The Merchant of Venice (The New Cambridge Shakespeare) [Paperback]

William Shakespeare (Author), M. M. Mahood (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 5, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0521532515 | ISBN-13: 978-0521532518 | Edition: Updated

Charles Edelman focuses on the play's sexual politics and recent scholarship devoted to the position of Jews in Shakespeare's time in this new edition. He surveys the international scope of theatrical interpretations of The Merchant in the 1980s and 1990s as well as different ways of tackling the troubling figure of Shylock. First Edition Hb (1988): 0-521-22156-0 First Edition Pb (1988): 0-521-29371-5

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The introduction and commentary reveal an author with a lively awareness of the importance of perceiving the play as a theatrical document, one which comes to life, which is completed only in performance." The Review of English Studies

Book Description

'The introduction and commentary reveal an author with a lively awareness of the importance of of perceiving the play as a theatrical document, one which comes to life, which is completed only in performance.'The Review of English StudiesIn a substantial new section, Charles Edelman focuses on the play's sexual politics and recent scholarship devoted to the position of Jews in Shakespeare's time. He surveys the international scope of theatrical interpretations of The Merchant in the 1980s and 1990s and different ways of tackling the troubling figure of Shylock.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; Updated edition (May 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521532515
• ISBN-13: 978-0521532518
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #702,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564, and his birth is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The facts of his life, known from surviving documents, are sparse. He was one of eight children born to John Shakespeare, a merchant of some standing in his community. William probably went to the King's New School in Stratford, but he had no university education. In November 1582, at the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, who was pregnant with their first child, Susanna. She was born on May 26, 1583. Twins, a boy, Hamnet ( who would die at age eleven), and a girl, Judith, were born in 1585. By 1592 Shakespeare had gone to London working as an actor and already known as a playwright. A rival dramatist, Robert Greene, referred to him as "an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers." Shakespeare became a principal shareholder and playwright of the successful acting troupe, the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later under James I, called the King's Men). In 1599 the Lord Chamberlain's Men built and occupied the Globe Theater in Southwark near the Thames River. Here many of Shakespeare's plays were performed by the most famous actors of his time, including Richard Burbage, Will Kempe, and Robert Armin. In addition to his 37 plays, Shakespeare had a hand in others, including Sir Thomas More and The Two Noble Kinsmen, and he wrote poems, including Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. His 154 sonnets were published, probably without his authorization, in 1609. In 1611 or 1612 he gave up his lodgings in London and devoted more and more time to retirement in Stratford, though he continued writing such plays as The Tempest and Henry VII until about 1613. He died on April 23 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford. No collected edition of his plays was published during his life-time, but in 1623 two members of his acting company, John Heminges and Henry Condell, put together the great collection now called the First Folio.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Edition, March 13, 2007

By 

F. Mount (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Merchant of Venice (The New Cambridge Shakespeare) (Paperback)

I really recommend this edition of "The Merchant of Venice" -- in fact, all of the New Cambridge Shakespeare. They are easily readable editions, and the extensive frontmatter -- introduction, commentary, background to the play, performance history -- are all wonderful, and add a lot to the experience. I recently purchased this edition of "The Merchant of Venice" along with the Arkangel CD of the play, and listened along while reading. It was a wonderful way to approach the play. And when I saw the recent production here in New York with F. Murray Abraham in the role of Shylock, I was very well prepared. Having read and listened to the play before seeing it made the whole experience much deeper.