William Shakespeare...?

Question

We all know Shakespeare's great works. In one of his plays he mentioned a story about a Jew and a one pound of flesh:

1. What is the story in brief?

2. Would Shakespeare be considered anti-Semite based on this story. Please, expand on your YES or NO.

PS: Serious people only. Foul language will take you nowhere.

Answer 1

You are talking about The Merchant of Venice

It is the story of a time in history when Jews were prevented from doing many jobs or owning many forms of property. Anyway this man signs a bond with a Jew on penalty of having to pay a pond of flesh if he failed to live up to his part of the bargain. He failed and the jewish man came to clain his pound of flesh. They said the man could have it but if he spilt blood then he must die. They also told him if he did not take the flesh then he would have to forfeit his money and or his life. Half of his money was taken and secretly given to his daughter who left him to be with a Christian. The other have was left to him as was his life.

The point of the story was not to deal with racism but to deal with love and love having no bounds.

You can find a movie of this currently on cable.

Answer 2

The problem is with Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" is that it IS anti-Semitic. There is a group of people who think that Shakespeare is really saying that the Christians are much worse, or no better than Shylock. While that may be true, there are no redeeming qualities about Shylock. When his daughter elopes Shylock is more worried about his ducats than his daughter. If you try to make Shylock into a sympathetic character the whole play fails.

Consider that it was played for Hitler & the highest levels of the nazi regime 70 times. I'm note saying that Hitler or his staff were drama critics, but it does reinforce the nazi view of anti-Semitism. As if they needed another one.

Having said all that Shakespeare's jews are not as bad as some were portrayed in Elizabethan England. Christopher Marlowe's
"The Jew of Malta" is out-and-out repelling.

Answer 3

The Merchant of Venice.

1- About a guy who "co-signs" a high risk loan whose business goes under and is brought before a judge for collection. The lender is a Jew. The lender secretly hopes the business fails so as to kill the backer, who has loaned money without interest, which is outrageous to him. He escapes the debt and the Jew gets shafted. Love is involved in the story as well.

2- Yes, he'd be considered Anti-Semititic. The dialogue is defamatory towards Jews. And it supports all the stereotypes we still hear today.

If you need a quick read, you should buy it on Itunes and listen to it. It will take you a couple of hours max, but is quick and easy to understand. :)

Answer 4

That would probably be The Merchant of Venice. If you want a brief synopsis try the following link.
www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/