{"product_id":"the-merchant-of-venice-shakespeare","title":"The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eBy William Shakespeare\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgba(15  17  17  1)\"\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"color: rgba(15  17  17  1)\"\u003eThe Merchant of Venice\u003cspan style=\"color: rgba(15  17  17  1)\"\u003e  the path to marriage is hazardous. To win Portia  Bassanio must pass a test prescribed by her father's will  choosing correctly among three caskets or chests. If he fails  he may never marry at all.\u003c\/span\u003e  Bassanio and Portia also face a magnificent villain  the moneylender Shylock. In creating Shylock  Shakespeare seems to have shared in a widespread prejudice against Jews. Shylock would have been regarded as a villain because he was a Jew. Yet he gives such powerful expression to his alienation due to the hatred around him that  in many productions  he emerges as the hero.  Portia is most remembered for her disguise as a lawyer  Balthazar  especially the speech in which she urges Shylock to show mercy that \"droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven.\"  The authoritative edition of \u003cem style=\"color: rgba(15  17  17  1)\"\u003eThe Merchant of Venice\u003cspan style=\"color: rgba(15  17  17  1)\"\u003e from The Folger Shakespeare Library  the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers  includes:\u003c\/span\u003e  -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play  -Newly revised explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e","brand":"Lushena Books","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":52798798627096,"sku":"9798890966285","price":17.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"HARDCOVER","offer_id":52798798659864,"sku":"9798890966384","price":33.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/8203\/8296\/files\/9798890966285.jpg?v=1790924655","url":"https:\/\/lushenabooksinc.com\/products\/the-merchant-of-venice-shakespeare","provider":"Lushena","version":"1.0","type":"link"}