The Merchant of Venice (Annotated by Henry N. Hudson with an Introduction by Charles Harold Herford)

Believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598, William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” is considered by some critics as one of his “problem plays.” The controversy over the work stems from its portrayal of the character Shylock, a rich Jewish moneylender. The stereotypical depiction of Jews as avaricious usurers was common to the drama of the Elizabethan period. The story centers on the love of Bassanio, a young Venetian nobleman, who wishes to woo the beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia of Belmont. Having squandered his estate, Bassanio turns to Antonio, the titular Merchant of Venice, for a loan. However, since Antonio has his money invested in merchandise at sea, Bassanio must turn to Shylock for the loan. Shylock, after much reluctance, agrees to make the loan on the condition that if it cannot be repaid he may extract a pound of flesh from Antonio. This controversial characterization of the vengeful Jewish moneylender has been criticized by some as blatantly anti-Semitic, while others have read the play as a plea for tolerance, citing Shylock a sympathetic character. With elements of both comedy and tragedy “The Merchant of Venice” is a work that to this day has continued to defy classification. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper, is annotated by Henry N. Hudson, and includes an introduction by Charles Harold Herford.

Arguably the greatest English-language playwright, William Shakespeare was a seventeenth-century writer and dramatist, and is known as the Bard of Avon. Under the patronage of Queen Elizabeth I, he penned more than 30 plays, 154 sonnets, and numerous narrative poems and short verses. Equally accomplished in histories, tragedies, comedy, and romance, Shakespeare s most famous works include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, and As You Like It.

Like many of his contemporaries, including Christopher Marlowe, Shakespeare began his career on the stage, eventually rising to become part-owner of Lord Chamberlain s Men, a popular dramatic company of his day, and of the storied Globe Theatre in London.

Extremely popular in his lifetime, Shakespeare s works continue to resonate more than three hundred years after his death. His plays are performed more often than any other playwright s, have been translated into every major language in the world, and are studied widely by scholars and students.