{"product_id":"the-merchant-of-venice","title":"The Merchant Of Venice","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Merchant of Venice\u003c\/i\u003e is perhaps most associated not with its titular hero, Antonio, but with the complex figure of the money lender, Shylock. The play was described as a comedy in the First Folio but its modern audiences find it more problematic to categorise. The vilification of Shylock 'the Jew' can be very uncomfortable for a post-holocaust audience and debates continue as to whether Shakespeare's portrayal of this complex man is sympathetic or anti-semitic. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eJohn Drakakis' comprehensive introduction traces the stage history of the figure of the Jew and looks boldly at twenty-first century issues surrounding it. He also explores other themes of the play such as father\/daughter relations, the power of money and the forceful character of Portia, to offer readers an energetic, original and revelatory reading of this challenging play.","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48833502740685,"sku":"9781903436806","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0557\/1529\/9533\/files\/imageloader_f478d4df-ba59-4d33-88d3-8dc88ed53d17.jpg?v=1790887457","url":"https:\/\/booksatmidnight.com\/products\/the-merchant-of-venice","provider":"Books At Midnight","version":"1.0","type":"link"}