Key Facts about Audience Flashcards
1
Q
When did Shakespeare write the play?
A
1596-1599
2
Q
Who banned the Jews from England?
A
Edward I
3
Q
Did Shakespeare ever meet a Jew?
A
Very unlikely
4
Q
What is Shylock’s character based on?
A
Common prejudices held by the English
5
Q
Where did the English attitude to Jews come from?
A
The early church who said Jews murdered Christ
6
Q
Why might an Elizabethan person like the play?
A
Jew presented as a villain
7
Q
Why might an Elizabethan dislike the play?
A
Shylock isn’t a complete villain
8
Q
Why might modern audience dislike the play?
A
Anti-Semitic
