Works of literature, written hundreds of years ago, may contain viewpoints that seem
stereotypical and that offend modern sensibilities. While it is natural to want to
protect students from these harsh sentiments, it may be counterproductive to omit
controversial texts from class rather than using them as a vehicle for raising
awareness and sensitivity about issues of prejudice. When teaching The Merchant of
Venice, then, it is important to raise the issue of anti-Semitism as a precursor to
examining the text, and to explore this type of prejudice as both a historical and
contemporary phenomenon.
Throughout the play, Shylock, and by extension, all Jews, are presented as moneyhungry,
conniving, and cruel. Shylock the Jew, as he is called by everyone in the
play is compared with a dog, a cur, and a demon, and is referred to as the very
devil incarnation. Teachers should be aware of the negative impact these words and
ideas could have on students without a thorough examination of the history and the
context of this language. It is important to consider how Jewish students in class may
feel after reading The Merchant of Venice, and equally essential to take into account
how the play might reinforce stereotypes of Jews among other students. When
negative and stereotypical portrayals of minorities are read in class with no
examination or critical analysis of these stereotypes, students may assume that these
depictions are accurate and true. It is therefore critical to contextualize these
stereotypes and offer students an opportunity to examine and deconstruct them.
Related Activities/Discussion Questions
1. ON CENSORSHIP/FREEDOM OF SPEECH
a. Ask students to define the word censorship .
b. Lead a discussion on the history of the free speech movement in the United
States. Students can research organizations dedicated to the promise of
freedom of speech, such as the ACLU, www.aclu.org or PEN, www.pen.org,
an association of writers committed to defending freedom of expression.
c. Lead a discussion on whether students think that censorship is ever
appropriate.
d. Have students debate whether or not censorship of The Merchant of Venice is
ever an appropriate response to concerns about the promotion of anti-
Semitism or prejudice. Divide the class into two teams; assign one to argue a
pro-censorship perspective and the other an anti-censorship perspective.
Create small groups of four students two from each team and allow them
time to debate before debriefing as a whole class.
Anti-Have students research works of literature that have been banned in
classrooms in the United States in the last fifty years?
Do these books have anything in common? If so, what?
Research the years that these books were banned and compare the current
events and news of the time period with the content of the books. Are
there specific issues or trends that explain the controversies surrounding
these works?
Students can read the American Library Association s information on this
topic:
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bookburning/21stcentury/21
stcentury.htm
2. ON LITERATURE AND ART
Lead a discussion on the role of art and literature as vehicles (sometimes
controversial) of social commentary and the expression of new ideas. Explore the
following:
a. What is the purpose or function of art?
b. What makes a piece of writing literature? Might this change over time? Can a
book or play that was originally considered literature fall out of favor? If so,
why?
c. Who decides what is literature or art?
d. Have students research recent controversies over art exhibits and the use of
public funds to support them. What types of exhibits have been considered
controversial ? Who decides?
e. Many readers find the character of Shylock to be an offensive caricature of
Jews. Do you agree? If so, is it still worth reading or seeing the play? Why
does The Merchant of Venice continue to be a classic ?
II. A BRIEF HISTORY OF ANTI-SEMITISM
Anti-Semitism, often called the longest hatred, is both an age-old problem and a
current challenge. For centuries Jews have been accused of treacherous acts,
including the murder of Jesus, poisoning wells, the ritual murder of Christian
children, the Bubonic plague and controlling the media and the banks. Many of these
falsities have roots in historical circumstances, and longstanding fear and
misunderstanding. Tragically, these lies continue to be launched against Jews.
Recently, Jews have been blamed for everything from the attacks on September 11
and the Iraq War to the tsunami that devastated Southeast Asia. The continual
demonizing and scapegoating of the Jew as other highlights the need to analyze and
discuss the depiction of Jews in literature. Without an examination of both historic
and contemporary anti-Semitism, students may be left with stereotypical and negative
conceptions of Jews and Judaism.
