'How far that little candle throws his beams!So shines a good deed in a naughty world.'With racial and religious hatred at its core, The Merchant of Venice has sparked more controversy than any of Shakespeare's plays. And yet, the play has arguably given us one of Shakespeare most passionate pleas for a universal humanity, as well as the radical example of a woman triumphing in an exclusively male arena, while detailing the ways that the law functions to maintain the status quo. Brett Greatley-Hirsch highlights the role of the play's Venetian setting and the centrality of language to understanding its complex treatment of race, religion, gender, and sexuality, and reflecting on how adaptations have responded to the gaps and silences of the original.The New Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative editions of Shakespeare's works with introductory materials designed to encourage new interpretations of the plays and poems. Using the text from the landmark The New Oxford Shakespeare Complete Works: Modern Critical Edition, these volumes offer readers the latest thinking on the authentic texts (collated from all surviving original versions of Shakespeare's work) alongside innovative introductions from leading scholars. The texts are accompanied by a comprehensive set of critical apparatus to give readers the best resources to help understand and enjoy Shakespeare's work.ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.