Shylock and the Jewish Question (Johns Hopkins Jewish Studies) - Hardcover

Yaffe

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801856485 ISBN 13: 9780801856488

Publisher: John Hopkins University Press, 1997

Synopsis

In this work, the author challenges the assumption that Shakespeare is, in the final analysis, unfriendly to Jews. He finds that Shakespeare's consideration of Judaism in "The Merchant of Venice" provides an important contrast to Marlowe's virulent "The Jew of Malta". In many ways, he argues, Shakespeare's play is even more accepting than Francis Bacon's inclusive "New Atlantis" or the Jewish philosphers Benedict Spinoza's argument for tolerance on the "Theologico-Political Treatise". Emphasizing that "The Merchant of Venice" is a work of political philosophy as well as literature, the author raises the possibility that Shakespeare presents Shylock not as typical Jew, but as a bad one. Though the book focuses on the Jewish question, it has larger implications for thinking in other areas: the rise of liberal democracy, the development of religious toleration, the relation of the church and state, and the interrelation of politics, economics and religion - in short, a range of issues basic to the conception of modernity.

About this title

Review

"There is extraordinary virtue evident when scholars confront one of the great intellectual shibboleths of anti-Semitism in something like mortal combat and come out above the current fads. Was William Shakespeare anti-Semitic? [Yaffe] takes on this controversy with brilliant forthrightness and courage." -- Baltimore Sun

Book Description

Yaffe challenges the widespread assumption that Shakespeare is, in the final analysis, unfriendly to Jews.

Edition details

• Publisher: John Hopkins University Press
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801856485
• ISBN 13: 9780801856488
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208