Anti- Semitism and The Merchant of Venice: A Discussion Guide for Educators
© 2006 Anti-Defamation League Page 6
Certainly one of the most characteristic and troubling aspects of The Merchant of
Venice is that the depiction of Shylock reinforces the stereotype of Jews as moneyhungry
and greedy. This stereotype has been around for centuries, and continues to
be perpetuated today. Having students learn about some of the historical roots and
causes of anti-Semitism, as well as some of the extremely deadly consequences of
this hatred, gives them a background for a discussion of the play.
The reading, An Abridged History of Anti-Semitism, can be shared with students to
help provide this context. The text, which includes a discussion of anti-Semitism
from biblical times, is included as an appendix at the end of this guide and can also be
found on ADL s website at
http://www.adl.org/education/holocaust/holocaust_history.asp.
Related Activities/Discussion Questions
1. Sadly, anti-Semitism is not a thing of the past. Have students research
contemporary instances of anti-Semitism, nationally and internationally. Students
can read the ADL s Annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents at www.adl.org.
2. Lead a discussion about the word, ghetto , definition provided:
a. Where did the word originate?
b. What are some current connotations of the word? How does this relate to the
original definition?
c. How does the contemporary conception of ghetto relate to The Merchant of
Venice?
3. The expression Jewed down refers to the myth that Jews are cheap and good at
haggling and bargaining. Ask students if they have heard this expression and if
they find it offensive. If so, why? What can students do to respond to instances of
anti-Semitic or racist speech?
4. Anti-Semitism exists in countries with virtually no Jewish population. Why do
you think that is? It is probable that Shakespeare had no firsthand experience with
Jews, and had never met a Jewish person. Does that impact your understanding of
The Merchant of Venice? If so, how?
Etymology: Italian, from Venetian dialect ghèto island where Jews were
forced to live, literally, foundry (located on the island), from ghetàr to cast,
from Latin jactare to throw --
1 : a quarter of a city in which Jews were formerly required to live
2 : a quarter of a city in which members of a minority group live especially
because of social, legal, or economic pressure
3 a : an isolated group <a geriatric ghetto> b : a situation that resembles a
ghetto especially in conferring inferior status or limiting opportunity
<stuck in daytime TV's ghetto>.
(From Merriam Webster Online Dictionary)
Anti- Semitism and The Merchant of Venice: A Discussion Guide for Educators
© 2006 Anti-Defamation League Page 7
5. Have students read The Prioress Tale from Chaucer s The Canterbury Tales.
What anti-Semitic myths from the Middle Ages can be found in the story? How
are these stereotypes similar to those presented in The Merchant of Venice.
III. SHAKESPEARE S ENGLAND
It is impossible to definitively know what Shakespeare s intent was in creating the
character of Shylock. Was Shakespeare drawing on the anti-Semitism of the time and
using Shylock as an archetype to get laughs and evoke revulsion? Or, was
Shakespeare turning this stereotype on its head to force his audiences to look at and
question their own prejudices and fears? While it is likely that Shakespeare never
visited Venice, it is also quite possible that he never met a Jew. Nevertheless fears
and myths about Jews were ever-present.
Even though there were no Jews left in England, the stereotypes and fears
remained in Shakespeare s England. Jews were immensely wealthy even when
they looked like paupers and covertly pulled strings of an enormous intellectual
network of capital and goods. Jews poisoned wells and were responsible for
spreading the bubonic plague. Jews secretly plotted an apocalyptic war against
the Christians (Greenblatt, pp. 258-259).
Shakespeare may have also been responding to the current events of his time the
famous trial of a supposed Jewish traitor. In 1594, London was consumed with the
high-profile trial of Roderigo Lopez, the queen s physician. Lopez was accused of
trying to poison the queen as a part of a plot hatched by the monarchs of Spain.
Lopez, a practicing Protestant, was a converted Jew. The citizens of London feared
that he was in fact, still a Jew, capable of the worst cunning and treachery possible.
