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The Merchant of Venice

Merchant.
From the Roxburghe Ballads.
University of Victoria Library.

Love and economics are intertwined in a story that climaxes in a courtroom showdown. An often uncomfortable comedy, The Merchant of Venice is known for its sharp division between the commercial world of Venice and the seemingly idyllic world of Belmont. A modern reader will be engaged by Shakespeare's portrait of the Jewish merchant, Shylock, and the overtones of anti-semitism in the play (whether these attitudes were Shakespeare's or those of some of the characters in the play).

The subjects covered in the following pages include:

See also:

Footnotes

  1. Summary: facts about The Merchant of Venice

    Written:1597-98
    First published:
    1600 & 1619 (quartos)

    1623 (folio)


    First mention:: Stationer's Register, July 22 1598.