. I found Act 5 almost nauseating after the forced conversion. That, coupled with the happy racism makes a perversion of decency and happy endings. This play is a tragedy. The recent movie version done starring Al Pacino turned it into a tragedy, and amazingly, a play written as a comedy seems to work very well as a tragedy.

Antonio gladly spits upon Shylock and calls him a dog, but stunningly, when Antonio finds himself in a financial pinch he goes to Shylock for money. More brash is Antonio's promise to act the same in the future: "I am as like to call thee so again, / To spet on thee again, to spurn thee, too." (1.3.127-28) From this point on, sympathy for Antonio is paralyzed in a modern reader's mind, from reminders of past images, from slavery and anti-Semitism, where the dehumanizing of a group of people is accepted by a society. The entire text afterward reads like an indictment of humanity, as if Shakespeare is making the Elizabethans laugh at their own behavior.

In perhaps the best argument in Shylock's defense in the trial, he point out the fact that those who speak of mercy own slaves. "What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong? / You have among you many a purchased slave." (4.1.89-90) Shylock, as fanatical as he is over the pound of flesh, is asking for only a pound of a man, when the slaveholders own the entire person. The play is littered with prejudiced remarks that clearly show how animalistic Shylock was to them.

Every conversation involving Shylock has ridicule from the Christians, without remorse or a feeling of comedy. The Christian children are taught to mock Shylock, they run after him in the street. The merchants spit on him, the Duke reviles him, his daughter renounces her religion and robs him.

Still an amazing story, with a few of the best on mercy and prejudice ever written.

The Merchant of Venice (Norton Critical Editions)

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The Merchant of Venice (Norton Critical Editions)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393925293

Book Description

The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare's most beautiful plays and, conversely, his ugliest. Juxtaposed within the same conceptual frame are heavenly and musical harmonies, romantic love, materialism, and racism. This Norton Critical Edition has been carefully edited to make The Merchant of Venice, its surrounding history, and the history of its critical reception and rewritings accessible to readers. The text of this edition is based on the 1600 First Quarto, with light editing and substantial explanatory annotations by Leah S. Marcus.

" Sources and Contexts" largely focuses on the character of Shylock and the issue of anti-Semitism in the play. Materials included are diverse, and at times contradictory, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. Examples include seventeenth-century anti-Semitic literature, an essay from the same period defending Jews and arguing for their repatriation in England, an examination of the Christian theology of the play, and readings of The Merchant of Venice as exclusionary for Jews, women, and people of color.

" Criticism" collects twenty-one diverse interpretations. In addition to Shylock and the question of anti-Semitism, these essays address The Merchant of Venice in the context of postcolonial, feminist, and queer theory and explore relevant issues of economic status and organization.

" Rewritings and Appropriations" includes excerpts from dramatic, musical, and other literary adaptations of The Merchant of Venice, as well as a selection of poems, most of them from the twentieth century, on the character of Shylock.

A Selected Bibliography is also included.

About the Series: No other series of classic texts equals the caliber of the Norton Critical Editions. Each volume combines the most authoritative text available with the comprehensive pedagogical apparatus necessary to appreciate the work fully. Careful editing, first-rate translation, and thorough explanatory annotations allow each text to meet the highest literary standards while remaining accessible to students. Each edition is printed on acid-free paper and every text in the series remains in print. Norton Critical Editions are the choice for excellence in scholarship for students at more than 2,000 universities worldwide.

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The Merchant of Venice (Cliffs Notes)
Waldo F. McNeir
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0822000520

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background.

In CliffsNotes on The Merchant of Venice , you follow along as a young merchant cannot repay his debt to a vindictive moneylender.

This is the story that introduces us to Shylock, one of the most vivid and memorable characters in Shakespeare's work. You'll gain insight into this romantic comedy as you move through each of the play's five acts. Other features that help you figure out this important work include

Life and background of the author
Analyses of the characters
A brief synopsis of the play
A review section that tests your knowledge
A selected bibliography that leads you to more great resources

Classic literature or modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

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This play is a romantic comedy. But as the story of a young merchant who cannot repay a debt to a vindictive money lender, it has a very dark obstacle in the character of Shylock, one of the most vivid and memorable characters in Shakespeare's works.

