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:

• The settings: Venice and Belmont
• Shylock and depictions of Jews
• Legal comedy
• Love and money
• The music of the spheres?

See also:

• A modern text of The Merchant of Venice.
• Old-spelling texts of Folio 1, and Quarto 1.
• A list of book facsimiles that contain The Merchant of Venice.
• The essential facts about the play.*