The Merchant of Venice: Play Guide and Free Edition
The Merchant of Venice: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The Merchant of Venice is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Shakespeare, William (1564–1616).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare is a play written between 1596 and 1598. When a Venetian merchant defaults on a loan from Jewish moneylender Shylock, who demands a pound of flesh as payment, fatal consequences loom. Though classified as a comedy, the play is best remembered for its dramatic scenes and Shylock's character. It features famous speeches on humanity and mercy, while sparking ongoing debate about whether the work is antisemitic in its portrayal of discrimination and justice.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Merchant of Venice
- Author credits: Shakespeare, William (1564–1616)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Comedy plays
- Jews -- Italy -- Drama
- Moneylenders -- Drama
- Venice (Italy) -- Drama
Gutenberg collections
- Banned Books from Anne Haight's list
- Category: British Literature
- Category: Classics of Literature
- Category: Plays/Films/Dramas
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