His alleged Jewishness matched his supposeddeceitfulness and greed. Lopez was
ultimately convicted and hanged in front of a laughing and mocking crowd of
Londoners. Many scholars agree that this important trial of a prominent Jew, with
the accusations of disloyalty, treachery and murder, influenced Shakespeare s work.
Some speculate that Shakespeare himself may have been present at the hanging of Dr.
Lopez. (This charge against Jews of a divided loyalty, and of treason, has continually
haunted Jews. The Dreyfus Affair in France in 1894 was based on the questioning of
a Jew s loyalty to his government. During the Holocaust, Jews were not seen as full
citizens of their homelands. This charge continues today with many believing that
American Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the United States).
Another English play from Shakespeare s England is worth examining. Christopher
Marlowe s The Jew of Malta (1592) surely influenced Shakespeare and his creation
of Shylock, the Jewish usurer. Marlowe was both a contemporary and a professional
rival of Shakespeare. The Jew of the title, Barabas, is the height of anti-Semitic
caricature. Among his many deeds are killing the sick, poisoning the wells, and
poisoning an entire nunnery. Barabas, while embodying many anti-Jewish
stereotypes, is only one of many despicable characters in the play, leading some to
believe that Marlowe may have been critiquing the morality of the Christians of his
Anti- Semitism and The Merchant of Venice: A Discussion Guide for Educators
© 2006 Anti-Defamation League Page 8
day as well. Marlowe was an extremely controversial figure and this work examined
the social and political issues of his day, including religious diversity, the riseof a
commercial economy, and international tensions. The Jew of Malta became the
biggest theatrical hit of its time, and certainly fed the anti-Jewish hysteria that
prompted the mob to laugh so heartily at Roderigo Lopez on the gallows.
Shakespeare would have been familiar with the play and Shylock may have been
written as a response to Marlowe s infamous creation, Barabas.
Elizabethan theatergoers would have recognized Shylock as a Jew immediately. His
red wig, bulbous nose and huge cape immediately label him as the other and as an
outsider. Even though Jews were not living in England (at least not openly), they
represented a stereotype evil, cunning, greed and at the very core, heartlessness.
Throughout the play, Shylock is despised and insulted by the other characters.
Shylock is spat upon by Antonio, reviled even by his servants, abandoned by his
daughter, Jessica, and ultimately undone by Portia. The characters continually mock
him and it is hard to imagine that the theatergoers in Shakespeare s time would not
have shared the feelings of disdain conveyed by the players in The Merchant of
Venice.
Since much of the tension in the play comes from the issue of usury, it may be helpful
to explore the topic with your students. Money lending was a key political issue in
Shakespeare s time, as the economy shifted from an agricultural to a market
economy. A troubled relationship was forged between money-lenders and borrowers.
Stephen Greenblatt writes,
though officially the English declared by statute that usury was illegal under
the law of God and had driven out only the people who were exempt, by reason of
being Jews, from this prohibition, the realm s mercantile economy could not
function without the possibility of money lending Christian usurers, even
though they were not directly called that by name, occupied a position roughly
comparable to the one held by the Jews: officially, they were despised, harassed,
condemned from the pulpit and the stage, but they also played a key role. A role
that could not be conveniently eliminated (Greenblatt, pp. 271-272).
In TheMerchant of Venice, Shakespeare exposes the increasing reliance on credit and
money-lending in European society. Shylock, the money-lender, while reviled by the
Venetians in the play, is a necessary evil as he makes it possible for his Christian
customers to conduct both their business and romantic pursuits. The play explores
the relationship and tension between love and commerce. Without Shylock s
services, Bassanio could not win the lady richly left, Portia, and the Venetian
businessmen could not finance their ventures. The conceit of usury as money
breeding is a critical one for the play, and is based on Aristotelian teachings.
