"The Merchant of Venice"

     "If you prick us do we not bleed?".  Does that line sound familiar? It should.  It is a line from one of Shakespeare's most famous works The Merchant of Venice.  That line in particular is used often throughout modern culture to express the injustices of those oppressed.

     The play tells the story of Antonio, a wealthy merchant, who allows his friend, Bassanio, to place his name down on a loan from a Jewish money lender named Shylock.  Bassanio requires the money so as to woo the fair Portia.  If Antonio is unable to repay, then Shylock has the legal right to remove a pound of flesh from Antonio.  On top of this interesting plot line, there is also a love story between Portia and Bassanio.

     *Spoiler Alert*

    In the end, Antonio cannot repay his debt to Shylock because all of his ships and goods are still at sea.  Shylock is offered a repayment by Bassanio, but because of his hate for Antonio, requests the pound of flesh instead.  As Shylock is about to begin, he is stopped and it is clarified that in the contract, Shylock may remove only a pound of flesh, but no blood.  If a single drop of Antonio's blood is lost, then the contract is broken.  Disappointed, Shylock requests then to take the original repayment offered by Bassanio, but cannot claim it because he has already denied it.  To add insult to injury, it is pointed out that Shylock, being a jew, tried to claim the life of a Christian (Antonio).  Now he must have half his estates taken away from him.  Shylock is left poor and beaten by the system.  It is because of this ending that this play is often reproached for it's anti-semitic themes. 

*End Spoiler*

    The Merchant of Venice is a unique play and offers much thought and speculation long after you are done with it.  And isn't that what a good piece of literature is supposed to do? 

I give it 4 out of 5 Wildes.