The Merchant of Venice is best known for its complex and ambiguous portrait of the Jewish moneylender Shylock—and of European anti-Semitism. Fascinating in its engagement with prejudice, the play is also a comedy of cross-dressing and disguise, and a dramatic exploration of justice, mercy, and vengeance.

This volume contains the full text of the play with explanatory footnotes and marginal glosses for contemporary readers. An extensive introduction and well-rounded selection of background materials not only illuminate anti-Semitism in early modern England but also provide context for other facets of the play, including its comic plot of love and marriage, its examination of commerce and international trade, and its themes of revenge and the law.

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Yes, you can access The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Julie Sutherland, Joseph Black,Leonard Conolly,Kate Flint,Isobel Grundy,Don LePan,Roy Liuzza,Jerome J. McGann,Anne Lake Prescott,Barry V. Qualls,Claire Waters in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & Shakespeare Drama. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.