Throughout the play there are puns confusing sexual and romantic references to
money as Shakespeare asks his audience to consider both Shylock s and the
Christian s passion and lust for money. While Shakespeare may be highlighting
Christian hypocrisy about greed and money lending, it is also important to remember
Anti- Semitism and The Merchant of Venice: A Discussion Guide for Educators
© 2006 Anti-Defamation League Page 9
that money-lenders were despised in Shakespeare s time and that his audiences would
have surely laughed at Shylock s ultimate ruin at the end of the play.
Related Activities/Discussion Questions
1. Jews have been historically scapegoated during difficult economic times.
Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice not long after the Bubonic plague had
ravaged England. Have students research the history of Jews in England during
Shakespeare s time. How did the Black Death impact the plight of Jews living
in England?
2. If it is true that Shakespeare never met a practicing Jew, why make Shylock
Jewish? What purpose does Shylock serve in the play?
3. Have students read authors from Shakespeare s time with particular attention to
their attitudes toward Jews and Christians. Have students visit the Folger
Shakespeare Library website and review the following primary source material:
a. Read the excerpt from Jewish Hypocrisie, A Caveat To The Present
Generation to explore anti-Semitism in Shakespearean England:
http://www.folger.edu/eduPrimSrcDtl.cfm?psid=109.
b. Have students look at the Death of Usury pamphlet written in England
about the same time as The Merchant of Venice.
http://www.folger.edu/eduPrimSrcDtl.cfm?psid=120.
c. How are the views and opinions represented in these two texts similar to The
Merchant of Venice? In what ways do they differ?
4. Since Christians were forbidden to lend money for profit, Jews assumed the role
and forged uneasy associations with Christians, who were dependent on them for
capital. How is this tension reflected in the relationship between Antonio and
Shylock? Where specifically in The Merchant of Venice is this mentioned?
a. Many readers have argued that Shylock and Antonio represent each other s
opposites: Christian/Jew, money-borrower/money-lender, generosity/greed,
etc. What other ways do the characters oppose each other? What might
have been Shakespeare s purpose in having these characters counter-balance
stereotypical and that offend modern sensibilities. While it is natural to want to
protect students from these harsh sentiments, it may be counterproductive to omit
controversial texts from class rather than using them as a vehicle for raising
awareness and sensitivity about issues of prejudice. When teaching The Merchant of
Venice, then, it is important to raise the issue of anti-Semitism as a precursor to
examining the text, and to explore this type of prejudice as both a historical and
contemporary phenomenon.
Throughout the play, Shylock, and by extension, all Jews, are presented as moneyhungry,
conniving, and cruel. Shylock the Jew, as he is called by everyone in the
play is compared with a dog, a cur, and a demon, and is referred to as the very
devil incarnation. Teachers should be aware of the negative impact these words and
ideas could have on students without a thorough examination of the history and the
context of this language. It is important to consider how Jewish students in class may
feel after reading The Merchant of Venice, and equally essential to take into account
how the play might reinforce stereotypes of Jews among other students. When
negative and stereotypical portrayals of minorities are read in class with no
examination or critical analysis of these stereotypes, students may assume that these
depictions are accurate and true. It is therefore critical to contextualize these
stereotypes and offer students an opportunity to examine and deconstruct them.
Related Activities/Discussion Questions
1. ON CENSORSHIP/FREEDOM OF SPEECH
a. Ask students to define the word censorship .
b. Lead a discussion on the history of the free speech movement in the United
States. Students can research organizations dedicated to the promise of
freedom of speech, such as the ACLU, www.aclu.org or PEN, www.pen.org,
an association of writers committed to defending freedom of expression.
c. Lead a discussion on whether students think that censorship is ever
appropriate.
d. Have students debate whether or not censorship of The Merchant of Venice is
ever an appropriate response to concerns about the promotion of anti-
Semitism or prejudice. Divide the class into two teams; assign one to argue a
pro-censorship perspective and the other an anti-censorship perspective.
Create small groups of four students two from each team and allow them
time to debate before debriefing as a whole class.
