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Shylock Must Die
Since his first public appearance in the late 1590s, Shylock has been synonymous with antisemitism. Many of his bon mots remain common currency among Jew-haters; among them "3000 ducats" and the immortal "pound of flesh". But Shakespeare, being Shakespeare, was incapable of inventing anyone so uninteresting; instead he affords Shylock such ambiguity that some of his other lines have become keynotes for believers in shared humanity and tolerance.
Following Shakespeare's example these stories - all inspired by The Merchant of Venice - range from the comic to the melancholic. Many pivot on significant productions of the Stockholm in 1944, London in 2012, and Venice in 2016. Some are concerned with domestic matters, others with the political, including one - more outrageous than the others - that links Shylock via Israel with the American presidency; most combine both.
Running through these linked stories - of which there are seven, like the ages of man - is the cycle of family life, with all its comedy and tragedy.
Following Shakespeare's example these stories - all inspired by The Merchant of Venice - range from the comic to the melancholic. Many pivot on significant productions of the Stockholm in 1944, London in 2012, and Venice in 2016. Some are concerned with domestic matters, others with the political, including one - more outrageous than the others - that links Shylock via Israel with the American presidency; most combine both.
Running through these linked stories - of which there are seven, like the ages of man - is the cycle of family life, with all its comedy and tragedy.
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 28, 2022
A masterful writer, witty too
May 10, 2020
I grabbed this by mistake in a last minute lock-down trolley dash around North Islington Library. I thought it was by Iain Sinclair and was little a little put out when I realised the mistake, after scanning the liner notes, and realised I’d be stuck with it until June.
Then I started reading...
Having left school at sixteen following an 80s secondary modern education in a small seaside town I could be forgiven for never having read Shakespeare, or seen a play. Sure, even oinks like me have heard of R+J and its famous lines but that was it. The Merchant of Venice hardly registered on my radar, never mind the character of Shylock, the Jewish money lender. Back at school I was blessed with an insightful full RE teacher who taught us about the Holocaust. The horrors would be depicted some years later in cinema adaptations such as Schindlers List, The Piano and Son of Saul.
Most recently the ugly subject of anti-semitism has resurfaced in the political arena in the UK.
In lite of this I’ve learnt so much from the this book and enjoyed the wit and imagination of the stories framed within the reference points of the Merchant and the historic social implications of Shylock’s shadow, from imagined concurrent side events in Shakespearean Venice, to the insanity pervading a White House ruled by an amoral orange golem.
Yesterday I even watched the play for the first time, courtesy of BBCs iPlayer.
What is a books function if not to inform and entertain?
I got my mind broadened in with the bargain by this happy accident and Clive’s work will definitely be joining Iain’s in my ‘to read’ list going forward.
Then I started reading...
Having left school at sixteen following an 80s secondary modern education in a small seaside town I could be forgiven for never having read Shakespeare, or seen a play. Sure, even oinks like me have heard of R+J and its famous lines but that was it. The Merchant of Venice hardly registered on my radar, never mind the character of Shylock, the Jewish money lender. Back at school I was blessed with an insightful full RE teacher who taught us about the Holocaust. The horrors would be depicted some years later in cinema adaptations such as Schindlers List, The Piano and Son of Saul.
Most recently the ugly subject of anti-semitism has resurfaced in the political arena in the UK.
In lite of this I’ve learnt so much from the this book and enjoyed the wit and imagination of the stories framed within the reference points of the Merchant and the historic social implications of Shylock’s shadow, from imagined concurrent side events in Shakespearean Venice, to the insanity pervading a White House ruled by an amoral orange golem.
Yesterday I even watched the play for the first time, courtesy of BBCs iPlayer.
What is a books function if not to inform and entertain?
I got my mind broadened in with the bargain by this happy accident and Clive’s work will definitely be joining Iain’s in my ‘to read’ list going forward.
March 1, 2025
I think I liked “Ain’t That the Truth” (Donald Trump golem; semi-ironic adoption of antisemitic stereotypes) and “Shylock’s Ghost” the most. The rest of the stories I was pretty ambivalent about, though I actively disliked “If You Tickle Us.”
Edit from 3/1/25: I’ve been looking at this collection again, and I think I didn’t give it enough credit. “If You Tickle Us” does capture part of the idea I’m expressing about Shylock—that he has both humor and anger. And “Shylock Our Contemporary” is very amusing as someone mired in the scholarly work and able to recognize the names.
Edit from 3/1/25: I’ve been looking at this collection again, and I think I didn’t give it enough credit. “If You Tickle Us” does capture part of the idea I’m expressing about Shylock—that he has both humor and anger. And “Shylock Our Contemporary” is very amusing as someone mired in the scholarly work and able to recognize the names.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews