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Format: paperback, Publisher: Pearson Education Limited, ISBN: 1405801751£4.19P&P: £2.75
Format: paperback, Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN: 0333973526£14.24P&P - Check site
Format: Paperback, Publisher: Pearson Schools(31-Aug-2000), ISBN: 058242713...£5.94P&P - Check site
Format: Paperback, ISBN: 9781856460972£4.49P&P: £2.75

1- William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice Review

  • Full review by
    The quality of mercy is not strained Rank: Major
    on 22nd Feb 2008


    User Rating : 8
    Respect : 0

    Good Points: This is a classic. This can also raise a good subject of debate about whether Shylock is a villain or a victim. Women also have some power in the denouement of the play because if it wasn't for Portia's careful reading, Antonio would surely have lost his life.

    Bad Points: The play puts a lot of emphasis on how Shylock is a Jew and then puts him in a negative light. The only other character that could possibly count as a Jew is Jessica, and she discourages the virtue of being proud of your race/religion by converting to Christianity as soon as she elopes with Lorenzo. Oh, and did I mention that she stole from her own father? Another negative element is the ease with which Bassanio is encouraged to break a commitment to his wife.

    General comments: Though the basic plot of the play is good overall, I would not recommend this play for reading aloud to children. At the least, a person should be thirteen before reading the play. It would be worth discussing the fact that Shylock is somewhat of a victim after reading the play. It would also be good to point out that none of the main characters are perfect by the standards of Shakespeare's time. If you look closely, you can see that Antonio is gay and is in love with Bassanio. Bassanio is a prodigal who put his friend at the mercy of a moneylender rather than borrow the money himself. All three female characters have at least one scene where they appear dressed as the opposite sex.
    The quality of mercy is not strained's review and ratings
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Merchant of Venice

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Merchant of Venice Book Notes Summary by William Shakespeare Book ...
Merchant of Venice Book Notes Summary by William Shakespeare. Merchant of Venice book notes, including 41 pages of chapter summaries, symbolism, quotes, and more.

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[EMLS 04-3 (January 1999): 3.1-37] A Second Daniel: The Jew and the ...
Two recent studies of Shakespeare and early modern attitudes towards Jews come to remarkably different conclusions on the question of whether or not The Merchant of Venice is an anti-Jewish play.1 ...

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Shakespeare Made Easy - Shakespeare translation into modern English ...
Ideal for instant reference and understanding, whether you are reading William Shakespeare for pleasure or studying for an examination.

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