The Merchant of Venice (Oxford School Shakespeare Series) Review
Please note that at the time Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice, Jews had not lived in England for over 300 years having been expelled in 1290 and the expulsion decree not overturned until 1656, fifty years after the publication of the play. What I think this shows is that anti-Semitism thrives in an envirornment of ignorance: it is easier to despise someone at a distance and turn them into a monster in your imagination, whereas if you had to interact with them regularly you would see that the stereotypes break down and are not actually true.
The fact that a genius of the stature of Shakespeare was not immune to this syndrome should not be surprising, he was after all a product of his culture and played to his audience who harbored these ideas, and he may have thought he was holding a mirror up to the society in order to display the ugliness of anti-Semitism.
The Merchant of Venice (Oxford School Shakespeare Series) Overview
The new editions contain new sections: Classwork and Examinations and Background to Shakespeare's England . There are also short sections on Date and Text, and Source. This book is intended for age 14 - 16.
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Customer Reviews
One Step Beyond - Charles A. Corcoran - airmont ny usa
The merchants been around many many years...This particular edition Signet is more than just a copy .It is an intellectualy stimulating account by men
well respected and a wonderful experience for those who enjoy going to the next step.Try it... you'll like it. Charles Corcoran
merchant of venice - Krystal Pyatt -
Not much to say. I received the book on time in the condition explained.
Oxford edition has wonderful notes, and is great to read - Matthew T. Phillips - Winston-Salem, NC USA
It seems to me it is more helpful to rate and review the edition than the play itself, and this edition is superb. Along with the other Oxford Shakespeare books, this one has outstanding notes that are presented in such a way as to be easy to glance at while reading without breaking rhythm too much. I have found that each time I think to myself, "I don't quite understand," there is a note on point that sets me back on the right track. There are also high-quality but very accessible essays and background information provided after the text of the play.
Every time I'm going to read a Shakespearean play, I look for a version in this series; it is certainly worth a couple extra dollars or the frustration of reading from different page numbers than classmates if you are reading for a class.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Jul 30, 2010 07:15:22
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