Literature & Film (HUMN 2333 - Alexa Larson-Thorisch): The Merchant of Venice

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DESCRIPTION 

F. Murray Abraham, who has played two great Jewish "villain" Shylock, from William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," explains European anti-Semitism in Shakespeare's time.

 

DESCRIPTION 

Masterfully filmed using detailed period costumes and professional performers, this pitch-black comedy from the satirical pen of Christopher Marlowe—the only film adaptation of Marlowe’s brilliant drama—depicts hypocritical Christians, bloodthirsty Muslims, and one murderous Jew at his stereotypical worst. How popular and influential was The Jew of Malta in its time? Shakespeare himself drew upon the play’s characters to create Shylock and Jessica for The Merchant of Venice and borrowed liberally from a balcony scene to write his own for Romeo and Juliet. (106 minutes)

• The British Library - "Explore Shakespeare and Renaissance writers in context" 
  • 'Explore the works of Shakespeare and Renaissance writers in relation to the social, political and cultural context in which they were written, and investigate the ways in which these works have been interpreted over the last four centuries.'
  • "Shakespeare's Life" 
  • "A Jewish reading of The Merchant of Venice" 
  • "Questions of Value in The Merchant of Venice"
• The Folger Shakespeare 
  • "Read the full texts of Shakespeare’s plays, sonnets, and poems for free from the Folger Shakespeare"
• Gale in Context: Biography - "William Shakespeare" - reference article and links to other sources
• Globe Theatre 
• Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)
  • The Merchant of Venice 
• Shakespeare Birthplace Trust - Synopsis of plays