Transporting audiences to a ruthless world of moneylending and murderous revenge, the drama features characters now widely regarded as offensively stereotypical – but also offers insights into how nascent capitalism was viewed in the playwright’s era
Officially classed as a comedy, William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is chiefly remembered for its dramatic tale of romance and revenge – and its antisemitic tropes. Yet, argues Emma Smith, it also contains valuable real-world insights into the economics of the era.
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