The play is set in a dark sixteenth-century Venetian world of shady dealing and grasping greed where human life is gambled for material gain. Shakespeare's Shylock is both the stereotyped Jewish money-lender and a moving portrayal of the humiliation wrought by bigotry and prejudice. Counter-pointing Shylock's cautious prudence is Bassanio's casual profligacy. He is willing to stake his best friend Antonio's life in return for the chance of a profitable marriage to Portia.
Portia, in turn, is a puzzling paradox. Although resolutely faithful to her father's dying decree in choosing a husband, Portia defies convention and switches gender to judge Shylock's and Antonio's conflicting claims. Portia's resolution triumphs where the men of power have failed because instead of seeking recompense she reconciles the spirit of mercy to the letter of the law.
This lavish production of The Merchant of Venice, filmed in studio and on location in Venice, offers a rich resource for students.
(Originally shown in five parts on Channel 4 in the UK.)
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