The Merchant of Venice is perhaps most associated not with its titular hero, Antonio, but with the complex figure of the money lender, Shylock. The play was described as a comedy in the First Folio but its modern audiences find it more problematic to categorise. The vilification of Shylock 'the Jew' can be very uncomfortable for a post-holocaust audience and debates continue as to whether Shakespeare's portrayal of this complex man is sympathetic or anti-semitic.
John Drakakis' comprehensive introduction traces the stage history of the figure of the Jew and looks boldly at twenty-first century issues surrounding it. He also explores other themes of the play such as father/daughter relations, the power of money and the forceful character of Portia, to offer readers an energetic, original and revelatory reading of this challenging play.
By:
William Shakespeare Edited by:
Professor John Drakakis (University of Stirling STIRLING) Imprint: The Arden Shakespeare Country of Publication: United Kingdom Dimensions:
Height: 198mm,
Width: 129mm,
Spine: 28mm
Weight: 603g ISBN:9781903436806 ISBN 10: 190343680X Series:The Arden Shakespeare Third Series Pages: 480 Publication Date:01 May 2011 Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Primary
,
Undergraduate
Format:Hardback Publisher's Status: Active
John Drakakis is Professor of English Studies at the University of Stirling, Scotland.
