A review by oashackelford
Merchant of Venice (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes

challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

 I like the trickery of the play but I wish it was because Shylock is a genuinely bad dude who does evil for a living. Instead he is just a Jewish man who does his job and is tired of being mocked and harassed all the time and they take everything from him in such an illegal way. They don't honor their contract and they take him for everything that he is worth.

I think it would be a lot more enjoyable to watch the trickery if Shylock in any way really deserved it, but he doesn't. Even Othello is treated with more dignity.