"Shylock, the Roman" explains Shakespeare’s "The Merchant of Venice" in light of the Renaissance ethos of ancient Roman honor and the tradition of ancient Rome’s festive comedy. This approach to the play breaks with all other interpretations of the play throughout more than 400 years of criticism in that it reframes the Christian/Jewish conflict of values in the foreground in an entirely unexpected way. Breaking with 400 years of interpretation, however, places "The Merchant of Venice" at the center of the mainstream of the comedy of Shakespeare's mature middle period. This close reading of "The Merchant of Venice" illuminates Shakespearean comedy generally and provides a basis for understanding the logic of Shakespeare's artistry as a dramatist.
