Shakespeare, a Gifted Writer or a Anti-Semitic Villain?

"The Merchant of Venice" features a Jewish character that is abused and slandered by nearly every character in the play. Throughout the play the behavior of these characters seems justified. In this way, "The Merchant of Venice" appears to be an anti-Semitic play. However, "The Merchant of Venice" contains several key instances, which can be portrayed in a way that criticizes anti-Semitism. The first instance occurs in Act 1, scene 3 when the audience realizes that Shylock has every right to be extremely angry with Antonio. …