Anti-Have students research works of literature that have been banned in
classrooms in the United States in the last fifty years?
Do these books have anything in common? If so, what?
Research the years that these books were banned and compare the current
events and news of the time period with the content of the books. Are
there specific issues or trends that explain the controversies surrounding
these works?
Students can read the American Library Association s information on this
topic:
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bookburning/21stcentury/21
stcentury.htm
2. ON LITERATURE AND ART
Lead a discussion on the role of art and literature as vehicles (sometimes
controversial) of social commentary and the expression of new ideas. Explore the
following:
a. What is the purpose or function of art?
b. What makes a piece of writing literature? Might this change over time? Can a
book or play that was originally considered literature fall out of favor? If so,
why?
c. Who decides what is literature or art?
d. Have students research recent controversies over art exhibits and the use of
public funds to support them. What types of exhibits have been considered
controversial ? Who decides?
e. Many readers find the character of Shylock to be an offensive caricature of
Jews. Do you agree? If so, is it still worth reading or seeing the play? Why
does The Merchant of Venice continue to be a classic ?
II. A BRIEF HISTORY OF ANTI-SEMITISM
Anti-Semitism, often called the longest hatred, is both an age-old problem and a
current challenge. For centuries Jews have been accused of treacherous acts,
including the murder of Jesus, poisoning wells, the ritual murder of Christian
children, the Bubonic plague and controlling the media and the banks. Many of these
falsities have roots in historical circumstances, and longstanding fear and
misunderstanding. Tragically, these lies continue to be launched against Jews.
Recently, Jews have been blamed for everything from the attacks on September 11
and the Iraq War to the tsunami that devastated Southeast Asia. The continual
demonizing and scapegoating of the Jew as other highlights the need to analyze and
discuss the depiction of Jews in literature. Without an examination of both historic
and contemporary anti-Semitism, students may be left with stereotypical and negative
conceptions of Jews and Judaism.
Anti- Semitism and The Merchant of Venice: A Discussion Guide for Educators
© 2006 Anti-Defamation League Page 6
Certainly one of the most characteristic and troubling aspects of The Merchant of
Venice is that the depiction of Shylock reinforces the stereotype of Jews as moneyhungry
and greedy. This stereotype has been around for centuries, and continues to
be perpetuated today. Having students learn about some of the historical roots and
causes of anti-Semitism, as well as some of the extremely deadly consequences of
this hatred, gives them a background for a discussion of the play.
The reading, An Abridged History of Anti-Semitism, can be shared with students to
help provide this context. The text, which includes a discussion of anti-Semitism
from biblical times, is included as an appendix at the end of this guide and can also be
found on ADL s website at
http://www.adl.org/education/holocaust/holocaust_history.asp.
Related Activities/Discussion Questions
1. Sadly, anti-Semitism is not a thing of the past. Have students research
contemporary instances of anti-Semitism, nationally and internationally. Students
can read the ADL s Annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents at www.adl.org.
2. Lead a discussion about the word, ghetto , definition provided:
a. Where did the word originate?
b. What are some current connotations of the word? How does this relate to the
original definition?
c. How does the contemporary conception of ghetto relate to The Merchant of
Venice?
3. The expression Jewed down refers to the myth that Jews are cheap and good at
haggling and bargaining. Ask students if they have heard this expression and if
they find it offensive. If so, why? What can students do to respond to instances of
anti-Semitic or racist speech?
4. Anti-Semitism exists in countries with virtually no Jewish population. Why do
you think that is? It is probable that Shakespeare had no firsthand experience with
Jews, and had never met a Jewish person. Does that impact your understanding of
The Merchant of Venice? If so, how?
