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Shakespeare Uncovered I “The Merchant of Venice” with F. Murray Abraham | Preview | PBS

4,200 views · Published 3 October 2018 · 0:31 · Indexed 23 September 2026

Channel: PBS · 2018 · Entertainment

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Official Website: https://to.pbs.org/2Iz0Obc | #ShakespearePBS
Untangle the controversies of “The Merchant of Venice” with host F. Murray Abraham.

Shakespeare probably never met a Jewish person. Three centuries before “The Merchant of Venice” was written, England became the first country in medieval Europe to expel its Jewish population. Abraham addresses the ubiquitous anti-Semitism that characterized Europe in Shakespeare’s time. Comparing Shylock to the stock Jewish villain of the day, the episode looks at the efforts over the years to interpret him as both villain and victim. 

Premieres Friday, October 12 at 10/9c. on PBS. Streams online and on PBS apps starting Saturday, October 13.

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