The Merchant of Venice is rightfully considered one of  Shakespeare's "problem plays" with its dark overtones of anti-Semitism and a feud between a Jew standing obstinately with the Old Testament ("Cursed be my tribe if I forgive him.") and Christians clinging righteously to the New ("The quality of mercy is never strained."). Shakespeare does not make [...]
SOURCE: DC Theatre Scene at 11:10AM on February 20, 2012