The Merchant of Venice in a Nutshell

The Merchant of Venice is perhaps the greatest and indubitably the most controversial of Shakespeare’s comedies. It has been misunderstood and misconstrued to such a degree, however, that it is often seen as a tragedy, not a comedy. Such is the critical blindness of the age in which we find ourselves. Prior to a discussion of this critical blindness and the reasons for it, let’s look at the play itself. 

The Merchant of Venice in a Nutshell