With Shylock\'s pound of flesh and Portia\'s golden ring,The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare\'s most controversial, disturbing and unforgettable plays.Combining accessible commentary with a range of reprinted materials, S. P. Cerasano:*explores the contexts of the play, including early modern images of Venice, the commercialism of the play, Shakespeare\'s theatre and London, and images of Jewishness*samples modern criticism of Shakespeare\'s Merchant, grouped into sections on The Economic Framework, Choosing and Risking, and Shylock and Other Strangers*offers an invaluable discussion of the play in performance, considering crucial staging issues and changing interpretations of the roles of Portia and Shylock*closely examines key passages of the work, providing both commentary and extensively annotated sections of play text*prepares readers for additional study of the play with a useful guide to further reading.Assuming no prior knowledge of the play, this sourcebook is the essential guide to one of the most haunting works of English drama.