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i'd give it a ten!.......1999-11-16

This play is very intresting! The play is funny and meaningful. It gives an insightful look on sexism and the way people react to life situations. The play pleads for peace and love.

A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes

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A Delightful Read
Outstanding
Definitely a Feast!!!!
Extremely Biased...
WONDERFUL BOOK FOR BEGINNERS AND PROFESSIONALS

A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes
Clifford A. Wright
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0688153054

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To answer the question, "What does Mediterranean mean and what is Mediterranean food" in The Mediterranean Feast, Clifford Wright delves into not merely history, but also agronomy, economics, geography, and more. He dedicates this monumental synthesis of the influences that eventually produced Mediterranean food as we know it to "the philosophers and the cooks." Fortunately, when it seems the intellectuals have taken over completely, one comes on Wright's lyrical description of eating a cassoulet, the golden-crusted, complex French bean stew, and other passages proving that Wright's intense quest for knowledge is based on a cook's culinary passion.

Illustrated with maps and brimming with more than 500 recipes, A Mediterranean Feast is Wright's way of leading the reader beyond the popular, romantic image of this region as an eternally bountiful land. He explains how the complex web of influences between the fall of the Roman Empire in the 6th century and the Age of Reason in the 17th century transformed the Mediterranean from a harsh place where poverty and famine made "dying of hunger ... a defining occurrence," to one we could romanticize, seeing it as ever lush with citrus, sun-ripe tomatoes, laden vines, exquisite cheeses, artisanal breads, and simple but well-fed folk. Those who rise to absorb the encyclopedic knowledge and engage with the ideas set forth in this dense work, such as the peasants' willingness to accept new, unfamiliar foods to relieve the boredom and scarcity of subsistence eating, will receive a profound education about Mediterranean life as it historically relates to food.

While A Mediterranean Feast feeds the mind, it also offers a wealth of authentic and intriguing dishes from the entire region, from France to Algeria and Spain to the Near East. Readers primarily interested in cooking can flip through this massive book, picking out remarkable recipes such as the pine nut omelet of southern France, Umm Ali, a creamy Egyptian pudding containing phyllo, nuts, coconut, and raisins, and Nohutlu Pilavi, the buttery Turkish pilaf of rice simmered with chickpeas. --Dana Jacobi

Book Description

A groundbreaking culinary work of extraordinary depth and scope that spans more than one thousand years of history, A Mediterranean Feast tells the sweeping story of the birth of the venerated and diverse cuisines of the Mediterranean. Author Clifford A. Wright weaves together historical and culinary strands from Moorish Spain to North Africa, from coastal France to the Balearic Islands, from Sicily and the kingdoms of Italy to Greece, the Balkan coast, Turkey, and the Near East.

The evolution of these cuisines is not simply the story of farming, herding, and fishing; rather, the story encompasses wars and plagues, political intrigue and pirates, the Silk Road and the discovery of the New World, the rise of capitalism and the birth of city-states, the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition, and the obsession with spices. The ebb and flow of empires, the movement of populations from country to city, and religion have all played a determining role in making each of these cuisines unique.

In A Mediterranean Feast, Wright also shows how the cuisines of the Mediterranean have been indelibly stamped with the uncompromising geography and climate of the area and a past marked by both unrelenting poverty and outrageous wealth. The book's more than five hundred contemporary recipes (which have been adapted for today's kitchen) are the end point of centuries of evolution and show the full range of culinary ingenuity and indulgence, from the peasant kitchen to the merchant pantry. They also illustrate the migration of local culinary predilections, tastes for food and methods of preparation carried from home to new lands and back by conquerors, seafarers, soldiers, merchants, and religious pilgrims.

A Mediterranean Feast includes fourteen original maps of the contemporary and historical Mediterranean, a guide to the Mediterranean pantry, food products resources, a complete bibliography, and a recipe and general index, in addition to a pronunciation key. An astonishing accomplishment of culinary and historical research and detective work in eight languages, A Mediterranean Feast is required--and intriguing--reading for any cook, armchair or otherwise.

