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The Merchant of Venice Audiobook
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Antonio, a wealthy and popular merchant, is in financial difficulty. He approaches a Jewish money lender, Shylock, who agrees to provide 3000 ducats, with a very curious bond – a pound of the merchant’s flesh, to be levied if Antonio fails to make a timely repayment. Feeling confident that his argosies will arrive in time to cover the debt, Antonio agrees to this bizarre transaction.
Meanwhile, a wealthy gentlewoman, Portia, must choose a suitor using a curious ritual mandated by her father’s will. Applicants must choose from three locked caskets, one of which contains a picture of Portia. He who chooses the casket with the picture will wed Portia immediately; the unsuccessful applicants will cease courting not only Portia, but all prospective partners. Portia’s preferred suitor is a young Venetian, Bassanio, who is a close friend of Antonio.
Antonio’s ships fail to arrive in time to satisfy his debt to Shylock and Antonio is hauled into court. In a male disguise, Portia appears in court to represent Antonio. Will her skillful representation free Antonio from Shylock’s demands?
Written between 1596 and 1598 and published in 1600, The Merchant of Venice most notably touches on the troubling subject of antisemitism. While critical debate rages about Shakespeare’s actual attitudes toward Jewish culture, it is difficult to deny that the eventual fate of Shylock is not in accord with today’s view of social justice.
Featuring the voices of Denis Daly, Catherina Bilson, Alexandra Lee Smith, Gary D. Macfadden, Blaise Doran, Graham Scott, Roberta Jackson, Josh Innerst, Simon Paxton, Alan Weyman, Emma Faye and Marty Krz.
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About William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (1564–1616), English poet and dramatist of the Elizabethan and early Jacobean period, is the most widely known author in all of English literature and often considered the greatest. He was an active member of a theater company for at least twenty years, during which time he wrote many great plays. Plays were not prized as literature at the time and Shakespeare was not widely read until the middle of the eighteenth century, when a great upsurge of interest in his works began that continues today.
About the Narrators
Denis Daly is an audiobook narrator and the director of Voices of Today, an Australian spoken word production house.
Denis Daly is an audiobook narrator and codirector of Voices of Today, an Australian spoken word production house.
Gary MacFadden is a voice talent based in western Montana, USA. He works in commercial, e-learning, explainer videos, and audiobooks. Gary has narrated and produced over forty audiobooks, and has produced another dozen books for other narrators.
Graham Scott is a narrator and voice actor based in the UK. As well as solo performances of works by authors including PG Wodehouse, Charles Dickens, R Austin Freeman, Dorothy L. Sayers, Jules Verne, Anna Katherine Green, Joseph Conrad, GK Chesterton, and John Buchan, Graham is also a regular performer in group productions with both Voices of Today and the Online Stage. Website: www.GrahamScottAudio.com
Cary Hite has performed in several theaters across the country as a cast member in the longest-running African American play in history, The Diary of Black Men. He also appeared in Edward II, Fences, Macbeth, Good Boys, Side Effects May Vary, and the indie feature The City Is Mine. He has voiced several projects for AudibleKids, including Souls Look Back in Wonder, From Slave Ship to Freedom Road, and Papa, Do You Love Me?
Kirby Heyborne is a musician, actor, and professional narrator. Noted for his work in teen and juvenile audio, he has garnered over twenty Earphones Awards. His audiobook credits include Jesse Kellerman’s The Genius, Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother, and George R. R. Martin’s Selections from Dreamsongs.
Bleak December Inc. is a multimedia company founded by Canadian actor and filmmaker Anthony D.P. Mann.