History YMMV / TheMerchantOfVenice

** On the other hand, Shylock is primarily the {{Foil}} to his heroes and not the protagonist, unlike Creator/ChristopherMarlowe's ''Theatre/TheJewOfMalta'' (also stained with anti-semitism) where the hero is a VillainProtagonist who refuses to convert and instead becomes a mass murderer, with his enemies shown to have none of the nobility Shakespeare's verse attributes to Portia, Antonio and Bassanio. From Shakespeare's perspective, Shylock's speech would be of the same order as that of his other villains, to provide him more shades and make him interesting, but nonetheless still keeping him the villain. Though with Marlowe's play the Christians also come across as pretty bad, balancing play out more.
** While Portia makes some nasty quips about the Prince of Morocco's skin colour, the character himself is sympathetically depicted, if a bit of a NobleSavage. The fact that he comes off as nicer than the Prince of Arragon combines this with ValuesDissonance: Spanish people were very much targets of mockery in England at the time this play was written.

* TheScrappy: Portia is one character that has not aged well, due to the ValuesDissonance. Modern interpretations view her as something of an AlphaBitch - especially with her unfortunate line about not wanting to marry the Prince of Morocco because of his skin colour. And once she does marry Bassanio, she tricks him into giving up his ring and tries to paint it as him being unfaithful. Productions have to be very careful when it comes to how they present her character.

** The legions of anti-Semites who have enjoyed the play down the years [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shylock#Influence_on_antisemitism should alone give pause]] to modern attempts to "reclaim" the play. Modern day audiences have vastly different reactions to Shylock's eventual fate, which in the original context counted as a happy ending for his AntiVillain.

In my eyes, Antonio crosses it when he forcibly converts Shylock. The spitting and kicking is a kick the dog moment, but the forced conversion in my eyes marks him as a cruel man who just wants to make Shylock suffer as much as he can.

In my eyes, Antonio crosses it when he forcibly converts Shylock. The spitting and kicking is a *kickthedog moment but the forced conversion in my eyes marks him as a cruel man who just wants to make Shylock suffer as much as he can.

* AlternateShowInterpretation: The 2015 performance of ''Theatre/TheMerchantOfVenice'', by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Straford-upon-Avon itself, interpreted the love story as a polyamorous romance between Antonio, Bassanio, and Portia. None of the text was changed, but Antonio and Bassanio spent much of the play kissing and embracing, with Portia looking on happily. Some productions have told the story as a tragedy, with Shylock as the protagonist.
* AmbiguouslyGay: The Prince of Arragon can come across like this. Even though he is Portia's suitor, he expresses no love or affection for her. And unlike his rival, Morocco, when Arragon fails the EngagementChallenge he does not convey any disappointment in being unable to marry Portia. Neither does he seem troubled by the VowOfCelibacy that he is now required to live by for the rest of his life. Arragon is also frequently depicted as effeminate or played by an [[ConfirmedBachelor older man]] which only helps add to this appearance.
* CampStraight: The Prince of Arragon is often portrayed this way in order to contrast him with the [[WarriorPrince manly]] Prince of Morocco.

** While Portia makes some nasty quips about the Prince of Morocco's skin colour, the character himself is sympathetically depicted, if a bit of a NobleSavage. The fact that he comes off as nicer than the Prince of Arragon combines this with ValuesDissonance: Spanish people were very much AcceptableTargets in England at the time this play was written.

* TrueArtIsAngsty: Usually performed as a tragedy nowadays. It was written as a comedy, but performing it as such would be considered uncouth and insensitive.
** Though to be fair, comedy in Shakespeare's day would probably just have meant that everything turned out alright in the end and no one ends up dead (which is true: [[DesignatedVillain Shylock]] is defeated and all the couples get together), rather than the laugh-out-loud definition of comedy we have now.

*** The "hath not a Jew eyes" speech can, in itself, have many different interpretations depending on how the character is portrayed. Is Shylock pleading for tolerance and equal treatment? Or is he just making a calculated justification for his desire to [[DisproportionateRetribution kill Antonio by cutting out his heart]]? The speech does focus on the revenge aspect more than the "I am just like you" aspect, after all...
*** This troper's production also made Shylock the tragic protagonist, and so he ended as all tragic protagonists in Shakespeare's plays end: committing suicide.

* AcceptableTargets:
** Jews were this in Shakespeare's day. Indeed, it's believed that this play was inspired by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roderigo_Lopez Roderigo Lopez]], the Portuguese New Christian (converted Jew) who served Elizabeth's court and became the only Royal Physician executed by the Crown.
** The Spanish as well, considering England was in the midst of the Armada. The Prince of Aragon is depicted as a rude, haughty and silly - in contrast to the Prince of Morocco, who seems to be a little more sympathetic.

* MommasBoy: In some productions the Prince of Arragon is accompanied by his mother when he arrives at Portia's house to attempt the EngagementChallenge.

*** This troper's production also made Shylock the tragic protagonist, and so he ended as all tragic protagonists in Shakespeare plays end: committing suicide.
** Portia is one of Shakespeare's very best villains. After getting Shylock to give up his demand for the pound of flesh she, along with the Duke and Antonio twists the law around so much that Shylock has to give up all his wealth to the state and his ungrateful daughter (who, by the way, left his house by stealing his money AND a ring from Shylock's deceased wife), and also has to convert to Christianity, or die. Then she tricks her husband's ring from him, pretty much just so she can hold it over him as being "unfaithful."

*** This troper's production also made shyloco the tragic protagonists, and so he ended as all tragic protagonists in Shakespeare plays end: committing suicide.

* MommasBoy: In some productions The Prince of Arragon is accompanied by his mother when he arrives at Portia's house to attempt the EngagementChallenge.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: No one is particularly likeable. Portia, Antonio, and Gratiano are racist bullies, Bassanio is a gold-digging fop, Shylock is a would-be murderer, Jessica and Lorenzo steal a ton of money and heirlooms from an old man, and Lancelot tries to convince his own father that his son is dead. The least awful characters are Solanio and Salarino, and that’s because they’re the GreekChorus.