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William Shakespeare's plays continue to be produced centuries after the Elizabethan era, allowing for modern actors and directors to reimagine his works to reflect social change. But alongside his universal classics, there is one work in particular that cannot escape its historical context. The Merchant of Venice features a Jewish villain named Shylock who loans money to a Christian named Antonio, who agrees that if he should fail to pay Shylock back, Shylock may take a pound of Antonio's flesh. Theatre scholars and historians debate whether or not Shylock represents Shakespeare's humanization of the Jew, or if Shylock is a stock character made of anti-Semitic stereotypes. This essay examines the historical context, the text, and the production history of anti-Semitism within this play to highlight that, while it is impossible to know Shakespeare's intentions, the harmful rhetoric he uses is tightly woven within this play. Modern readings of The Merchant of Venice cannot ignore the history of Jewish oppression, and that future productions cannot reimagine the play without this in mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |