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Essay Archive - The Merchant of Venice: Hath not a Jew Mercy?
The Merchant of Venice: Hath not a Jew Mercy?
Many of William Shakespeare's plays have sparked controversy. Probably
the one that has sparked the most controversy is The Merchant of Venice, which
many intellectuals have dubbed an anti-Semitic play. The character that this
discussion centers around is Shylock, the rich moneylender Jew. The problem
with most of these anti-Semitic arguments is that they lack the perspective of
the sixteenth century audience. Throughout Shakespeare's The Merchant of
Venice (M of V), the audience's perception of Shylock moves between utter hatred
and varying amo....
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