Other editions of book The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Although classified as a comedy in the First Folio, and while it shares certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps more remembered for its dramatic scenes, and is best known for the character of Shylock. The title character is the merchant Antonio, not the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who is the play's most prominent and more famous villain. Though Shylock is a tormented character, he is also a tormentor, so whether he is to be viewed with disdain or sympathy is up to the audience (as influenced by the interpretation of the play's director and lead actors). As a result, The Merchant of Venice is often classified as one of Shakespeare's problem plays.

Shakespeare's classic play explores the eternal themes of love and hate, mercy and justice, with parallel stories centered on the moneylender, Shylock, and the lovers, Portia and Bassanio. Shylock's angry insistence on the repayment of his debt from Bassanio ends in the Venetian courts where he demands his pound of flesh. Portia meanwhile, a wealthy young Venetian woman, must marry one of her many suitors. Her late father’s will has set the challenge by means of three caskets, one gold, one silver, and one lead. The climax of the play takes place in court, with Portia, now disguised as a man and defending the life of Antonio, imploring Shylock to show mercy. This superb production of Shakespeare's dramatic and complex play is directed by the award-winning Peter Kavanagh and features specially-composed music by the renowned Barrington Pheloung.2 CDs. 2 hrs 1 min.

The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice must default on a large loan provided by an abused Jewish moneylender. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic scenes, and is best known for Shylock and the famous "Hath not a Jew eyes?" speech. Also notable is Portia's speech about "the quality of mercy". Critic Harold Bloom listed it among Shakespeare's great comedies.

Deception and Pride-- Bassanio, a Venetian nobleman, wishes to woo the beautiful and wealthy Portia, but he is short on funds. So he turns to his friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant. Antonio agrees to help, but currently he is cash strapped as all of his ships are at sea. He agrees instead to guarantee a loan for Bassanio. Bassanio turns to Antonio's rival and enemy Shylock for the loan.

The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice must default on a large loan provided by an abused (Jewish)moneylender. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic scenes, and it is best known for Shylock and the famous "Hath not a Jew eyes?" speech. Also notable is Portia's speech about "the quality of mercy". Critic Harold Bloom listed it among Shakespeare's great comedies.

*This Book is annotated (it contains a detailed biography of the author). *An active Table of Contents has been added by the publisher for a better customer experience. *This book has been checked and corrected for spelling errors. The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in 16th-century Venice must default on a large loan provided by an abused Jewish moneylender. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic scenes, and is best known for Shylock and the famous "Hath not a Jew eyes?" speech. Also notable is Portia's speech about "the quality of mercy".

The Merchant of Venice is one of William Shakespeare's greatest comedies. The play follows the title character who defaults on a large loan. The play is still widely performed today. William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, is known for his many sonnets and plays that have stood the test of time. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. He married at a young age and had three children. At age 21, Shakespeare began to have success in his business venture, an acting company known as the King’s Men. He also began writing at this time and would ultimately complete many of the most famous works in all of literature. Shakespeare's plays were well-loved from the beginning and even today his popularity remains unparalleled. The cause of Shakespeare's death is unknown, but he is honored today in Westminster Abbey in the Poet’s Corner.