The Merchant of Venice

The Signet Classics edition of William Shakespeare's black comedy.

A complex play that combines pathos and humor, The Merchant of Venice also introduces one of Shakespeare's most memorable villains, the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who famously demands a “pound of flesh” for what he is owed.

This revised Signet Classics edition includes unique features such as:

• An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater
• A special introduction to the play by the editor, Kenneth Myrick
• Notes on the sources of The Merchant of Venice
• Dramatic criticism from Nicholas Rowe, William Hazlitt, Elmer Edgar Stoll, and others
• A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions
• Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable text
• And more...The Merchant of Venice - William Shakespeare - Edited by Kenneth Myrick Nicholas Rowe: From The Works of Mr. William Shakespear
William Hazlitt: From Characters of Shakespear?s Plays
Anonymous: ?Henry Irving?s Shylock?
Elmer Edgar Stoll: From Shylock
Linda Bamber: The Avoidance of Choice: A Woman?s Privilege
Alexander Leggatt: The Fourth and Fifth Acts
Sylvan Barnet: ?The Merchant of Venice? on the Stage and Screen

NEWLY ADDED ESSAYS:
Robert Smallwood: The End of "The Merchant of Venice": Four Versions

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was a poet, playwright, and actor who is widely regarded as one of the most influential writers in the history of the English language. Often referred to as the Bard of Avon, Shakespeare's vast body of work includes comedic, tragic, and historical plays; poems; and 154 sonnets. His dramatic works have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.