The text of the play is supported by criticism, historical and textual notes, and discussions of specific presentations.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Summary
The text of the play is supported by criticism, historical and textual notes, and discussions of specific presentations.
Description
The Signet Classics edition of William Shakespeare's black comedy. A complex play that combines pathos and humor, The Merchant of Venice also introduces one of Shakespeare's most memorable villains, the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who famously demans a "pound of flesh" for what he is owed.
This revised Signet Classics edition includes unique features such as:
- An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater
- A special introduction to the play by the editor, Kenneth Myrick
- Notes on the sources of The Merchant of Venice
- Dramatic criticism from Nicholas Rowe, William Hazlitt, Elmer Edgar Stoll, and others
- A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions
- Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable text
- And more...
About the Author
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, and was baptised on 26 April 1564. His father was a glove maker and wool merchant and his mother, Mary Arden, was the daughter of a well-to-do local land owner. Shakespeare was probably educated in Stratford's grammar school. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, and the couple had a daughter the following year and twins in 1585.
Shakespeare's theatrical life seems to have commenced around 1590. We do know that he was part of the Lord Chamberlain's Company, which was renamed the King's Company in 1603 when James I succeeded to the throne. The Company acquired interests in two theatres in the Southwark area of London, near the banks of the Thames - the Globe and the Blackfriars.
Shakespeare's poetry was published before his plays, with two poems appearing in 1593 and 1594, dedicated to his patron Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton. Most of Shakespeare's sonnets were probably written at this time as well.
Records of Shakespeare's plays begin to appear in 1594, and he produced roughly two a year until around 1611. His earliest plays include Henry VI and Titus Andronicus. A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice and Richard II all date from the mid to late 1590s. Some of his most famous tragedies were written in the early 1600s; these include Hamlet, Ot
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