Shakespeare's play of the Merchant of Venice: Arranged for Representation at the Princess's Theatre, with Historical and Explanatory Notes by Charles Kean, F.S.A.

"Shakespeare's play of the Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare is a play written between 1596 and 1598. When Antonio, a Venetian merchant, defaults on a loan provided by Jewish moneylender Shylock, the consequences threaten to be fatal. The bond's condition allows Shylock to claim a pound of Antonio's flesh. Though classified as a comedy, the play is remembered for its dramatic tension and Shylock's character, raising enduring questions about justice, mercy, and discrimination through two of Shakespeare's most famous speeches. (This is an automatically generated summary.)