Description
Chapter 1. What is Truth?
An introduction to the moral world in which Shakespeare lived. The morality of the play is Catholic. All the characters, the moral dilemmas which they encounter, and their responses, are determined by the interaction of the Church with the new Protestant world.
Chapter 2. Daniel
The call of Shylock during his trial, twice for Daniel, guides the reader to Daniel and Susanna, and Daniel versus the priests of Babylon. The question asked is who comprises a proper court?
Chapter 3. The Prodigal Son
The son who turns against his father, demanding his inheritance while still a youth is the story of Bassanio, who has wasted his assets on a fruitless search for love. The forgiveness of the father for his rebellious son, is matched by Antonio’s love for Bassanio.
Chapter 4. Why is Shylock Laban?
Who is Shylock? Shylock calls Jacob’s mother wise for having lied to her husband Isaac. Rebecca’s lie gains a blessing for Jacob and forces her son into the clutches of Laban, her brother. Laban is a thoroughly deceitful man, who cares only for his own advancement.
Chapter 5. The Lie in the World
Rebecca by lying to Isaac, enticed Jacob into a world made of lies. Like his forbearer Laban, Shylock is incapable of telling the truth. Every word out of Shylock’s mouth is a lie, except those spoken to himself.
Chapter 6. Shylock is the Devil
Shakespeare, as all men who believe, understood that the Devil like Christ, is a real presence in the world. All the men who encounter Shylock recognize he is the devil, but they continue to do business with him. The world is a constant re-enactment of the Garden of Eden.
Chapter 7. Holy Saturday
Where is Belmont? Why have all the analysts of the Merchant, stumbled upon the fifth and crowning act of the play? The failure is man’s inability, like Pontius Pilate’s, to determine who is King. But Pilate, came through his wife, to understand the mandate of Christ.
Chapter 8. The Passion of Christ
Who is on trial in the Merchant? Who is innocent, though in danger of his life? Who loves more than to lay down his life for his brother?
Chapter 9. The Thirty nine steps
The thirty nine articles of the Church of England, their renunciation of the Catholic Church, the Church of Christ, is the basis for Shylock’s house being outside the city of Venice. Lancelot’s father, cannot find Shylock’s house, because it is no longer in Venice. The law, which Christ declared to be eternal, has been changed.
What is affirmed at Shylock’s trial? Why did the trial pass the censors code? Should it have?
Why did Shakespeare choose the chapters of Daniel, Daniel and Susanna, Daniel and Bel, the last chapters of Daniel?
Why is it hard to find Shylock’s house?
Why does Shylock hate Antonio?
Who is Laban?
