History suggests that the Merchant of Venice was set in Venice probably because Venice was a very popular city at the time the play was made. It could also do with the fact that the words Merchant...
The title character is usually understood to be the Loan-Shark Shylock, who is obviously a Jewish businessman. However, it actually refers to Antonio who borrows money from him. The "Merchant of...
Although Shylock is the best-known character from the play, Shylock is not a merchant. He is a usurer-which is the only job Jews were allowed to have in Venice back then. A usurer is a person who...