... Merchant of Venice, justice and mercy are distinct opposites, with the former personified by Shylock, and the latter by Christians such as Antonio. One need look no further than Shylock's "Hath not a Jew eyes" soliloquy spoken in prose (III.i.52-72), which stands in counterpoint to Portia's speech on the "quality of ... selfless and merciful character is precisely that which Shylock despises: "[Antonio] lends out money gratis and brings down The rate of usance here with us in Venice" (I.iii.55-5). Shakespeare portrays Shylock, driven by his desire to profit from his loans, as the antagoni...

• Word Count: 1495
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... educational landscape in the twentieth century, and even such literary masterpieces as Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn and Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice have not escaped the censor's wrath for their allegedly racist views. Since the beginning of the century, public schools have felt increase pressures within their communities to maintain a cautious vigil over the materials used in teaching children. For one thing, more literature ... sexual problems in society (Steele 336). Although young children "are not interested in sexual material," notes the University of North Carolina's psy...

• Word Count: 2092
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Books held many important works by Italian humanists including Erasmus, known for his criticism of the church and thought to many as the most respected northern humanist of the 16th century. But even with all these things to overcome, Burke notes, "humanism did continue to appear in new books and to be taught in grammar schools from Rome to Geneva"(18). The Jesuit ... schools also embraced the importance of the classics in their curriculum. "They recognized that humanism had ... (Netherlands, Switzerland), into France, Germany, and the Iberian Peninsula. And finally over into England, ...

• Word Count: 2270
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Fortunately the play was a hit and ran for 100 nights, at the end of the first season they had taken in 36,000 pounds ($180,000). After several months Iriving returned from a cruise and opened with The Merchant of Venice, which ran for 250 nights. When the season was over Irving and Stoker ... went on vacation, returning only for the christening of Bram and Florence's only child Irving Noel Thornley Stoker born December 31st, 1879. During ... commit suicide. Stoker dove in after him and kept his head above water until a boat came. The man died later that night, but because of Stoker's br...

• Word Count: 2122
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School