Synopsis
The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, but it remains deeply controversial. The text may seem anti-Semitic; yet repeatedly, in performance, it has revealed a contrasting nature. Shylock, though vanquished in the law-court, often triumphs in the theatre. In his intensity he can dominate the play, challenging abrasively its romantic and lyrical affirmations. What results is a bitter-sweet drama. Though The Merchant of Venice offers some of the traditional pleasures of romantic comedy, it also exposes the operations of prejudice. Thus Shakespeare remains our contemporary. A gamble on trading ships at sea, a penalty of a pound of flesh, a contest to win the hand of a rich heiress, and the final rescue in a court of law- The Merchant of Venice has everything to make it one of the most dramatic romantic comedies of Shakespeare. Antonio is the merchant of Venice who borrows money to help his friend Bassanio win Portia in marriage. He borrows the money from Shylock, a shrewd moneylender who devises a retribution unprecedented in the annals of law till a young lawyer defeats him in his own game. Who is this young lawyer? What is the clinching argument? The book is memorable as much for its dramatic scenes as for its strong characters, all of which remain etched in the mind long after the story has been read. About the Author
William Shakespeare was born in April 1564 in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, on England's Avon River. When he was eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway. The couple had three children-an older daughter Susanna and twins, Judith and Hamnet. Hamnet, Shakespeare's only son, died in childhood. The bulk of Shakespeare's working life was spent in the theater world of London, where he established himself professionally by the early 1590s. He enjoyed success not only as a playwright and poet, but also as an actor and shareholder in an acting company. Although some think that sometime between 1610 and 1613 Shakespeare retired from the theater and returned home to Stratford, where he died in 1616, others believe that he may have continued to work in London until close to his death.
