The Merchant of Venice The Oxford Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice

by Shakespeare, William; Halio, Jay L.

• ISBN13: 9780199535859
• ISBN10: 019953585X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-05-15
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

What was Shakespeare's attitude to Semitism? The Introduction to this edition of The Merchant of Venice opens by addressing this vital issue raised by the play, and goes on to study the sources, background, and date, includuing a discussion of Sigmund Freud's essay on 'The Three Caskets'. Professor Halio interprets the play's contradictions, inconsistencies, and complementarities, especially as these relate to the overarching theme of bonds and bondage. A survey of the play's stage history ranges from discussions of its early staging to important twentieth-century productions andperformances outside England, particularly in Israel.The text, based on a fresh examination of the early editions, is presented in modernized spelling and punctuation. Unfailingly lucid and helpful, this is an ideal edition for students, actors, and the general reader.

Author Biography

Jay L. Halio is Professor of English, University of Delaware

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. xi
General Introduction	p. 1
Shakespeare and Semitism	p. 1
Sources, Analogues, and Date	p. 13
The Play	p. 29
The Merchant of Venice in Performance	p. 58
Textual Introduction	p. 85
Editorial Procedures	p. 94
Abbreviations and References	p. 95
The Merchant of Venice	p. 99
Speech prefixes for Shylock in Q1, Q2, and F	p. 229
Index	p. 231
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