Reviews - The Merchant of Venice

1.56k reviews for:

The Merchant of Venice

William Shakespeare

3.57 AVERAGE

brads's review against another edition

2.5

dark hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

robinhoods's review against another edition

The most frustrating Shakespeare play I've encountered so far and, looking at the reviews on here, I think we're all inclined to give it a bit too much grace. The relationship between Antonio and Bassanio is deeply compelling and Portia is a fascinatingly flawed and powerful female character. However, the plot, and by extension, every single scene with Shylock, is so profoundly and disgustingly antisemitic that it's hard to look past. The nuance to Shylock's character is there, and it's up to the discretion of the individual director what they want to do with it, but as the play exists in its written form, every "Does not a Jew bleed?" moment from Shylock ends up being vastly overshadowed by an antisemitic tirade from Lancelet or a "clever" one-liner from Salerio or an offhand comment from Antonio or Portia or one of the other characters where they just call Shylock "Jew". While it may not be fair to dismiss "Merchant" entirely, especially since there are many Jewish actors and directors who have found something compelling in the play, I think there are important conversations to be had about the context with which we adapt/teach it. It's not as simple a discussion as "Merchant bad" or "Merchant good" but also, I think it's a text that non-Jewish people in particular should be wary of praising. Though, at the end of the day, I don't really know anything. Just please stop giving this 5 stars. It doesn't deserve them.

absofsteel's review against another edition

2.5

dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

slightly's review against another edition

3.25

challenging dark funny lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

sukhneetk's review against another edition

4.0

Well, I read this one for school and I've got nothing to say about it. I liked Shylock's character and I believe 'twas his right to do what he did. His daughter eloped with Lorenzo with all his jewels. What would a Jew man, who gets insulted by the Christians and realizes that his own daughter had eloped with a Christian, do? He has every right to take his revenge and I support him for it. But along the way, he got a little overexcited about Antonio's situation and lost it all in the end.
I adooorrreee Portia sooo mucchhh. Loved her character the most.
Thanks for reading my boring and short review.
Have a good day.
Bye!

stvrdjs's review against another edition

2.0

boh Shakespeare sei tipo quelle serie dove ci son due personaggi palesemente omosessuali che però non stanno insieme perché uno dei due pensa al denaro e alle donne