ABOUT THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
The Signet Classics edition of William Shakespeare’s black comedy.
A complex play that combines pathos and humor, The Merchant of Venice also introduces one of Shakespeare’s most memorable villains, the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who famously demans a “pound of flesh” for what he is owed.
This revised Signet Classics edition includes unique features such as:
• An overview of Shakespeare’s life, world, and theater
• A special introduction to the play by the editor, Kenneth Myrick
• Notes on the sources of The Merchant of Venice
• Dramatic criticism from Nicholas Rowe, William Hazlitt, Elmer Edgar Stoll, and others
• A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions
• Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable text
• And more…
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Merchant of Venice – William Shakespeare – Edited by Kenneth Myrick
Nicholas Rowe: From The Works of Mr. William Shakespear
William Hazlitt: From Characters of Shakespear's Plays
Anonymous: "Henry Irving's Shylock"
Elmer Edgar Stoll: From Shylock
Linda Bamber: The Avoidance of Choice: A Woman's Privilege
Alexander Leggatt: The Fourth and Fifth Acts
Sylvan Barnet: "The Merchant of Venice" on the Stage and Screen
NEWLY ADDED ESSAYS:
Robert Smallwood: The End of “The Merchant of Venice”: Four Versions
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