Shylock and the economics of subversion in 'The Merchant of Venice' (William Shakespeare)

Examining the long history of critical reading and stage-production of William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, the current study observes commercial pressures pertaining both to Renaissance England as well as to the play text. Reading Shylock as a primary representation of commercial forces during the Renaissance, the study explores and questions the lack of attention to this aspect of the character of Shylock and the play as a whole; socio-political factors contributing to the shortage of depictions acknowledging commerce are considered. This examination of the play text and the history of stage production takes place in conjunction with a look at contemporary social forces that have dictated and guided the critical inquiry and stage production of the play from the Renaissance to the current day.