The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare’s most accessible plays. Although generally considered a comedy, it has an underlying plot of considerable moral dimension. The three main characters, Antonio, the prosperous merchant; Shylock, the reviled usurer; and the heiress, Portia are portrayed in ways so untypical to Elizabethan norms that the play impresses the modern reader with its extraordinary relevance. This edition of The Merchant of Venice has the following features: Original Text of the Play with Paraphrase and Annotations Explanations of Important Passages Chapter wise Detailed Summary of the Play Detailed Critical Appraisal of Characters Discussions on Important Textual Aspects Important University Questions with Answers Selected Literary Criticism