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The Merchant of Venice: The Oxford Shakespeare

By William Shakespeare
Series: Oxford World's Classics
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Exploring Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, this Oxford edition delves into the play's complex themes, including bonds and bondage, and the vital question of Shakespeare's attitude to Semitism. Featuring a modernised text and a rich introduction examining its sources, Freud's 'The Three Caskets' essay, and its varied stage history, it offers a comprehensive understanding for readers and performers alike.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Ideal for students, actors, and readers interested in Shakespearean drama, literary scholarship, and theatrical history, particularly those seeking a scholarly yet accessible edition of The Merchant of Venice.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

What was Shakespeare's attitude to Semitism? The introduction to this edition of The Merchant of Venice opens by addressing this vital issue raised by the play and goes on to study the sources, background, and date, including a discussion of Sigmund Freud's essay on 'The Three Caskets'.

Professor Halio interprets the play's contradictions, inconsistencies, and complementarities, especially as these relate to the overarching theme of bonds and bondage. A survey of the play's stage history ranges from discussions of its early staging to important twentieth-century productions and performances outside England, particularly in Israel.

The text, based on a fresh examination of the early editions, is presented in modernised spelling and punctuation. Unfailingly lucid and helpful, this is an ideal edition for students, actors, and the general reader.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years, Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Cedric Watts, University of Sussex, praises the edition for its frank and illuminating annotations, especially regarding sexual innuendos and staging references. He calls it a creditable, lucid, and practical volume, enriched with pictorial material and a useful index, consistent with Oxford Shakespeare's high standards.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780199535859

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 April 2008

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Oxford University Press

Illustration: halftones

Contributors:

  • Edited by Jay L. Halio

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 273g

Pages: 256

Collections

Arts & Culture Classic Poetry Non-Fiction Series: Oxford World's Classics William Shakespeare

About the Author

Jay L. Halio is Professor of English, University of Delaware

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