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A review by usernamerobert
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
3.25 / 5
This play was hard to rate. I found it far more engrossing than some other Shakespeare plays, and I found monologues from the Prince of Morocco, Shylock, and Portia to be wonderfully meaningful and beautifully written. But. There is horrendous anti-Semitism and racism in this play, it was hard to read. Why are the heroes of this play so prejudice? Why is Shylock, capable of high-minded thoughts and empathy, brought down to the lowest cruelty with no regard for reason? Why would Antonio and his friends expect mercy when he and they continuously demean Shylock for his religion?
This play was hard to rate. I found it far more engrossing than some other Shakespeare plays, and I found monologues from the Prince of Morocco, Shylock, and Portia to be wonderfully meaningful and beautifully written. But. There is horrendous anti-Semitism and racism in this play, it was hard to read. Why are the heroes of this play so prejudice? Why is Shylock, capable of high-minded thoughts and empathy, brought down to the lowest cruelty with no regard for reason? Why would Antonio and his friends expect mercy when he and they continuously demean Shylock for his religion?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Antisemitism