Customer Reviews

The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare Made Easy)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I really enjoyed having the side by side version...I found myself reading most often in the original text first, and glancing over at the modern text for clarification of meaning and humor. It made it very quick and enjoyable to read. High recommendation!

William Shakespheare in the Merchant of Venice, explores again, like so many of his other plays, the difference between vice and virture, the noble and ignoble. This time out he compares the hero Antonio's acts of mercy with the villian Shylock's desire for justice, the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law. Shakespheare shows throughout the play that he is very confident that Christianity and its followers are superior to Judaism and its followers and quite frankly, his portrayal of the Jewish moneylender Shylock is anti-Semitic and leaves out none of the negative stereotypes. The play seems to be a Christian polemic with its theological interest in Christianity's mercy versus Judaism's justice, as Shakespheare sees it. It may have also been a warning to its audience about the moneylenders of Shakespheare's time.

The story is one in which Antonio offers to go into debt for a loan so that his friend Bassanio can have enough money to impress Portia, a woman he wishes to court and marry. Antonio goes into debt to Shylock, a moneylender who demands a pound of his flesh if he cannot pay back the loan. Shylock hates Antonio because Antonio has payed off many loans of his indebted clients and also has badmouthed him as an unethical loan shark, trying to damage Shylock's business.

It is the tension of hate between the two, which give the play an intensity, especially at the climax when Shylock is about to take a pound of his flesh. Also the fear of losing flesh to the moneylender makes for good drama. The character Shylock has some juicy vitriolic lines during the scene. And there is a certain glee Shakespheare builds into the play to see Shylock's "justice" turned against him.

There is also a subplot involving Portia and her various suitors who have to choose between 3 caskets of gold, silver, and lead. Choosing the correct casket will make them the husband of Portia. It was interesting to read about the different reasonings that each suitor has for their choices. Portia also disguises herself as a judge during Antonio's trial in which she helps to set him free of the charges and his friend Bassanio is persuaded to give up his engagement ring to the judge out of gratitude, which gets him in trouble with Portia later who does not tell him she was the judge as she asks him what happened to the ring.

This is a good, tightly constructed play with none of diffuseness of King Lear. It had more drama too.

"The Merchant of Venice" is surely one of Shakespeare's most underrated plays. After reading "Macbeth," "Hamlet," "Othello," and "King Lear," this was a well-appreciated break from the tragedies. All of the characters are likable, even the misunderstood villian (?) Shylock. Full of love and life and joy, it is all the more enriched by the happy ending.

I read the "Merchant of Venice" after reading "Romeo and Juliet", another of Shakespeare's masterpieces, and I thoroughly enjoyed the play. The "Merchant of Venice" is an excellent play that explores moral and ethical issues of what is right or wrong, good or bad, vice or virtue. It teaches that ultimately good will win over evil, love over hate.

Shakespeare powerfully brings out the characters in his play in a compelling and unforgettable way. Portia is shown to be the perfect woman, full of wisdom and wit, loving with all her soul, and submitting with all her heart to Bassanio.

Antonio was a kind and generous man who often helped people who were indebted to Shylock, the greed moneylender, to repay their debts. Antonio offers to go into debt for a loan to enable his friend Bassanio to have enough money to impress Portia, a woman he wishes to court and marry. The cruel Shylock demands a pound of his flesh if Antonio cannot pay back the loan. Antonio fails to pay the loan on time and it is only the clever and witty Portia who saves Antonio by pointing out in court that the agreement with Shylock requires him to take exactly one pound of flesh and that no blood has to be shed.

Among the various interesting sub-plots was where various Portia's suitors had to choose between three caskets. According to her late father's will, Portia's suitor must choose the correct of three caskets that contained Portia's picture (gold, silver, and lead), and then, if correct, he may marry Portia. The Moroccan prince arrives to woo Portia and learns that if he chooses the wrong chest, he must swear to never ask any woman to marry him. The Moroccan prince chooses a chest to open and he incorrectly chooses the gold one. The Prince of Aragon arrives and chooses the silver chest, also the wrong one. Bassanio, whom Portia loved, correctly chooses the lead casket and wins Portia's hand in marriage.

The one aspect of this play that mars an otherwise perfect play is the characterisation of Shylock, the Jew to be a caricature of Jewish usury and greed versus Christian mercy and kindness.

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 Shylock? ;-)

The Merchant of Venice is a lively and happy morality tale.
Good wins over bad - charity over greed - love over hate.
There is fine comedy (in the production I saw, the minor
character of the Prince of Morocco practically stole the
show trying to guess the right box that would win him the
hand of Portia in marriage). 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.

As always I recommend you see the play (if you can find
a theater with the courage and skill to do it) over reading it.
But if it is not playing in your area this season - buy the
book and read it.

I recently got this for my 13 year old niece who is getting ready to go see the play. It is her very first encounter with Shakespeare, and she is really enjoying the side by side modern translation of Shakespeare's text. It makes the language a lot less intimidating!

The Merchant of Venice was purchased for our Grandchild who is using it at school as he prepares for major exams. Thanks for sending it as promised. Always nice to deal with Amazon.com.
Terence Uddenberg

If you liked William Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet, you'll love this book. An excellent book, that only an idiot would give it one star, only a guy who doesn't understand great literature when he sees it. I understand great literature when I see it, that is why I rate this book five stars. Also, if it was possible to give it six stars I would, I literally fell in love with this excellent book. I'm a Merchant of Venice fan.

This is one of the worst plays ever published. I thought Shakespeare was a fool after reading this complely pointless play. Do not wase your money on this book because it is completly worthless. A total waste of time to even read any of this play.

hit had the worst plot and it was poorly written and it should not even be published