is there really anyone dumb enough to believe that Merchant of

There sure are /pol/ crossposters and kiddies that don't know better.

is there anyone stupid enough to believe shakespeare isn't a cheeky cunt who manages both at once

>>8742124
Shylock was wrong to not show mercy

shylock was right to did show mercy

>>8742124
yes, harold bloom argues this

shakespeare forcing shylocks conversion is antisemitic

>>8742195
Was it, though?

>>8742195
idiot, it shows the hypocrisy of the christians, to punish a lack of mercy with a lack of mercy

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The full title of the play is: "The most excellent history of the merchant of Venice with the extreme cruelty of Shylock the Jew."

It was meant to be a comedy with Shylock as the cartoonish-villain who get's duped for humor's sake. His famous speech wasn't originally supposed to be a plea for tolerance but a self-justification for his actions. All of Shakespeare's villains have the need to justify themselves to the audience.

Any interpretation of the play as a critique of ethnic persecution is modern. Shakespeare was a racist.

>>8742124
I prefer a 'redpill' interpretation of Shakespeare. I bet he would have really dug the fash. He just gives off that vibe.

>>8742290
I could see him as a fascist if I had just read Corialanus, but there are speeches in King Lear that almost seem socialist.

>>8742835

>Imposing 19th century political ideals on an Early Modern writer

It depends incredibly on the staging. I've seen a modern interpretation in which Shylock is incredibly sympathetic as well as a more traditional version that bordered on overt antisemitism. The play itself could be interpreted either way, although seems bent towards the latter, especially as a comedy.

>>8742835
>a character says it, so that means the author believes it!!!!!!!111

You guys do know drama has conflicting viewpoints, right?

>>8742894
Yes, that's the interesting part, a lot of opposing viewpoints are stated very convincingly, so it seems like the writer himself believes in all of them. In most works, you can tell which argument the author really believes in.

I don't like you, btw

Trying to redeem authors of the past from their anti-semitism/racism is not only erroneous but irresponsible

Sure, do an interpretation of Merchant of Venice which is more sympathetic to Shylock, but don't try and historicize your interpretation. Refusing to come to grips with the anti-semetic past of English literature is almost as bad as embracing that anti-semetism. Engage with it in a scholarly fashion, don't ignore it because it's inconvenient.

the "manna from heaven" line seemed in my mind to be cheekiness

>>8742148

this famalamadingdong

>>8742285

There are levels of comedy in Shylock's characterization. He is a bad Jew, treated badly by bad Christians. This isn't The Jew of Malta.

>>8742124
He kind of looks like a pelican

Shakespeare isn't saying anything directly, so you can't say she's advocating anything. If i, as schopenhauer did, say 'i think slavery was wrong' that's still not moral-advocacy to either end. I think it's more important to see it as her saying 'all pity is selfpity is worthless'... Alot... In all the plays. And start from that very obvious, glaring, 'read'. And then just shut the fuckup and enjoy it.

>>8742124
My highschool English teacher

>>8742148
This. Written for anti Semitic plebs, deeper message

>>8743109

Everyone can see through your witty joke, and it is terrible. Please stop.

>>8743667
>anti-semitic plebs
The people who were at his plays were being told by their priests and magistrates that Jews ate babies.

>>8743694
What is the witty joke, thanks btw, you're projecting now, dead stalker babies? I write for me, little insignificunts, Not for your species of deadtrash.

>>8744157
It was written at the end of Elizabeth "so racist it hurts" I's reign.

And that's kind of impressive considering racism wasn't a thing then, at least not like it is now.

>>8742124
why are we talking about the Merchant of Venice when we could be talking about Death in Venice?

>>8744924
Because I prefer talking about things written by good writers.

>>8742949
Agreed fully. I disagree in general with people that demonize authors or characters without contextualizing them. It's like the idiots that call Huck Finn racist.