Readings On The Merchant Of Venice (The Greenhaven Press Literary Companion To British Literature)

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Collected literary commentaries on Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. This book includes eighteen critical essays on The Merchant of Venice and a biography of William Shakespeare.

Contents:
Foreword
Introduction
William Shakespeare: A Biography
Characters and Plot
Chapter 1: Background
1. Historical Context of The Merchant of Venice / Dennis Kay
2. The Venetian Setting Enhances the Play's Meaning / A.D. Nuttall
Chapter 2: Major Themes
1. The Merchant of Venice: A Critique of Puritanism / Paul N. Siegel
2. The Merchant of Venice Portrays a World of Love and Music / Mark Van Doren
3. Religion in The Merchant of Venice / Peter Milward
Chapter 3: Characterization
1. Characters in The Merchant of Venice / William Hazlitt
2. Shylock and the Venetian Christians / Arthur Quiller-Couch and John Dover Wilson
3. Shylock: A Villain with Humanity / John Russell Brown
4. Portia Fails the Test for Inner Gold / Harold C. Goddard
5. Antonio: The Neurotic Gambler / Ralph Berry
Chapter 4: Structure and Language
1. Two Contrasting Worlds in The Merchant of Venice / Norman N. Holland
2. The Play as a Fairy Tale / Harley Granville-Barker
3. The Merchant of Venice Is a Comedy / Elmer Edgar Stoll
4. Poetry and Prose in The Merchant of Venice / F.E. Halliday
5. The Language of Argument in The Merchant of Venice / G.R. Hibbard
Chapter 5: Evaluation
1. The Merchant of Venice: An Imperfect Step Toward Later Comedies / D.A. Traversi
2. The Merchant of Venice Lacks Dramatic Unity / Gareth Lloyd Evans
3. The Merchant of Venice Is Clear, Simple, and Successful / E.M.W. Tillyard
Chronology
For Further Research
Index