Reviews

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

rokkugoh's review against another edition

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I read this in high school as part of required reading.  I'm not sure if I read it correctly, but I was definitely pro-Shylock and viewed him as an anti-hero rather than a villain.

mirabellee_'s review against another edition

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reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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maloryjkennedy10's review against another edition

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5.0

This was a fun play! I enjoyed it more as it went on. And laughed out loud a couple times. Read this with my 10 year old and she gave it 4.5 stars!

lararose672's review against another edition

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4.0

I LURVVVV PORTIA #feministqueen but also she’s antisemitic so not a fan of that 🥲

lizzie__b's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

"All that glitters is not gold."

This was such a fun play. It was really fast-paced, and the characters were lovely.
Portia is such a Queen!!! 

Though there are some things that could've been better:
1) Antonio should've given that piece of flesh😤 it is the virtuous oath, the pinky promise he should've kept. I wanted to see that gore. 
2) Shylock was right.
3) Gay people! accept your truth and be together. (Portia/Nerissa and Antonio/Bassanio) 
4) Lorenzo and Jessica are the best couple in the play. Their banter is amazing! #couplegoals 
5) I hoped for a plot twist at the end: Portia actually tricked all her lovers with "the ring agreement," took their money, and divorced them afterward when they lost the ring. That would have been such a banger! 

krquigs's review against another edition

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4.0

Well then. I didn’t know much about the Merchant of Venice when I picked it up, and I’m glad I didn’t. I was able to come into it with a fresh head and mind. I learned a lot about Elizabethan London, and how Shakespeare reflected the views of that time in how he depicted certain religious groups and people of other complexions.

Reading the essay in the back was really fascinating, and provided a unique comparison. I had no idea some of the things that it mentioned were accurate to the world Shakespeare grew up in.

izzy26's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

cameroncarriglio's review against another edition

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adventurous funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

speakup_jjenn's review against another edition

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I started reading this on sept 6th 2024 for engl 345: shakespeare

ellecactus's review against another edition

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challenging emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0