Customer Reviews:

A Delightful Read.......2007-09-20

This is one of those cookbooks you buy for pleasure. Not to cook from, but to actually learn the background of what your cooking. While most cookbooks provide little anecdotes about their recipes, this one delves deeply into the history of the mediterranean and its cuisine. We learn how climate, religion and historical circumstances shaped the cuisine of the mediterranean as we know it today. We learn about the major role the islamic civilization played in the region and about the cultural exchanges between the Europeans and the Islamic empire. The recipes, all five hundred of them(!) while excellent (I tried a few) are really incidental and are included so that we get concrete examples of what Wright is talking about. Cooking the recipes and reading the book will give you a true sense of not only what the Mediterranean is like, but what the Mediterranean is.. A definate must read for any one who whats to understand the region

Outstanding.......2007-06-07

This is not your ordinary cookbook; the authors of the previous reviews who expect one should just go browse at Walmart. This is an incredibly detailed history of food that is entertaining and enlightening--I've read no other quite like it. Every recipe is extremely detailed and comes with its own background, and the history itself is fascinating.

The sheer amount of research that must have gone into this book is astonishing.

As a lover of history, the history of food, and food, and cooking, I found this to be definitely one of the culinary masterpieces of the genre. Bravo.

Definitely a Feast!!!!.......2006-08-03

If you like history and you like Mediteranean food, you will love this book! Very fascinating stuff....

Extremely Biased..........2005-08-13

I found this book exciting and interesting as far as the history of true Mediterranean Cuisine, but some of the statements of the author are quite opinionated, bold and brash (and couldn't necessarily be substantiated) and some extremely biased against Christianity. He is an Arab-studies scholar before this, and so it seems he finds time and again places where he can make digs on Christians of the past. I had a hard time getting past his little remarks to get to the real meat of his history.

As far as the recipes...they are a bit disappointing. Like the other reviewer, they are scattered throughout the book, seemingly without organization. While trying to write about true historical Mediterranean cuisine, he throws in modern recipes from friends at various spots....almost like an afterthought. There isn't much rhyme or reason to where or why recipes are in a certain section or chapter.

And it is very longwinded...

WONDERFUL BOOK FOR BEGINNERS AND PROFESSIONALS.......2004-02-21

This is a doctoral thesis and complete cookbook all in one. This was given to me as a gift and it is not only informative, but the recipes REALLY WORK. I have a lot of cookbooks, but I will never give this one up, ever. IT has hundreds of recipes with very simple ingredients. Even substitutions for ethnic seasonings is already provided in the book. It is healthy, tasteful, easy to cook and you dont need to be a genius to have wonderful meals with this one. EXCELLENT BOOK.

Understanding The Merchant of Venice: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents (The Greenwood Press "Literature in Context" Series)

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Understanding The Merchant of Venice: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents (The Greenwood Press "Literature in Context" Series)
Jay L. Halio
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0313310114

Book Description

The Merchant of Venice, even in its own time, was considered Shakespeare's most controversial play. Now, one of the most popularly read and performed works, the play raises even more important issues for our day, particularly anti-Semitism and the treatment of Jews. Shakespeare scholar Jay Halio brings together his fascinating literary insights and his considerable knowledge of Shakespeare's world to this student casebook. His analysis of the play helps students interpret Shakespeare's plot and interwoven subplots, the sources that helped shape the play and the characters, and the thematic issues relating to justice, mercy and the myriad bonds of human relationships. These themes serve as starting points for a broader understanding of the issues discussed and documented: Elizabethan marriage and women's matrimonial rights; Renaissance concepts of male friendship; legal, moral and religious views of usury; and the treatment of Jews in Venice and beyond. The concerns raised by the play are put into context with historical materials including Sir Francis Bacon's essay "Of Friendship," excerpts from Henry Smith's 1591 A Preparative to Marriage, extracts from Phillip Stubbes' 1583 Anatomy of Abuses, and Travel Accounts by Fynes Moryson that describe Venice and how Jews lived there in the early 1600s. This casebook also considers contemporary applications, with essays and editorials on current hate groups in the United States, the treatment of women, and male bonding. This section, culminating with a poignant interview in which actor Hal Halbrook discusses his stage portrayal of Shylock, will leave readers with an appreciation for how profoundly relevant The Merchant of Venice remains for our time. This casebook introduces students to the many issues in the play with a Literary and Dramatic Analysis chapter. Six topic chapters examine the play in its historical context, combining expert discussion and primary documents, making this ideal for interdisciplinary study. Each topic section contains ideas for classroom discussions, research papers, and further suggested readings to help students get the most out of their study of The Merchant of Venice.

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