Jul 26, 2008

The Merchant of Venice | Overview

In the first excerpt, Frank Kennode presents a concise overview of The Merchant of Venice, initially examining Shakespeare's punning of the term "gentle" and discussing the word's various meanings throughout the play. E. F. C. Ludowyk, in the second excerpt, offers a brief synopsis of the main characters in play, emphasizing the attributes which involve them in situations of trial or test.

Frank Kennode
[Kennode presents a concise overview of The Merchant of Venice, initially examining Shakespeare's punning of the term "gentle" and discussing the word's various meanings throughout the play. The critic identifies two readings of "gentle" which have a significant bearing on the drama: the sense of "gentleness" as in civility or an improved nature; and the notion of "Gentile," or Christian, which stands in contrast to Shylock and Judaism. In addition, Kennode asserts that justice is a primary theme of the drama, noting that while the Christians stress...