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The Merchant of Venice - Community Reviews back

by Jay L. Halio, William Shakespeare
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Abandoned by Booklikes
Abandoned by Booklikes rated it 8 years ago
“To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses,mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a J...
Meandering Em's
Meandering Em's rated it 10 years ago
This is a very strange play. Many call it a comedy, but there is very little that is humorous. It has a villain named Shylock, who is always referred to as a Jew, with the word "dirty" implied, but not said. There is a rebellious daughter, a melancholy merchant, and an enterprising heroine named Por...
The Bookchemist
The Bookchemist rated it 11 years ago
Still incredibly interesting and relevant in today's world, The Merchant of Venice analyzes how quicly the role of the bad guy can shift in a conflict and how thin the line between "right" and "good" is. Also features some constructive, always appreciable lines on how Jews are people too.Featured in...
A Sea of Stars
A Sea of Stars rated it 11 years ago
This only gets 3 stars because of Portia. Sassy, brilliant Portia.
Julian Meynell's Books
Julian Meynell's Books rated it 12 years ago
A deeply misunderstood play because of its complexities. The key to understanding the play is that Shakespeare has created and blended into one play two totally different plays. There is the Comedy in which Shylock is the comedic villain and the tragedy in which he is the doomed hero. Both plays ...
janeg
janeg rated it 12 years ago
It's a good play.. I enjoyed it, especially when Shylock speaks, for what he says rings true to me. The play left me feeling bitter though, for reasons that probably leaves many other readers bitter.
Reading Adler's List
Reading Adler's List rated it 12 years ago
A comedy tinged with commentary. Though it can be superficially labeled as anti-semitic , Shylock is not cast simply as a villainous Jew. Throughout the play, Shylock, the embittered money-lender, references the outsider status thrust upon him by a society which openly loathes him for the services...
Philosophical Musings of a Book Nerd
Philosophical Musings of a Book Nerd rated it 12 years ago
To call this play unique would be a misnomer since Shakespeare was hardly original with the subject matter of his plays. I believe that the only play that came entirely from Shakespeare's imagination would have been The Tempest. Most of his other plays he had either borrowed from historical events o...
Ironic Contradictions
Ironic Contradictions rated it 13 years ago
A brilliant play that I must now make a priority to go and see along with a live production of Hamlet and The Crucible. I particularly loved the way Shakespeare provided his characters with greater depth than in other plays and this will become one of my favorites along with Hamlet.The Merchant of V...
pixiemeg
pixiemeg rated it 13 years ago
not my favorite Shakespeare.
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