Read Shakespeare's plays in all their brilliance--and understand what every word means
In The Merchant of Venice, the path to marriage is hazardous. To win Portia, Bassanio must pass a test prescribed by her father's will, choosing correctly among three caskets or chests. If he fails, he may never marry at all. Bassanio and Porti
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...
Tragicomic drama of love, wealth and justice revolves around a Venetian moneylender's bargain with a young merchant for "a pound of flesh." Includes explanatory footnotes.
This edition of The Merchant of Venice is especially designed for students, with accessible on-page notes and explanatory illustrations, clear background information, and rigorous but accessible scholarly credentials. This edition includes illustrations, preliminary notes, reading...
The Annotated Shakespeare series enables readers to fully understand and enjoy the plays of the world's greatest dramatist In this lively comedy of love and money in sixteenth-century Venice, Bassanio wants to impress the wealthy heiress Portia but lacks the necessary...
Harold Bloom on "The Merchant of Venice": "Shylock's prose is Shakespeare's best before Falstaff's...His utterances manifest a spirit so potent, malign, and negative as to be unforgettable."
This edition of The Merchant of Venice, based on a fresh examination of the early editions, includes an exceptionally lucid and accessible introduction which addresses Shakespeare's attitude toward Semitism and establishes the cultural, historical, and literary context in which...
Experience the captivating drama of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare with this pocket classic edition. Immerse yourself in the tale of love, justice, and deception set in Renaissance Venice. Compact and portable, it's a must-have for Shakespeare enthusiasts and...
Initially described as a comedy, Shakespeare's explorations of prejudice, duty and the nature of justice make The Merchant of Venice a far darker, more alluring play.
An improved, larger-format edition of the Cambridge School Shakespeare plays, extensively rewritten, expanded and produced in an attractive new design. An active approach to classroom Shakespeare enables students to inhabit Shakespeare's imaginative world in accessible and creative...
In the CliffsComplete guides, the novel's complete text and a glossary appear side-by-side with coordinating numbered lines to help you understand unusual words and phrasing. You'll also find all the commentary and resources of a standard CliffsNotes for Literature. CliffsComplete...
The Merchant of Venice is probably the most controversial of all Shakespeare's plays. It is also one of the least understood. Is it a comedy or a tragedy? What is the meaning behind the test of the caskets? Who is the real villain of the trial scene? Is Shylock simply vicious...
This edition of The Merchant of Venice, based on a fresh examination of the early editions, includes an exceptionally lucid and accessible introduction which addresses Shakespeare's attitude toward Semitism and establishes the cultural, historical, and literary context in which...
Tackling The Merchant of Venice? Easily understand every line and quickly master Shakespeare's tale of love and revenge. Does Shakespeare's 400-year-old language often leave you confused? Do you wish there was an easier way to get to the heart of the story...
The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play written by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599.
This Norton Critical Edition has been carefully edited to make The Merchant of Venice, its surrounding history, and the history of its critical reception and rewritings accessible to readers. The text of this edition is based on the 1600 First Quarto, with light editing and substantial...