Anti Semitism was a strong theme in the Merchant of Venice. ... The friends of Shakespeare who decided that Merchant of Venice was a comedy, justified this by saying the play was about love and marriage. ... Shylock was a alien in Venice because he was a Jew and therefore had to give up everything to the government because the threatened Antonio's life. ... It is enacted in the laws of Venice, If it be proven against an alien That by direct or indirect attempts He seek the life of any citizen, The party against the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half of all goods; the other hal...

• Word Count: 1361
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The religious reasons for this hatred also pushed them to believe that if a Jew converted to Christianity, as Shylock is forced to do in The Merchant of Venice, then all will be forgiven as the repentant Jew is now pure of heart. "...some Christians believed that the coming of the Kingdom of God was aided by converting the Jews to Christianity" (Hughes 5). ... The Merchant of Venice does not emphasize the superiority of any particular race, or religion: instead, it shows just how flawed all humans are through the story of a Jewish man his relations with Christians, who ostracize and persecute ...

• Word Count: 1256
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

In Shakespeare's play Merchant of Venice it is clearly portrayed that the Elizabethans treated all Jews with equal spite. ... Shylock was a Jewish merchant who lived in a world where the Jewish religion was regarded as evil. The people of Venice including Antonio, had ridiculed him, they called him a dog, and spat on him. ... He was considered an alien in Venice and yet had to abide by the Venetian law. ...

• Word Count: 1517
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School