Rating: 
Summary: Give me lines!
Review: The play itself is fantastic; my warning is about this version. I bought the Dover Thrift edition for my class because it is inexpensive. But to my chagrin, the edition does not have line numbers. It made it near impossible to use efficiently in class. Just a word of warning.
Rating: 
Summary: A good interesting work.
Review: This book is all about the lives of Antonio, Bassinio and also talks about the distinctions between the Jews and the Christians. A pleasure to read.
Rating: 
Summary: a problem play
Review: this is a very difficult play to watch or read. while shakespeare may have intended shylock to be a villain, to a modern sensibility, he is the victim of society's racism. frankly, i had far more sympathy for shylock than for the christian characters. and i'm not jewish. or christian. i found the treatment of shylock appalling, and while i think a "pound of flesh" was too dear a price to pay for forfeiting the bond, i believe antonio deserved to lose his wealth. he - and bassanio and portia and all the rest - are irredeemable bigots, and therefore, thoroughly detestable. mov is a good portrayal of bigotry, but it is an impossible play to like when none of the characters are likeable.
Rating: 
Summary: Warm, Witty, Morality Play
Review: This is a wonderful play - and unless you have seen it or read it you don't know it at all. That's because everything the popular culture tells us about this play is false (for example; how many of you think this play is about a merchant named Shylock? ;-)The Merchant of Venice is a lively and happy morality tale. Good triumphs over bad - charity over greed - love over hate.
There is fine comedy. Portia is one of Shakespeare's greatest women (and he ennobled women more than any playwright in history). There are moments of empathy and pain with all the major characters. There is great humanity and earthiness in this play. These things are what elevate Shakespeare over any other playwright in English history. Plays should be seen - not read. I recommend you see this play (if you can find a theater with the courage and skill to do it). But if it is not playing in your area this season - buy the book and read it.
Rating:
Summary: A Bold Move!
Review: This is an outstanding play. The comedy is rich, but the story is also well constructed. Portia'passage on mercy (4.1) is one of the most unforgettable passages in Shakespeare's writings. I can not overestimate Shakespeare's brilliance in the way he constructs the dramatic irony of this play. Shylock's emphasis on the letter of the law over mercy leads to his own downfall. I feel this play was a bold move on Shakespeare's part. To be sure, it is a great play in itself, but I suspect there is more. I can not help but think the Gospels inspired Shakespeare in the writing of this play. It is almost as if Shylock represents the Jewish authorities and Portia represents Christ. To elaborate further, Antonio may have been derived from the cripple that Christ heals. So leave it to Shakespeare! A comical play, a good story, memorable passages, and divine roots all rolled into one. Shakespeare, I salute you!
Rating:
Summary: Controversy, theology, ambiguity
Review: This may be the most controversial (to modern culture) play that Shakespeare wrote. It deals with the racial disparities popularly belived in Shakespeare's day to exist between Christians and Jews. Christianity is presented as a tenet of generosity, goodwill, charity, celebration, and joy. Judaism, however, is contrasted starkly as a sort of disease that plagues its followers, causing them to be miserly and humorless. Shakespeare gives us some very direct social commentary that rivals his work in The Tempest. Evidence that Shakes is trying to make a point is the way he plants a typical Jewish merchant with reasonable grievances in a field of blind and clearly absurd (albeit our modern bias of "evolved sensibilities") stereotypes accepted as the norm. The regular helping or irony is served up by an ambiguously glossy denouement, leaving more questions than answers on justice and prejudice.
Rating:
Summary: Ouch!
Review: This play can be read as anti-semitic. In fact, it's pretty hard to defend it from such charges. Shylock is a pretty rotten character and the fact that he is jewish is difficult to overlook (particularly since the other characters mention it on pretty much EVERY page). However, I think it is important to mention that the "heroes" of this play do not necessarily have to be interpreted as heroes. They are by no means perfect and there are many subtle (and some not-so-subtle) instances within the text in which their biases against ANYONE unlike them is illustrated. If one reads the play this way, then Shylock becomes more of a tragic figure rather than an absolutely heartless villain. I don't know. My feelings about this are mixed. There are a few funny parts of this play and the language is, as always, beautiful. The theme of putting a price on human beings is one which has been explored numerous times since. Overall, it is enjoyable, but perhaps not so much so as some of the other comedies. Do not read this play without having read a few others by Shakespeare first. It is an excellent play, but not his best and not his most enjoyable either.
Rating:
Summary: Shakespeare at his worst.
Review: This play is one of the major works of anti semitism in history. This play made me very angry and hurt that Shakespeare thought this way about the jews. Shylock was a fully dimensional character but he was just a human representation of a bigoted idea. Shakespeare had never met a jew in his life because all the jews had already been expelled from England. The ending was sad and pathetic. Maybe I missed something in reading this.
Rating:
Summary: Katherine's book review ( MOV anti semitic? NO WAY!)
Review: This play was actually intersting and had superb characterization. I actually found this work riveting - it had a great plot. I highly recommend this play because it is one of Sharkespeare's best. It is a great play to start with because it is easy to understand.
Rating:
Summary: One of Shakespeare's Best
Review: This play was actually intersting and had superb characterization. I actually found this work riveting - it had a great plot. I highly recommend this play because it is one of Sharkespeare's best. It is a great play to start with because it is easy to understand.
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