Etymology: Italian, from Venetian dialect ghèto island where Jews were
forced to live, literally, foundry (located on the island), from ghetàr to cast,
from Latin jactare to throw --
1 : a quarter of a city in which Jews were formerly required to live
2 : a quarter of a city in which members of a minority group live especially
because of social, legal, or economic pressure
3 a : an isolated group <a geriatric ghetto> b : a situation that resembles a
ghetto especially in conferring inferior status or limiting opportunity
<stuck in daytime TV's ghetto>.
(From Merriam Webster Online Dictionary)
Anti- Semitism and The Merchant of Venice: A Discussion Guide for Educators
© 2006 Anti-Defamation League Page 7
5. Have students read The Prioress Tale from Chaucer s The Canterbury Tales.
What anti-Semitic myths from the Middle Ages can be found in the story? How
are these stereotypes similar to those presented in The Merchant of Venice.
III. SHAKESPEARE S ENGLAND
It is impossible to definitively know what Shakespeare s intent was in creating the
character of Shylock. Was Shakespeare drawing on the anti-Semitism of the time and
using Shylock as an archetype to get laughs and evoke revulsion? Or, was
Shakespeare turning this stereotype on its head to force his audiences to look at and
question their own prejudices and fears? While it is likely that Shakespeare never
visited Venice, it is also quite possible that he never met a Jew. Nevertheless fears
and myths about Jews were ever-present.
Even though there were no Jews left in England, the stereotypes and fears
remained in Shakespeare s England. Jews were immensely wealthy even when
they looked like paupers and covertly pulled strings of an enormous intellectual
network of capital and goods. Jews poisoned wells and were responsible for
spreading the bubonic plague. Jews secretly plotted an apocalyptic war against
the Christians (Greenblatt, pp. 258-259).
Shakespeare may have also been responding to the current events of his time the
famous trial of a supposed Jewish traitor. In 1594, London was consumed with the
high-profile trial of Roderigo Lopez, the queen s physician. Lopez was accused of
trying to poison the queen as a part of a plot hatched by the monarchs of Spain.
Lopez, a practicing Protestant, was a converted Jew. The citizens of London feared
that he was in fact, still a Jew, capable of the worst cunning and treachery possible.
His alleged Jewishness matched his supposeddeceitfulness and greed. Lopez was
ultimately convicted and hanged in front of a laughing and mocking crowd of
Londoners. Many scholars agree that this important trial of a prominent Jew, with
the accusations of disloyalty, treachery and murder, influenced Shakespeare s work.
Some speculate that Shakespeare himself may have been present at the hanging of Dr.
Lopez. (This charge against Jews of a divided loyalty, and of treason, has continually
haunted Jews. The Dreyfus Affair in France in 1894 was based on the questioning of
a Jew s loyalty to his government. During the Holocaust, Jews were not seen as full
citizens of their homelands. This charge continues today with many believing that
American Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the United States).
Another English play from Shakespeare s England is worth examining. Christopher
Marlowe s The Jew of Malta (1592) surely influenced Shakespeare and his creation
of Shylock, the Jewish usurer. Marlowe was both a contemporary and a professional
rival of Shakespeare. The Jew of the title, Barabas, is the height of anti-Semitic
caricature. Among his many deeds are killing the sick, poisoning the wells, and
poisoning an entire nunnery. Barabas, while embodying many anti-Jewish
stereotypes, is only one of many despicable characters in the play, leading some to
believe that Marlowe may have been critiquing the morality of the Christians of his
Anti- Semitism and The Merchant of Venice: A Discussion Guide for Educators
© 2006 Anti-Defamation League Page 8
day as well. Marlowe was an extremely controversial figure and this work examined
the social and political issues of his day, including religious diversity, the riseof a
commercial economy, and international tensions. The Jew of Malta became the
biggest theatrical hit of its time, and certainly fed the anti-Jewish hysteria that
prompted the mob to laugh so heartily at Roderigo Lopez on the gallows.
Shakespeare would have been familiar with the play and Shylock may have been
written as a response to Marlowe s infamous creation, Barabas.
