The Merchant of Venice: Third Series

by William Shakespeare, John Drakakis (Editor), Ann Thompson (Editor), David Scott Kastan (Editor), H. R. Woudhuysen (Editor)

Overview

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 vilification of Shylock 'the Jew' can be very uncomfortable for a post-holocaust audience and debates continue as to whether Shakespeare's portrayal of this complex man is sympathetic or anti-semitic.

John Drakakis' comprehensive introduction traces the stage history of the figure of the Jew and looks boldly at twenty-first century issues surrounding it. He also explores other themes of the play such as father/daughter relations, the power of money and the forceful character of Portia, to offer readers an energetic, original and revelatory reading of this challenging play.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781903436813
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/26/2011
Series:	The Arden Shakespeare Third Series , #16
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	480
Sales rank:	375,827
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

John Drakakis is Professor of English Studies at the University of Stirling, Scotland.

Date of Death:

2018

Place of Birth:

Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Place of Death:

Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Table of Contents

About the Series
About This Volume
List of Illustrations

Introduction

PART ONE
William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
(Edited by David Bevington)

PART TWO
Cultural Contexts
1. Venice
English Ideas of Venice and Italians
William Thomas, From The History of Italy
Thomas Coryate, From Coryats Crudities
Dudley Carleton, The English Ambassador's Notes
William Bedell, Letter to Adam Newton
A Discovery of the Great Subtlety and Wonderful Wisdom of the Italians . . .
Robert Wilson, From A right excellent and famous comedy called the Three Ladies of London

Nation/Race/Religion
Proclamation on Aliens
Sir Edward Coke, From The Reports
Fynes Moryson, From An Itinerary
John Leo, From A Geographical History of Africa
George Best, From A True Discourse of the Late Voyages of Discovery, for the Finding of a Passage to Cathaya
John Leo, From A Geographical History of Africa
Sebastian Munster, From The Messiahs of the Christians and the Jews
Andrew Willet, From Concerning the universal and final vocation of the Jews…

2. Finance
Usury and the Jews
Biblical Laws
Thomas Wilson, From A Discourse upon Usury by Way of Dialogue andOrations
Usury Bill
Francis Bacon, Of Usury
Sir Edward Coke, From The Institutes of the Laws of England
Yehiel Nissim da Pisa, From The Eternal Life
David de Pomis, From De Medico Hebraeo
Leon Modena, From The History of Rites, Customs, and Menners of Life, of the Present Jews, throughout the World
Sir Thomas Sherley, The Profit That May Be Raised to Your Majesty out of the Jews
Nicolas de Nicolay, From The Navigations, Peregrinations, and Voyages Made into Turkey
Merchants
The Levant Company's Charter
John Wheeler, From A Treatise of Commerce
Daniel Price, The Merchant, A Sermon Preached at Paul's Cross

3. Religion
Catholics and Protestants
John Foxe, From Acts and Monuments
William Allen, From A True, Sincere, and Modest Defense of English Catholics
Robert Parsons, From A Brief Discourse Containing Certain Reasons Why Catholics Refuse to Go to Church
Proclamations on Priests
Jews and Christians
St. Paul, On Law and Grace
Andrew Willet, From Tetrastylon Papisticum
Richard Bristow, From Demands to be Proponed of Catholics to the Heretics
William Perkins, From A Faithful and Plain Exposition upon the Two First Verses of the Second Chapter of Zephaniah
Conversion
Gregory Martin, From Roma Sancta
Thomas Draxe, From The World's Resurrection
Samuel Usque, From Consolation for the Tribulations of Israel
John Foxe, From The Life and Story of Archbishop Cranmer in Acts and Monuments
Jews in England
Raphael Holinshed, From Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland
John Foxe, From Acts and Monuments
From Fleta
Examination of Roderigo Lopez
William Camden, From The History of Elizabeth, Queen of England

4. Love and Gender
Women and Marriage
Juan Luis Vives, From The Instruction of a Christian Woman
Thomas Becon, From The Catechism
Cornelius Agrippa, From Of the Nobility and Excellence of Womankind
Philip Stubbes, From The Anatomy of Abuses
Alexander Niccholes, From A Discourse of Marriage and Wiving
Thomas Smith, From De Republica Anglorum
Friendship and Homosociality
Sir Thomas Elyot, From The Book Named the Governor
Philemon Holland, From Plutarch's Morals

BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX