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3. In Shakespeare plays, the evil in certain characters isn't psychologized away; it "just is." This comes out when Shylock addresses the Duke about his insistence on receiving Antonio's pound of flesh. Is this true to life? Is there always a human, psychological explanation for evil?
   
   
4. With great respect, Shylock calls the young lawyer at Antonio's trial (Portia, in disguise) "a Daniel." What attributes of the biblical prophet is he referring to?
   
   
5. What is the significance of the final act of the play, once Antonio's trial has come to an end? Why do Portia and her maidservant carry out the elaborate game with the rings? What central choice does Portia have in the final act, and what does that have to do with the central theme of the play?
   
   
6. Portia says "We do pray for mercy, and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy." Is she referring to a specific prayer? What does Jesus say about the connection between forgiving and being forgiven?
   
   

The Family Corner

This splendid and thought-provoking film, which should spark spirited classroom discussions everywhere, is placed out of reach for younger viewers by a number of images of bare-breasted prostitutes, whose placement in the film is intended to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the most virulently racist "Christian" characters in the play.

Photos © Copyright Sony Pictures

The new adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice is earning high praise. Director Michael Radford (Il Postino) has a remarkable cast for this story of passion, religious intolerance, deceit, and confusion.

Set in Venice, a devious moneylender named Shylock (Al Pacino) does his business in a rash and dangerous way, drawing the disapproval of others who dislike his vocation. Meanwhile, a Christian merchant named Antonio who is facing some business trouble of his own falls in love with a beautiful woman named Portia, and finds himself in need of cash in order to win her hand. But the deal he strikes will cost him more than peace of mind … it may end up costing a pound of flesh.

Ron Reed (Christianity Today Movies) gives it a four-star rave. "The Merchant of Venice offers a complex and confounding window not only into our proclivity to mix racism and religion, but also into love and greed, mercy and justice, the contradictions of the human heart. I'm glad to see these battles rejoined, glad these questions will again be talked about, felt about, fought about. The long and terrible history of enmity between Christians and Jews leaves a legacy of guilt and unforgiveness and judgment. Perhaps this time, in at least a few of those arguments, Portia's plea will win out: our insistence on law and just recompense will give way, and Jesus' great prayer will at last teach us to render the deeds of mercy."

He raves about Pacino, saying that the veteran actor "reminds us that he is not just good but great, a performer of true genius who can dominate the screen, or an entire film. This acting is true, and you won't see better."

Gene Edward Veith (World) says, "The Merchant of Venice may be Shakespeare's most explicitly Christian play. But for modern audiences, the play's portrayal of Jews overwhelms its intended themes. And the movie version now in theaters obscures the Christian themes even more."

Josh Hurst (Reveal) raves, "Not only does it succeed as a big-screen adaptation of a great work of literature, but also as a masterfully wrought period piece, a compelling drama, and a vehicle for profound spiritual exploration."

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