{"product_id":"the-merchant-of-venice-9781722504120","title":"The Merchant of Venice","description":"\u003cb of shakespeare most famous and controversial plays\u003eThe Merchant of Venice, is an intriguing drama of love, greed, and revenge. \u003c\/b\u003eBelieved to have been written in 1596, it is classified as a comedy, but while it shares certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps remembered more for its dramatic scenes, and especially for the character of Shylock, a vengeful Venetian moneylender. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt its heart, the play contrasts the characters of Shylock, with the gracious, level-headed Portia, a wealthy young woman, besieged by suitors. One suitor in particular, Antonio, a merchant in Venice, must default on a large loan provided by Shylock, who insists on the enforcement of the binding contract that will cost the life of Antonio, inciting Portia to mount a memorable defense. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this richly plotted drama, Shylock, whom Shakespeare endowed with the depth and vitality of his greatest characters, is not alone in his villainy. In fact, the large cast of ambitious and scheming characters demonstrates in scene after scene, that honesty is a quality often strained where matters of love and money are concerned. In many of the play’s productions, Shylock gives such powerful expression to his alienation due to the hatred around him that, he emerges as the hero.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe suspense and gravity of the play's main plot, along with its romance, have made \u003ci\u003eThe Merchant of Venice \u003c\/i\u003ean audience favorite and one of the most studied and performed of Shakespeare's plays.","brand":"William Shakespeare","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43357030318198,"sku":"9781722504120","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/1374\/6550\/files\/CoreSourceHub_d919422b-54f9-45f6-8d8b-1bcb83ff17ed.jpg?v=1777501245","url":"https:\/\/ingramacademic.com\/products\/the-merchant-of-venice-9781722504120","provider":"Ingram Academic \u0026 Professional","version":"1.0","type":"link"}