The Merchant of Venice Themes

(Click the themes infographic to download.) In The Merchant of Venice, Judaism and Christianity aren't just religions—they're constructed as racial (and even national) identities as well. ...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) Money is a very big deal in this play. (Big surprise there, right? The plot revolves around a Venetian merchant who can't repay a loan to a hated money...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) "To you, Antonio, / I owe the most, in money and in love" (1.1.4). This is what Bassanio says as he prepares to court his future wife. Like Two Gentlem...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) These days we tend to associate marriage with romantic love (and delicious cake) but in Shakespeare's day that wasn't necessarily the case. Marriage is...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) Because Venice's economic stability depends on foreign businessmen like Shylock, the city has laws in place to protect their legal rights. Although the...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) Love in The Merchant of Venice is not quite all you need. Sure, there's love between family members, between friends, and, of course, between love...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) The Merchant of Venice is no puppy pile or cuddle puddle: it's riddled with characters who feel a deep sense of isolation. The characters clash on a va...

(Click the themes infographic to download.) In The Merchant of Venice, characters have to choose between lovers, friends, family, personal comfort, and societal norms. Um, what else is there...