Elizabethan theatergoers would have recognized Shylock as a Jew immediately. His
red wig, bulbous nose and huge cape immediately label him as the other and as an
outsider. Even though Jews were not living in England (at least not openly), they
represented a stereotype evil, cunning, greed and at the very core, heartlessness.
Throughout the play, Shylock is despised and insulted by the other characters.
Shylock is spat upon by Antonio, reviled even by his servants, abandoned by his
daughter, Jessica, and ultimately undone by Portia. The characters continually mock
him and it is hard to imagine that the theatergoers in Shakespeare s time would not
have shared the feelings of disdain conveyed by the players in The Merchant of
Venice.
Since much of the tension in the play comes from the issue of usury, it may be helpful
to explore the topic with your students. Money lending was a key political issue in
Shakespeare s time, as the economy shifted from an agricultural to a market
economy. A troubled relationship was forged between money-lenders and borrowers.
Stephen Greenblatt writes,
though officially the English declared by statute that usury was illegal under
the law of God and had driven out only the people who were exempt, by reason of
being Jews, from this prohibition, the realm s mercantile economy could not
function without the possibility of money lending Christian usurers, even
though they were not directly called that by name, occupied a position roughly
comparable to the one held by the Jews: officially, they were despised, harassed,
condemned from the pulpit and the stage, but they also played a key role. A role
that could not be conveniently eliminated (Greenblatt, pp. 271-272).
In TheMerchant of Venice, Shakespeare exposes the increasing reliance on credit and
money-lending in European society. Shylock, the money-lender, while reviled by the
Venetians in the play, is a necessary evil as he makes it possible for his Christian
customers to conduct both their business and romantic pursuits. The play explores
the relationship and tension between love and commerce. Without Shylock s
services, Bassanio could not win the lady richly left, Portia, and the Venetian
businessmen could not finance their ventures. The conceit of usury as money
breeding is a critical one for the play, and is based on Aristotelian teachings.
Throughout the play there are puns confusing sexual and romantic references to
money as Shakespeare asks his audience to consider both Shylock s and the
Christian s passion and lust for money. While Shakespeare may be highlighting
Christian hypocrisy about greed and money lending, it is also important to remember
Anti- Semitism and The Merchant of Venice: A Discussion Guide for Educators
© 2006 Anti-Defamation League Page 9
that money-lenders were despised in Shakespeare s time and that his audiences would
have surely laughed at Shylock s ultimate ruin at the end of the play.
Related Activities/Discussion Questions
1. Jews have been historically scapegoated during difficult economic times.
Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice not long after the Bubonic plague had
ravaged England. Have students research the history of Jews in England during
Shakespeare s time. How did the Black Death impact the plight of Jews living
in England?
2. If it is true that Shakespeare never met a practicing Jew, why make Shylock
Jewish? What purpose does Shylock serve in the play?
3. Have students read authors from Shakespeare s time with particular attention to
their attitudes toward Jews and Christians. Have students visit the Folger
Shakespeare Library website and review the following primary source material:
a. Read the excerpt from Jewish Hypocrisie, A Caveat To The Present
Generation to explore anti-Semitism in Shakespearean England:
http://www.folger.edu/eduPrimSrcDtl.cfm?psid=109.
b. Have students look at the Death of Usury pamphlet written in England
about the same time as The Merchant of Venice.
http://www.folger.edu/eduPrimSrcDtl.cfm?psid=120.
c. How are the views and opinions represented in these two texts similar to The
Merchant of Venice? In what ways do they differ?
4. Since Christians were forbidden to lend money for profit, Jews assumed the role
and forged uneasy associations with Christians, who were dependent on them for
capital. How is this tension reflected in the relationship between Antonio and
Shylock? Where specifically in The Merchant of Venice is this mentioned?
a. Many readers have argued that Shylock and Antonio represent each other s
opposites: Christian/Jew, money-borrower/money-lender, generosity/greed,
etc. What other ways do the characters oppose each other? What might
have been Shakespeare s purpose in having these characters counter-balance
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