robinhoods 's review for:

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

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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.