The Merchant of Venice: The State of Play (Arden Shakespeare The State of Play)

"The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare's most controversial plays, whose elements resonate even more profoundly in the current climate of rising racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-immigrant sentiment, queerphobia and right-wing nationalism. This collection of essays offers a 'freeze frame' that showcases a range of current debates and ideas surrounding the play. Each chapter has been carefully selected for its originality and relevance to your needs. Essays offer new perspectives that provide an up-to-date understanding of what's exciting and challenging about the play. Key themes and topics include: ʺ Race and religion ʺ Gender and sexuality ʺ Philosophy ʺ Animal studies ʺ Adaptations and performance history."-- Provided by publisher. Cover Contents List of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Series Preface Introduction: Recent Trends in Merchant of Venice Criticism M. Lindsay Kaplan 1 ‘Lend it rather to thine enemy’: Accentuating Difference in The Merchant of Venice Miriam Gilbert 2 Dangerous Border Crossings: Nicolas Stemann’s Merchant in Munich Benjamin Fowler 3 Thomas Jordan’s ‘The Forfeiture’: A Mercantilist Rewriting of Shakespeare Katherine Romack 4 Jessica, Women’s Activism and Maurice Schwartz’s 1947 Shayloks Tochter Sara Coodin 5 ‘Woolly Breeders’: Animal Generation and Economies of Knowledge in The Merchant of Venice James Kearney 6 ‘The means whereby I live’: Deep Play in The Merchant of Venice Jeanette Nguyen Tran 7 ‘Qualities of Breeding’: Race, Class and Conduct in The Merchant of Venice Patricia Akhimie 8 Jessica, Sarra, Ruth: Jewish Women in Shakespeare’s Venice Shaul Bassi 9 ‘Marvellously Changed’: Shakespeare’s Repurposing of Fiorentino’s Doting Godfather in The Merchant of Venice Thomas Cartelli 10 Balthazar’s Beard: Looking (Again) Into the Merchant’s Closet A. Eliza Greenstadt Works Cited Index "The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare's most controversial plays, and one that resonates even more profoundly in the current climate of rising racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-immigrant sentiment, queerphobia and right-wing nationalism. This collection of essays offers a 'freeze frame' that showcases a range of current debates and ideas surrounding the play. Essays offer new perspectives that provide an up-to-date understanding of what's exciting and challenging about the play. Key themes and topics include : race and religion ; gender and sexuality ; philosophy ; animal studies ; adaptations and performance history."--taken from back cover